Blog - Lisa D. Foster, Leadership Coaching & Training

Jim in his customer journey learning how empathy and listening are powerful leadership tools

Encouraging Career Growth | Customer Journey: Jim, Part 5 of 6

August 24, 2026

Promotions get harder the higher you go. Doing 80% right won’t get you there. You need the whole package to move up. Customer Journey Series: Jim This article is part of a customer journey series following “Jim,” a VP of Research and Development in a multi-national pharma company navigating shifting organizational demands, rapid leadership changes, and pressure to adapt and keep his team functioning. His journey explores leadership presence, empathy, decision making, managing low performers, and helping talented employees grow.…

Managing Low Performers by Putting the Right Person in the Right Role | Customer Journey: Jim, Part 4 of 6

August 21, 2026

Customer Journeys

It’s the leader’s job to make sure the assignment fits the person. Customer Journey Series: Jim This article is part of a customer journey series following “Jim,” a VP of Research and Development in a multi-national pharma company navigating shifting organizational demands, rapid leadership changes, and pressure to adapt and keep his team functioning. His journey explores leadership presence, empathy, decision making, managing low performers, and helping talented employees grow. Each post explores a real coaching conversation or leadership challenge…

A portrait of Marcus, an executive looking to move up

Build Confidence in Yourself — Marcus Post 6 of 6

August 20, 2026

Customer Journeys

If you’ve been waiting for someone else to boost your confidence, here’s how to build confidence on your own terms. When Marcus first came to coaching, he wanted help preparing for a job interview, but soon he found that what he really wanted was to build confidence in himself. Customer Journey: Marcus Marcus was a tech executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, he navigated new roles, organizational change, difficult bosses, and periods…

Career Resilience: Get Out of the Weeds and Lead — Marcus, Post 5 of 6

August 20, 2026

Customer Journeys

Finally landed somewhere you feel valued, and now you have to get out of the weeds so you can lead? By the time Marcus found a place where he felt valued again, he had become a more mature leader and now had to start getting out of the weeds. Customer Journey: Marcus Marcus was a tech executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, he navigated new roles, organizational change, difficult bosses, and periods…

A portrait of Marcus, an executive looking to advance his career

Learning from Hardship: A Bad Boss — Marcus, Post 4 of 6

August 20, 2026

Customer Journeys

Surviving a boss who yells, micromanages, and emails you at midnight — and wondering what you can possibly learn from it? The next year, Marcus faced his biggest challenge of all — a bad boss. Customer Journey: Marcus Marcus was a tech executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, he navigated new roles, organizational change, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Marcus’s journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to take ownership of…

Learning to Handle a Distant Boss and Lead Yourself — Marcus, Post 3 of 6

August 20, 2026

Customer Journeys

Ever get a lukewarm review from a boss who was never around enough to help you develop your skills? After his first full year in his new post, Marcus had a setback that taught him how handle a distant boss and lead himself. He didn’t feel appreciated or challenged, and over time, he got into a rut. Customer Journey: Marcus Marcus was a tech executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, he navigated…

Learning How to Be More Approachable at Work — Marcus, post 2 of 6

August 20, 2026

Customer Journeys

Been told you’re ‘unapproachable’ or ‘too assertive’ — but you’re not sure what you could possibly change? As Marcus continued coaching, we explored why some people thought he was unapproachable and how to be more approachable at work. Customer Journey: Marcus Marcus was a tech executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, he navigated new roles, organizational change, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Marcus’s journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to…

From Moving Laterally to Moving Up — Marcus Post 1 of 6

August 20, 2026

Customer Journeys

A few years in, still moving sideways instead of up — and wondering if something about how you come across is holding you back? Marcus had worked for his organization for ten years, at first moving up, but for the last five years, mostly moving laterally. He wanted to an opportunity for moving up, so he reached out to me when he was looking for a new job. Customer Journey: Marcus Marcus was a tech executive who came to coaching…

Managing a Low Performer Through Encouragement | Customer Journey: Jim, Part 3 of 6

August 19, 2026

Customer Journeys

How an employee feels about their job determines how hard they work to get results. Customer Journey Series: Jim This article is part of a customer journey series following “Jim,” a VP of Research and Development in a multi-national pharma company navigating shifting organizational demands, rapid leadership changes, and pressure to adapt and keep his team functioning. His journey explores leadership presence, empathy, decision making, managing low performers, and helping talented employees grow. Each post explores a real coaching conversation…