Coaching for Engineers Who Lead
You’re good at the work and stuck on the part that involves people. You took on a team or a bigger role and the job changed underneath you. Or you lead without the title, and your ideas aren’t landing the way they should.
How the work runs
We work on the situation in front of you: the meeting that drifted, the conversation you’ve been putting off, the person who has become the bottleneck. You leave each session with something specific to try, and a written summary follows every session. Between sessions you can reach me by email or WhatsApp. Sessions are by video, every two weeks.
There are three ways to start, depending on how much you already know about the problem.
Start With Three Sessions
For the engineer who knows something is off but hasn't pinned down what.
Three sessions over about six weeks. The first gets specific: what’s going wrong, what you’ve tried, and what better would look like. The next two work real situations. At the end you decide: continue into three or six months with a written plan, or stop with what you have. Either is a good outcome.
You walk away with a clear read on what’s in the way, specific changes tested in real situations, and a decision on next steps.
Three Months
For the engineer with one clear problem to work on, who wants enough time to change it, not just talk about it.
A new lead role, a difficult relationship with a manager or client, a team that waits on you for every decision. We build a written development plan in the first two weeks, then work it in sessions every two weeks. When work changes, the plan bends. At month three you get a written summary of what changed, what to keep doing, and whether to continue.
You walk away with progress measured against the goals you set at kickoff, and real situations handled differently, on the record.
Six Months
For the engineer working toward a specific move, who wants someone in their corner long enough to see it happen.
A lead or principal role, a promotion, a team that runs without you in every decision. Six months is long enough to build the skills, use them under real pressure, and see what changes. There’s a written plan in month one, a midpoint review in month three, and a close-out in month six.
You walk away with progress measured against the goals you set in month one, and a written summary for your next career conversation.
CliftonStrengths (optional, in any of the three)
If it’s useful, you can take the CliftonStrengths All 34 assessment and we’ll use your profile in the work. It ranks all 34 of Gallup’s talent themes from what comes most naturally to what costs you the most effort. It’s offered, never required.
If your firm is paying
Your manager hears progress against the goals we agree at the start, never the content of a conversation. Their sessions with me are about how they lead you, not what you said. That’s what makes people willing to be honest, and why it sticks. Firms can see how sponsored coaching works on the For Firms page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Others Say
“I was feeling stuck in my career. With AI advancing, my role in data administration felt less secure, and I didn’t know what my next step should be. I knew I needed to do something but wasn’t sure how to start.
Chris tailored the coaching to my situation. After each session, he’d send me a summary, clear goals for the next meeting, and questions that pushed me to think differently about my career path. He even compiled detailed information on companies for me to target, which made taking the first step much less intimidating.
Through our sessions, I figured out career paths that actually fit my skills and personal attributes. Chris also gave me tools and structure so I could follow through—something I really needed. Chris is easy to talk to, but he’s serious about helping. He doesn’t just talk—he backs it up with preparation, resources, and a plan that’s built around you.”
– Chris Choi
Is this coaching or consulting?
Both, as the situation needs. Sometimes the useful thing is a hard question. Sometimes it’s my opinion, from someone who has sat in the same project meetings. I’ll tell you which one you’re getting.
Is it confidential?
Yes. What you say in sessions stays there. If your firm is sponsoring the work, they hear progress against agreed goals and nothing else.
What if I’m not sure coaching is right for me?
Start with a 30-minute call. If it is, three sessions is a small enough commitment to find out properly.
Do you coach software engineers?
When the fit is right. The practice is built around physical-world engineering, but software engineers in leadership transitions have done well with it.