Sep. 12, 2025 - Coaching: A Simple Tool for Personal and Professional Growth
Coaching Unpacked: My Reflections on What Coaching Really Means
During International Coaching Week 2025, I joined fellow coaches Anindita Mukherjee and Rahul Srinivasan for a conversation titled:
“Coaching Unpacked: Learnings from the Shoes of a Coach and a Client.”
👉 If you’d like, you can watch the full recording here.
But if you don’t have time for that, I’d love to share what I personally brought to this discussion - my perspective as a coach, a former corporate manager, and someone who has been both a client and a coach.
From Corporate Construction to Coaching
Before becoming a coach, I spent 25 years in the construction industry - an international career, moving countries, working with multicultural teams, and navigating the corporate ladder.
And yet, after two decades, I reached that moment many professionals eventually face: “What’s next?” I had enjoyed variety and a certain level of success, but something deeper was missing.
I didn’t know what it was at first. Around me, everyone seemed to follow the expected tracks: keep climbing, keep managing, keep going. But I felt the need to design my own path!
That’s when I stumbled across coaching. At first, the definitions were confusing, mixed up with mentoring and consulting. But once I began to understand it, I realized: this was exactly what I had been looking for!
So I trained as a coach. My initial motivation was actual very practical: maybe I could coach myself! But through that process, I discovered something bigger:
I want to help others empower themselves - to stop following tracks they don’t enjoy, and to start carving their own road.
Coaching, in Simple Words
One thing I’ve noticed is that definitions of coaching can sound abstract, especially to people who haven’t experienced it. So here’s how I put it:
“Coaching is a personal and professional development technique, like reading a book or attending training, but it’s focused entirely on you as the client, with accountability to take the next step.” – Christelle Soto-Suarez
That’s the essence. Coaching isn’t about fixing you. You’re not broken. It’s about creating space to think, reflect, and move forward in your own way!
Why I Focus on Middle Managers
My own career left me with a strong connection to middle managers - that “in-between” layer of organizations.
Senior leaders are often offered coaching by their companies. Junior employees have access to training and development. But middle managers? Too often, they’re left carrying the weight of both, with little support of their own.
“Middle managers are there to get the work done — but they rarely get support for themselves.”
That’s why I design my coaching around this group. I know what it feels like to be stuck in the middle: overlooked, unseen, and yet responsible for so much. And I know how powerful it can be to take even one small step forward.
Small Steps Over Big Leaps
One theme I kept coming back to in our conversation is the power of small actions.
So many people feel paralyzed by the idea of a big, dramatic change. They wait for the perfect time, the perfect plan… and nothing happens.
My coaching philosophy is different:
“It’s all about the doing, but the doing of “small things”! Let’s do something, even if it’s very small, rather than being paralyzed by the big change and never starting.” – Christelle Soto-Suarez
Change doesn’t have to overwhelm. It can begin with one small, meaningful step.
Even Coaches Need Coaching
Another important point: being a coach doesn’t mean I don’t need coaching myself. In fact, I rely on it.
Why? Because it’s always harder to apply tools to our own lives. We get stuck in our own thoughts, running in circles. Having a coach creates space to pause, reflect, and explore new directions.
But for me, it’s not about the coach’s credentials. It’s about connection.
“The right coach is someone who listens without judgment. And judgment isn’t just in the words - it’s in the tone!” – Christelle Soto-Suarez
That’s why finding the right fit matters so much, whether you’re a coach yourself or simply curious about experiencing coaching.
Lessons Anyone Can Use
Although this was a coaching-focused conversation, many of the lessons apply far beyond coaching. For example:
- Silence is powerful. Let it sit - deeper reflections emerge.
- Listening without judgment transforms relationships.
- Small steps create momentum.
- Courage matters - sometimes you need to follow your instincts or reflect something back, even if it feels uncomfortable.
These are not just coaching techniques. They’re ways of being human together.
Closing Thoughts
This session reminded me again that coaching is about much more than goals, strategies, or accountability. At its heart, it’s about becoming more human - listening, reflecting, and creating space for growth.
And while these are my personal reflections, I encourage you to explore what Anindita Mukherjee and Rahul Srinivasan shared as well. Their perspectives add richness and diversity to what coaching can be.
👉 If you’d like to see the full conversation, you can find the recording here
And perhaps ask yourself:
“When was the last time you felt truly listened to - without judgment, without advice, just space to think?”
And if you’d like support in exploring your own next step, I’d love to connect:
🌱 Easiest option: Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
🎯 More involved: Join an upcoming event
💬 Deepest option: Schedule a call with me
Because self-leadership begins with the small, courageous choices we make - including the way we choose to see and use our money!
I’m Christelle Soto-Suarez, founder of Pistachio-Cassis Coaching, where I help mid-level professionals build the clarity, confidence, and momentum to lead their own way.
