Published October 31, 2025 in Coaching Corner • 6 min read • 
Audio available
Francine is the director of communications with a tech multinational headquartered in France. With three teams reporting to her and a dynamic and fast-paced agenda, Francine is deft at getting things done. She is highly conscientious, reliable, and well-liked within the organization – known as a solid executor and a safe pair of hands. But even as Francine performs consistently, her boss Maria has noticed something that has given her pause: Francine rarely, if ever, engages proactively with colleagues beyond her immediate teams or function. When the need arises for cross-collaboration, Francine defaults to asking her manager to make connections and forge agreements on her behalf. She is not underperforming, but neither is she excelling. She is not initiating or driving opportunities that will take the organization forward. All this makes her, and her potential, invisible to the wider organization.
Maria has enormous belief in Francine’s potential and is keen to see her lead more proactively within and beyond her remit. She is worried that Francine may be becoming bored and that she cannot see a future for herself in the organization. Maria is a caring boss, but she is ambitious and exacts high standards. She wants Francine to explore her career aspirations and the contributions she wishes to make to the organization. Francine agrees to see an executive coach to help shift her out of her comfort zone.
Francine’s coach suggests they start by creating a lifeline that maps key events in her past. Some key factors emerge. The daughter of immigrant parents, Francine grew up translating for her family – anticipating other people’s needs and responding to and fixing problems as they arose. This has forged the expert executor within her, but it has also fostered a habit of deferring to other people’s priorities. Francine puts herself second. Pleasant and affable, she excels at working with others and meeting tight deadlines, but she is less adept at taking the initiative or taking risks.
Francine explores with the coach how her aversion to risk-taking keeps her moored to certain behaviors – rooted in operational execution – and stops her from doing things that she might enjoy without waiting for others to give her permission. Change implies risk-taking, the coach suggests, but there are risks in not changing, too. Francine concludes that by failing to push her boundaries, she risks losing her passion for her work.
The coach invites Maria to join a session and facilitates a three-way conversation. As her boss, Maria can provide valuable feedback and help pinpoint areas where Francine has begun to take more initiative. The strong and supportive nature of their relationship is vital in making this effective, and as a result, some key findings emerge. Francine is able to articulate situations in which she has lost confidence and sought to avoid protagonism. Maria asks for input on her role as manager: has she inadvertently made Francine feel inadequate, shut her down too fast, or stepped in where Francine could have taken the lead? Together, they also find moments where Maria has reinforced Francine’s autonomy and given her the support that she needs to experiment, lead, and take risks. Armed with these insights, Maria and Francine agree to forge a path forward that will deliver for the organization and help Francine grow. This means setting strong goals.
Francine stands taller, her shoulders are relaxed, and she is more confident in her communication and collaboration
Following the meeting, Francine identifies two strategic areas she wants to influence. If she is to have a greater impact, she realizes she will need to be more visible across the organization and within its upper echelons. Developing new expertise and becoming more visible will also mean reprioritizing her time: to think more deeply, to network, and to take a leading role in cross-functional projects. This means changing how she leads her teams. While she enjoys helping her direct reports and is always available, this often results in her taking on work that her team could handle, and she sometimes avoids constructive feedback. Her change of priorities involves delegating more, having explicit conversations around objectives and standards, and demonstrating a willingness to engage in difficult conversations rather than solving everything herself.
Over the next few months, with the help of her coach, Francine resolves to do three things: to be more demanding with her team regarding quality, to prioritize and contribute more to meetings relating to her strategic objectives, and to avoid taking on operational tasks without considering who else is capable of doing the work. These goals succeeded in pushing Francine out of her comfort zone.
As she progresses, Francine observes shifts in her attitude and behavior. Regularly bringing these insights into her coaching sessions to debrief, reflect, and make sense of what she’s learning helps her identify lessons that will sustain her forward momentum. One insight stands out: “If I am constantly doing, I am not making space for myself or my team to learn.”
For Francine, the coaching journey has led to clarity. She recognizes that she is not content to play second fiddle. Once this discovery takes hold, there is no going back. She is developing a taste for greater agency and ownership in her work and understands that she has the capability to take matters into her own hands. She is giving herself permission to lead autonomously and actively seeks opportunities to step forward.
Francine is finally tapping into her potential. She is becoming more creative in her ideas and approaches, more adventurous and future-oriented in her thinking, and more assertive in setting positive boundaries in interactions with others. Maria and her peers have noticed that Francine stands taller, her shoulders are relaxed, and she is more confident in her communication and collaboration. She is leading with reflection, purpose, and intent.
By investing both time and resources in Francine, Maria has not only supported her development but reinvigorated her broader team. Francine is contributing at a more strategic level, making steady progress on her new initiatives, and receiving positive recognition from the executive team. And, as her priorities shift and leadership evolves, her direct reports are growing and developing alongside her.
Is there someone on your team who is reliable and capable, but not yet reaching their full potential?
What might be getting in their way, and how could you create space for their growth?
How might your leadership style – through support, expectations, or involvement – be shaping how others show up?
Are there times when stepping in may unintentionally limit someone’s ownership?
Where could a thoughtful investment in someone’s development lead to a broader impact for your team or organization?
What conversations or coaching support might unlock that potential?
What internal stories or early experiences have shaped how I approach leadership, risk-taking, and visibility?
How do I want to reframe or rewrite those stories going forward?
What does it mean for me to lead with agency and influence, and where am I still holding back?
What would it look like to step more fully into that version of myself?
How are the changes I’m making influencing those around me – my team, peers, and leaders?
What feedback am I receiving, and how can I use it to fine-tune my impact?
Relying on gut instinct and going with a hunch may seem outdated in our data-driven society, but it remains essential for effective decision-making. Here we explain how best to use and develop...
Audio available
Doing more with less energy is the fastest and cheapest way to cut emissions. Business leaders must do more to translate words into action....
Audio available
Leaders should challenge their assumptions about digital natives to build more meaningful connections....
Audio available
Many C-suite executives are torn between the need for a green transition and maintaining a competitive advantage. Here are five ways to find a clear path ahead....
Audio availableExplore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience