Setting the Stage
Antoinette began her career as a young accountant at a top international accounting firm. Ambitious and determined, she was quickly and steadily moving up the ranks.
Yet, like many women in the 90s in a male-dominated industry, she felt the absence of a role model and a person, who truly understood her challenges. She searched for a female senior executive who had “walked the walk” and could provide her with advice and tools to with the issues she faced daily.
The Turning Point
She found that role model in me through the networking organisation Women in Banking and Finance
I have had the good fortune, to not only develop my own teams and talent, but also been able to provide dedicated support, advice and guidance as well as practical tools and methodologies to young ambitious leaders as they learned to navigate corporate politics and develop their individual leadership talent.
Antoinette did more than just listen, she practiced and used her success journal, as recommended by Lani and a practice that became her anchor.
Years later, she reflected on how the act of writing by hand, rather than typing, helped her internalise lessons more deeply. (This echoes insights from our blog post on the power of handwriting over digital note-taking, where the physical act of writing strengthens memory and commitment.)
The Long Arc of Impact
Fast forward 25 years: – Antoinette reconnected with me on LinkedIn. What was remarkable was not just an amazing and warm reunion – almost as if time stood still – but the fact that she was still using the very tools and methodologies she had learned decades earlier. Her success journal had become a living testament to her growth – used with regular intervals – a reminder that leadership development is not a one-time event but a lifelong journey.
Lessons Learned
In her video accompanying this case study, Antoinette shares some of her key memories and the core lessons from her programme with me that shaped her career and life:
Inner and outer growth go hand in hand – professional success is inseparable from personal development.
Stand up for yourself – nobody else will do it for you.
Dare with confidence – courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward despite it.
Beyond Professional Skills
Antoinette’s story illustrates what many of my clients discover: – leadership coaching is not just about professional skills. It is about life skills, resilience, self-belief and the courage to chart your own path. Her journey shows that the tools of individual and authentic leadership are also tools for leading your life.
Yes, Antoinette was a delightful client and has had an amazing career!
Her feedback so many years later truly warms my heart!
Each client is different and each client’s leadership journey is unique!
What I can say is that throughout several decades now, my clients have been amazing – they receive my dedicated guidance – do the work – get equipped to face their battles and challenges – and it is a major part of my job to be in their corner and root for them – not least when the going gets tough! Wauw!
Here is Antoinette on LinkedIn
