Episode 51: Leadership at the Breaking Point - Coaching Through Fear, Feedback, and Growth
Tom Emery joins Coach Mo to explore how leadership coaching helps executives and entrepreneurs overcome the discomfort that holds them back from reaching their full potential. As a People Performance Consultant with 20+ years of HR and leadership development experience, Tom blends executive coaching, leadership consulting, and business coaching strategies to help leaders navigate difficult conversations and build resilience.
The conversation unpacks how our natural tendency to avoid discomfort creates barriers to effective leadership. Tom shares his OI4C framework — Observe, Impact, and one of four C’s (Curious, Change, Continue, or Challenge) — a powerful leadership coaching tool used by leadership consultants and executive coaches to transform confrontation into constructive dialogue. This approach is critical in cultures where politeness often overshadows direct feedback.
Coach Mo and Tom dive deep into mindset coaching concepts, distinguishing between the limiting inner critic and the empowering inner coach. Leaders operating from fear, frustration, or depletion often lead reactively instead of intentionally — an issue that leadership coaching programs directly address. Tom offers a compassionate yet practical approach to managing your protective inner voice while pushing for necessary personal and professional growth.
Drawing from the aviation principle “put your own mask on first,” Tom reinforces that leadership development isn’t optional; it’s essential. Leaders must prioritize their own professional development to sustain the energy, vision, and decision-making power needed to lead others effectively.
If you’re serious about executive leadership coaching, personal development, and growing through discomfort, this episode is packed with real-world coaching strategies for leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives. Learn how coaching leadership practices and leadership development programs can help you improve feedback skills, overcome limiting beliefs, and get out of your own way to lead with greater purpose and impact.
