Testimonials
& Case Studies
What are my
clients are saying
I have been fortunate to have Leslie Rolison coach me and support me in my career. She has depth of experience and can effectively spot an issue that needs attention big or small. She has the utmost integrity, and I believe she always has her client's best interests in mind. She is a true professional and the absolute best at what she does.”
— Senior Vice President, Recruiter
I have been fortunate to have Leslie Rolison coach me and support me in my career. She has depth of experience and can effectively spot an issue that needs attention big or small. She has the utmost integrity, and I believe she always has her client's best interests in mind. She is a true professional and the absolute best at what she does.”
— Senior Vice President, Recruiter
I was transitioning into a new role at a different firm, where I would have more marketing responsibilities than I had in my previous position, along with an internal leadership and mentorship role. The culture at this new company was significantly different from my prior workplace, and I felt a bit apprehensive about establishing the right tone while maintaining my personal work-life boundaries. I was seeking a coach to guide me through this transition, particularly in the critical first 90 days, to ensure a smooth and successful start. Leslie played a pivotal role in accelerating my success at the new job. Through our collaboration, we identified my strengths and areas for development, which allowed me to focus my efforts strategically. Leslie provided valuable coaching on effective leadership within the context of my new company’s culture and asked insightful questions that helped clarify my personal goals and targets. Beyond becoming more effective in my role, Leslie’s coaching significantly boosted my self-confidence and enhanced my awareness of my capabilities. As a working mother, her guidance was especially instrumental in helping me establish boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance, which has been crucial to my overall well-being and success.”
— Managing Director, Investment Management
I was transitioning into a new role at a different firm, where I would have more marketing responsibilities than I had in my previous position, along with an internal leadership and mentorship role. The culture at this new company was significantly different from my prior workplace, and I felt a bit apprehensive about establishing the right tone while maintaining my personal work-life boundaries. I was seeking a coach to guide me through this transition, particularly in the critical first 90 days, to ensure a smooth and successful start. Leslie played a pivotal role in accelerating my success at the new job. Through our collaboration, we identified my strengths and areas for development, which allowed me to focus my efforts strategically. Leslie provided valuable coaching on effective leadership within the context of my new company’s culture and asked insightful questions that helped clarify my personal goals and targets. Beyond becoming more effective in my role, Leslie’s coaching significantly boosted my self-confidence and enhanced my awareness of my capabilities. As a working mother, her guidance was especially instrumental in helping me establish boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance, which has been crucial to my overall well-being and success.”
— Managing Director, Investment Management
I would recommend Leslie's coaching to anyone! She asks insightful questions to guide clients to self-identify areas of growth and address next steps, rather than imposing her POV immediately. She provides an empowering, objective voice that builds confidence to navigate the challenges of the workplace”
— Vice President, Product Manager Fortune 100
I would recommend Leslie's coaching to anyone! She asks insightful questions to guide clients to self-identify areas of growth and address next steps, rather than imposing her POV immediately. She provides an empowering, objective voice that builds confidence to navigate the challenges of the workplace”
— Vice President, Product Manager Fortune 100
I have engaged Leslie as a coach to help me manage a significant career transition. She has proven indispensable throughout the process both as a sounding board and an insightful guide through my own decision-making reaction functions. Her background as a senior business leader in an investment management organization and as an HR expert added a unique insider perspective on talent acquisition and leadership development. She enhances leadership coaching sessions by sharing timely articles and studies on pertinent topics to add broader perspectives to our conversations. I would strongly recommend Leslie's services as an executive coach.”
— Managing Director, Investment Management
Overall, I feel more prepared to be successful in my current and future roles. I have been given tools to learn how to influence and work with different personalities than I am used to. I also feel more confident working strategically across the org and specifically with IT. Basically what I have learned is I deserve a seat at the table.”
— Vice President, Insurance
I had the enormous pleasure of working with Leslie over the last couple of months. I was very impressed and looked forward to our one on ones. She brings a wealth of experience, and I most enjoyed the analytical framework and the feedback driven approach. Thank you, Leslie, for the valuable coaching lessons and providing the tools for our onward journey and tomorrow!”
— Director/ Non-Profit
I found Leslie to be an insightful coach, who both supported me and challenged me. I really enjoyed our sessions as we connected immediately and she “got me”. She helped me refocus on leading and influencing rather than getting completely caught up in “doing”, which allowed others to take responsibility and feel more empowered. Leslie helped me understand how I could respond more effectively to work-related challenges to achieve better outcomes whilst still being me. Whilst I am a work in progress, I believe that I am showing up as a more effective leader for my team as a result of Leslie’s sessions.”
— Principal, Finance Services
Case Studies
Client :
Vice President/ Sports and Entertainment
A senior leader of a professional sports league who had recently been hired as the Head of Human Resources for a large company and wanted help with her integration into the new organization.
Situation :
As the new Head of Human Resources it was very important for her to make a positive impression to members of the leadership team. She needed to create a strategic plan for managing talent across the organization. The business was going through a lot of change and had previously had a “light touch” HR department that was primarily managing payroll and other administrative functions.
Coaching helped her to :
— Clarify her vision to building a business aligned talent strategy.
— Understand what success meant to her, and what was needed to achieve this.
— Enhance her visibility across the Firm
— Listen to gain increased knowledge of business priorities.
— Identify how her organization should be structured to meet the needs of the business.
Client :
Lead Portfolio Manager, Asset Management Firm
A senior portfolio manager of an investment firm, who had recently been promoted to a leadership position, requiring her to manage individuals who had been her peer
Situation :
She wasn’t feeling as confident as she felt she needed to be and wanted help establishing herself as a leader of the team.
Coaching helped her to :
— Understand her values and identify what was most important to her.
— Clarify the strengths she brings to the role, and how to leverage them as a leader.
— Be more comfortable sharing her opinions and expertise with others.
— Re-imagine the team she wanted to build and take steps towards accomplishing this.
CLIENT:
Director, Accounting/ Promoted to Principal
A senior leader within a financial services company, who was considered a high-potential but had been passed over for promotion.
SITUATION:
He was disappointed that he had been passed over to become a member of the senior leadership team. He wanted help figuring out if he should leave, or if the opportunity to provide greater value to the firm might help increase his level of satisfaction and demonstrate his readiness for promotion. His approach to work was different from that of many of his colleagues, and he was feeling defeated by the culture of the organization.
COACHING helped him to:
— Recognize that he needed to be more visible. He started to speak up more, share his perspectives, and offer potential solutions to problems.
— Contributed more thoughts to senior leadership that helped to drive the outcomes (he was able to do this without the title change)
— Get more organized with his time, allowing him to carve out time each day for more thinking and strategic work.
— Appreciate the things about the organization and his job that he enjoyed.
— Recognize that his attributes are of value to the firm and can be leveraged to help drive cultural change. Be promoted at the nest promotion cycle.
Client:
VP Insurance Company/ Promoted to SVP
A high potential senior leader of a financial services firm who was well-respected by senior leaders for her knowledge, ability to execute, and her strong work ethic.
SITUATION:
To advance further, she needed to strengthen her leaderships skills. The more junior people often found her to be intimidating and difficult to work with.
coaching helped her to:
— Increase her self-awareness, helping her to identify her triggers
— Develop leadership skills (delegating, setting expectations, providing feedback)
— Set clear expectations and communicate more effectively with others
— Build rapport and trust with her team.
Case Studies
REAL LIFE STORIES
Client:
Vice President, Sports & Entertainment Industry
A senior HR leader recently hired as the Head of Human Resources for a large national company. She sought coaching to support her integration into the organization and establish herself as a strategic leader.
CHALLENGE:
Stepping into this role, she needed to make a strong first impression with the leadership team while developing a comprehensive talent strategy. The company was undergoing significant change, and HR had historically played a limited role—focused primarily on payroll and administrative tasks. She faced the challenge of elevating HR’s impact to align with business goals and drive organizational success.
Clarified her vision for a business-aligned talent strategy.
Defined success on her terms and outlined the key steps to achieve it.
Increased her visibility and credibility across the firm.
Developed active listening strategies to gain deeper insights into business priorities.
Designed an HR structure that supported the evolving needs of the organization.
Through coaching, she successfully transitioned into her role, strengthened her leadership presence, and positioned HR as a strategic driver of business success.
Client:
Lead Portfolio Manager, Asset Management Firm
A newly promoted senior portfolio manager tasked with leading a team that previously consisted of her peers.
CHALLENGE:
She struggled with confidence in her new leadership role and sought guidance to establish herself as an effective leader.
Gained clarity on her core values and what mattered most in her leadership approach.
Identified and leveraged her unique strengths to lead with confidence.
Became more comfortable expressing her opinions and expertise.
Developed a clear strategy for structuring her team to align with business needs.
Client:
Director, Accounting → Promoted to Principal
A high-potential senior leader in a financial services firm who had been passed over for promotion.
CHALLENGE:
After being overlooked for a senior leadership role, he felt discouraged and uncertain about his future with the firm. He sought coaching to determine whether to leave or find ways to increase his impact and satisfaction while demonstrating his readiness for promotion. His work style differed from many colleagues, leaving him feeling out of sync with the company culture.
Recognized the need for greater visibility—began speaking up, sharing perspectives, and offering solutions.
Contributed valuable insights to senior leadership, driving key outcomes even without a title change.
Improved time management, allowing for more strategic thinking and high-level contributions
Gained a renewed appreciation for aspects of his role and company that he enjoyed.
Realized his unique attributes were an asset to the firm and could help shape cultural change.
Achieved promotion in the next cycle.
Client:
VP, Insurance Company → Promoted to SVP
A high-potential senior leader in a financial services firm, respected by senior executives for her expertise, execution, and strong work ethic.
CHALLENGE:
While highly capable, she needed to enhance her leadership skills to advance further. Junior team members often found her intimidating and difficult to approach, limiting her effectiveness as a leader.
Increased self-awareness by identifying personal triggers and their impact on others.
Strengthened leadership skills, including delegation, expectation-setting, and feedback.
Improved communication, ensuring clarity and alignment across her team.
Gained a renewed appreciation for aspects of his role and company that he enjoyed.
Built stronger rapport and trust, fostering a more collaborative and engaged team culture.
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