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Episode 24 What Real Coaching Actually Is (And Why Other Development Approaches Leave You Stuck)

Hello, my lovely!

Welcome back to the Leader Within Podcast. Last episode, we explored what coaching actually is and why waiting for your organization to offer it might mean you're waiting forever.

Today, I want to deep dive into something that causes a lot of confusion: the fundamental difference between coaching and other development approaches you've probably already tried.

If you've been with me throughout this series, you know I'm passionate about helping you cut through the noise and focus on what actually creates transformation. And here's what I've discovered: many amazing women leaders have been disappointed by development programs that promised growth but delivered generic advice, surface-level solutions, and a one-size-fits-all approach.

Today, I want to help you understand exactly why coaching is fundamentally different from mentoring, training, therapy, and performance management—and more importantly, why those differences matter for your breakthrough as a leader.

Listen to discover:

👉 The five distinct development approaches and what makes each one fundamentally different

👉 Why training teaches you what to do—but knowledge alone doesn't create change

👉 How to spot when you're stuck in a mentoring situation that doesn't fit your actual challenges

👉 The brain science explanation for why your prefrontal cortex understands concepts but your automatic patterns keep you stuck

👉 A practical 5-step framework for choosing exactly what you need right now

👉 Why the Leader Within Method is specifically designed for women leaders facing unique challenges

Episode Navigation: What You'll Discover

[00:01:30] The Time Investment Question: "I Don't Have Time for Coaching"

Sue-Anne addresses the objection every busy woman leader raises—and reveals something counterintuitive. Discover why coaching doesn't consume time; it creates time. Learn the bird's-eye view metaphor: those 45 minutes every other week give you clarity that multiplies the effectiveness of your entire working week.

[00:04:00] Five Development Approaches: Breaking Them Down

Sue-Anne systematically reveals what training, mentoring, therapy, performance management, and coaching are designed for—and their critical limitations. Discover why your last training program felt inspiring but changed nothing within three weeks.

[00:09:36] The 5-Step Framework for Choosing What You Actually Need

Sue-Anne reveals a practical diagnostic framework to determine which approach fits your situation right now. Learn how to diagnose your real challenge, assess your learning style, evaluate your current resources, consider your timeline, and choose based on your desired outcome.

[00:13:12] The Brain Science Behind Why Change Doesn't Stick

Connect the dots between your prefrontal cortex understanding concepts and your limbic system running on old patterns. Real coaching works at the level of automatic patterns—helping you notice your thinking in real time and practice new ways of responding until they become natural.

[00:15:41] Three Key Elements That Make Coaching Different

Sue-Anne reveals what separates transformational coaching from everything else: coaching is entirely client-led (you set the agenda), it assumes you are naturally whole (not broken), and it works with your authentic self (not an idealized version).

[00:19:00] Why the Leader Within Method is Different

Discover what sets the Leader Within Method apart: grounded in neuroscience, specifically designed for women leaders facing the Try Harder Traps, and combining coaching with practical tools. Learn how we identify your specific plateaus and exact competencies to develop next.

[00:21:40] Your Next Step: The Power Move Blueprint

Sue-Anne reveals your first crucial step. Discover what you get with the Power Move Blueprint: your ONE power move, a 30-day blueprint to make it stick, a golden ticket to the Leader Within Collective—all for just $67 AUD. This is the clarity-building experience that prevents scattered, expensive coaching efforts.

[READY TO IMPLEMENT? WATCH THE FULL EPISODE: by clicking the video link above]

Why This Episode Is Essential Viewing

Listen if any of these resonate with you:

⭐ You've invested in training programs and felt inspired in the moment—but nothing changed

⭐ You're frustrated that you KNOW what to do but can't seem to do it consistently

⭐ You keep falling into the same patterns despite your best intentions

⭐ You've had mentors give solid advice you still can't implement

⭐ You feel like you're missing something that would finally create lasting change

⭐ You're wondering if coaching is worth the investment—and if it would actually work for you

⭐ You want to understand the brain science behind why some approaches work and others don't

What You'll Walk Away With

✅Complete Clarity on Five Development Approaches— Understand what each is designed for and its critical limitation.

✅The Brain Science Explanation— Why your prefrontal cortex understands concepts but your automatic patterns keep you stuck.

✅A Practical 5-Step Diagnostic Framework— Know exactly how to choose what you need right now based on your actual challenge.

✅Real-World Examples— See how each approach shows up in the same scenario so you can recognize the differences in your own situations.

✅Understanding of the Three Key Elements That Make Coaching Different— Client-led, assuming wholeness, working with your authentic self.

✅Permission to Invest in Yourself— Understand that choosing coaching isn't selfish—it's strategic and foundational to real breakthrough.

✅A Clear First Step— Discover the Power Move Blueprint—the clarity-building experience that removes guesswork about where to focus first.

[TRANSFORM YOUR LEADERSHIP APPROACH: WATCH NOW - Click the Video Above]

Ready to Go Deeper?

You've probably invested in development approaches that promised breakthrough and delivered disappointment. That pattern doesn't have to continue.

Real coaching is different. It works with your brain, not against it. It assumes you're whole, not broken. It focuses on your challenges, not generic curricula.

But real coaching requires one crucial first step: getting crystal clear on what to focus on.

The Power Move Blueprint is that first step.

This is a personalized, high-touch experience where you discover your one power move—the one shift that creates immediate relief and opens the door to lasting transformation.

Here's exactly what happens:

1️⃣ You answer reflection questions via VideoAsk (your own pace, no awkward call)

2️⃣ Sue-Anne personally reviews your reflections

3️⃣ You receive a private video coaching session—just for you

4️⃣ She gives you your ONE power move for immediate relief

5️⃣ You get a 30-day blueprint to make it stick

6️⃣ You receive a golden ticket to the Leader Within Collective (group coaching experience)

Just $67 AUD.

This is the clarity-building experience that prevents scattered, expensive coaching efforts. This is where real transformation begins.

GET YOUR POWER MOVE BLUEPRINT: sue-anne.com.au/pmb

What's Next?

Next episode, we're diving even deeper into what makes coaching different from everything else you've tried. We'll explore the specific differences between coaching and mentoring, and why some development approaches work while others leave you exactly where you started.

If you've ever wondered what you'd actually talk about in coaching, or whether it would work for you in your specific situations, this is the episode that will give you that insight.

Until then, keep leading from within, my lovely.

And remember—you're only one reconstructed thought away from the breakthrough you deserve in your life and in your leadership journey.

Sue-Anne Higgins

Host, The Leader Within Podcast