Why I Believe in Coaching (And What Forest Roots Taught Me About Leadership)

I keep coming back to this image:
A storm hits. Trees bend. Some fall.
But a few? They hold.

Why?
Because beneath the soil, their roots aren’t solo. They’re connected. Interwoven. A hidden network exchanging nutrients, warnings, and wisdom.

That’s what leadership should be.
That’s what coaching builds.

Coaching isn’t about fixing.

It’s about fortifying.

The Forbes article that landed today put it in crisp language: “Resilience isn’t a thing you do, it’s a capacity you grow.”

In my work, I’ve seen it again and again:

• The exec who stops white-knuckling control and learns to trust their team.

• The burned-out manager who reconnects to their why and sets boundaries with grace.

• The team leader who realizes she doesn't need to know everything to be effective.

Coaching is the underground root system that allows these leaders not just to survive change, but to grow deeper in the midst of it.

Resilience is relational.

When I coach leaders, I’m not handing over answers.
I’m asking better questions.

Questions that spark reflection, shift patterns, and create clarity in chaos.
Because the capacity to lead through disruption doesn’t live in a playbook.
It lives in the people.

Why do I care so much?

Because I’ve been the one pretending everything’s fine while everything felt like it was falling apart.
I’ve led while afraid.
I’ve burned out while trying to prove my worth.
I’ve white-knuckled success and let it cost me too much.

Coaching helped me undo that story.
And now? I help leaders unwrite theirs—so they can lead in a way that’s actually true.
Human. Clear. Rooted.

TL;DR

• Resilience isn’t bounce-back. It’s regenerative, like trees that grow stronger after a fire.

• Coaching is the conduit. It builds capacity by growing awareness, connection, and clarity.

• This work matters because people matter, and people lead everything else.

If you’re leading through change, coaching isn’t a luxury.
It’s the lifeline beneath the surface.

Want to dig into this more deeply? Let’s talk about what kind of root system your leadership needs right now.

If you are curious, full Forbes article is here. 

— Amber-Lea
Founder, Amber-Lea Speaks
[Future] Host of Unpolished Power