Growing Through Transformation

We are grateful to be included in a recent Forbes Coaches Council publication, a compelling collection of practitioner insights that reinforces much of what our research has consistently demonstrated: genuine leadership transformation is inherently uncomfortable. Discomfort is not a bug—it’s a feature.

Revelations on Implementation

The piece gathers perspectives from nearly twenty executive coaches, each sharing real-world examples of client breakthroughs. What strikes us most isn’t the individual stories—though they’re instructive—but the consistent pattern that emerges across them all. Every example involves someone confronting a gap between who they’ve been and who they need to become.

Consider the executive who realized his need for control was blocking his leadership, or the CEO whose quiet, introverted style initially unsettled her board. In both cases, transformation didn’t come from learning new techniques in a workshop. It came from sustained, often painful self-examination—followed by small, consistent behavioral changes practiced over time.

This aligns precisely with our core thesis about implementation science. As coach Ran Biderman notes in the article, his client’s breakthrough came through “deliberate exposure, vivid visualizations, and tracking wins while identifying excuses.” That’s the embodiment of our ideas in progressive stress exposure combined with micro-habit tracking.

Moving From the Individual

The article offers valuable practitioner wisdom that we can build upon in meaningful ways. First, these individual transformation stories invite us to consider the organizational systems surrounding them. When growth happens, it’s worth asking: what structures enabled that breakthrough? One coach shares that her client ultimately left an organization with an untrustworthy CEO—a reminder that sometimes the most crucial insight is recognizing when systems need changing, not just individuals.

Second, these stories open the door to exploring how power dynamics shape transformation. The vulnerability required for growth carries different weight depending on someone’s position, identity, and organizational context. A senior leader praised for authenticity, and a mid-level manager exhibiting the same behavior, may experience very different responses. Understanding these dynamics helps us design development approaches that account for where people actually sit within their organizations.

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Practical Actions for Executives

Based on this article and our broader framework, we recommend executives consider these implementation steps:

• Start with an honest self-assessment. Several coaches emphasize that clients need to recognize they were “the common denominator” in their challenges. Before seeking external solutions, audit your own patterns.
• Build accountability structures. Coach Veronica Angela’s client succeeded through “clear KPIs to track habits” over a full year. Consistency, not intensity, drove results. Establish weekly tracking mechanisms for the behaviors you’re trying to change.
• Reframe discomfort as data. Multiple coaches describe helping clients see painful moments as evidence of growth rather than failure. When you feel resistance, investigate it rather than avoid it.
• Create space for reflection. Several stories highlight the importance of stepping back to gain clarity. Protect time weekly for genuine reflection—not more meetings, but actual thinking space.

We love how this article ultimately reinforces what sustained research demonstrates: transformation hurts before it heals, and the organizations that acknowledge this reality—while providing systematic support for working through it—develop leaders who perform when pressure is highest.

Forbes Coaches Council Expert Panel, “Coaches’ Lessons on How to Grow Through the Pain of Transformation,” Forbes, November 25, 2025, https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2025/11/25/coaches-lessons-on-how-to-grow-through-the-pain-of-transformation/.