1-1 Coaching Case Study - The Director…
The Situation
The title was there: Director. But the leadership presence wasn’t fully landing.
This leader was well-regarded externally and known for delivering results - inside the organisation, something wasn’t working.
Direct reports waited for guidance. Decisions waited for sign off. Ownership was patchy. Despite high performance, too much responsibility remained concentrated at the top.
Tensions with a senior colleague added to the challenge. While this leader brought clarity and ambition, the counterpart lacked self-esteem, creating misalignment and clashes. Externally, stakeholder relationships were strong. Internally, the influence and narrative weren’t yet being harnessed to shape culture and drive delivery from within.
The Turning Point
The coaching began with an honest reflection:
You’ve got the badge. But are you truly directing?
The first coaching programme focused on identity and presence - supporting the leader to believe in themselves and step into the role with intention and clarity. The second went deeper, challenging behaviours and surfacing value misalignments that were impacting team dynamics and energy. This layered approach allowed for not just performance improvements, but a realignment of leadership from the inside out - resulting in more sustainable, values-led change.
Work centred on:
Clarifying the role the piece needed in order to be ultimately successful.
Understanding what was keeping the team dependent.
Rebalancing the dynamics with key stakeholders, including a senior colleague.
Using a more coaching-led leadership style to unlock clarity, ownership, and confidence in others.
The Shift Using the 1-1 coaching approach: A Three-Phase Journey Built Around You
Typically my 1-1 coaching is delivered over 10–12 sessions. It forms the foundation of a wider leadership arc - from personal clarity to professional contribution and beyond. It’s built from over 20 years of coaching leaders to succeed and enhance personal and team performance.
If you’d like to read more about my 1-1 approach, in general, you can do sp here HERE and theres more on my team coaching Here:
In this programme…
The leader was bright, purposeful and empathic, with a delivery background. Able to read the room as well as ‘do what needs’ to be done - the greater opportunity lay in recognising this ability and to tap into previous experiences where they were not the ‘lead’ but instead a ‘consultant’.
The shift reduced reliability on doing and more on guiding and facilitating once ‘value’ was aligned with ‘directing’ more so than ‘doing’.
The focus…
In this work, we used the coaching to focus on these shifts:
Redefining Leadership
Leadership stopped being about fixing and started being about growing others. The leader shifted to a consultancy/coaching-based approach, asking better questions, holding expectations clearly, and creating space for stretch.Clarity and Cadence
A new rhythm was introduced—one that supported accountability without micro-management. Delegation frameworks, lived team charters, rather than ‘wall hangings’ and regular strategy sessions created structure without stifling autonomy.Owning the Platform
The leader began to use their internal voice more intentionally. Instead of operating on delivery alone, they began to shape the wider narrative - reconnecting cross-functional teams, influencing internal culture, and stepping more fully into strategic leadership.
What Changed
In this case, the coaching created the opportunity for these changes:
More Empowered Team
Leadership team members began stepping forward - taking on more responsibility and initiating strategic improvements. One leader within the ‘lead team’ stepped into the space where the ‘Director’ had previously operated; freeing them to Direct.Strategic Presence
The leader stopped defaulting to detail and started steering from purpose and vision. Their influence expanded, and their confidence grew - in meetings, decisions, and culture-shaping moments - which led to braver actions.Stronger Stakeholder Alignment
Dynamics at the top shifted from reactive to aligned. Shared goals took precedence over power dynamics, improving collective leadership clarity. There were still tensions but greater negotiation and bargaining now had a forum to take place.Team Culture: Then and Now
Early on, the team were capable but hesitant - accustomed to seeking direction rather than leading from within. A few months into the work, the leader reflected on how proud they were of the shift. What had once been a pattern of upward dependency had become greater shared accountability. “They are doing more on their own” the leader shared. “I have greater confidence in letting them take the lead and have been really impressed by their ideas and approach”.Tangible Shifts
Reliance on the Director reduced significantly. Leaders began shaping operational strategy and driving initiatives independently. Supported by a coaching - informed leadership approach, the team delivered ahead of schedule - exceeding timelines that had previously felt fixed.Wider Influence
This internal transformation signalled something broader. Other departments approach became starkly different and the ripple effect extended beyond the team. Cross-functional collaboration increased and collective expectations raised.
Sustaining the Shift
The changes weren’t short-lived. In the months following the coaching programme, the team continued to operate with confidence and cohesion - maintaining pace without needing constant oversight. The leader remained in a strategic role, resisting the pull back into delivery. New ways of working were embedded: ownership stayed distributed, conversations were more candid, and accountability was held across the system.
As a result, the organisation recognised this evolution - not just in impact but in influence. The leader has subsequently been appointed into a significant organisation wide transformation role.
Final Word
This wasn’t just a leadership pivot. It was a redefinition of what leadership could be - less about control, more about clarity; less about doing, more about enabling. By shifting mindset and method, this leader not only unlocked their own presence and impact - they activated leadership in others. And in doing so, they set the tone for a more accountable, empowered culture across the organisation. What began as a personal coaching journey became a catalyst for systemic transformation.
Let’s Talk
If this case study resonated with you and you’re thinking that you might be ready to take stock, get clear, or explore your next leadership step - I’d love to hear from you.
We can begin with:
A free inquisitive session
A tailored coaching proposal
Or simply a conversation to see what’s needed now
Because your next chapter deserves space, support, and clarity.
And every great leader deserves a moment to realign—before leading forward.
Helping good people lead great things
If this resonated with you…
If this message resonates with you, and you’re one of the good people leading great things, let’s talk.
Get in touch and Book an inquisitive call here.- If any of this topic resonated with you and you have something you’d like to share with me or if you’d like to discuss working with me on this topic - stefan@stefanpowell.co.uk works really well for me.
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I am…
An executive coach who specialises in helping good people lead great things.
Good people care about others, our planet and beauty. Great things are changes for the betterment of society and all that lives within an around it.
It sounds big and fun - it is.
I'm also an endurance racing cyclist and a go getter.
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