I came across this excellent model from Jeroen Kraaijenbrink on coaching for peak performance and it captures something I’ve observed often in leadership development.

Many coaching efforts build the base: improving self-awareness and soft skills. These are essential foundations. Leaders who understand their values, triggers and interpersonal impact are far more effective in how they communicate and collaborate.

But few programs truly help leaders reach the peak, building the ability to think strategically, act under uncertainty and deliver results in complex, changing environments. That’s where coaching needs to evolve.

In my experience, supporting leaders at this level means shifting the focus from “how I show up” to “how I make decisions and lead through complexity.” It’s where technical knowledge, emotional intelligence and strategic judgment intersect.

The best coaches and leadership programs help leaders connect all three layers, grounding self-awareness and soft skills in real-world strategic capability. That’s how coaching moves from good to truly transformational.

#LeadershipDevelopment #Coaching #StrategicThinking #PeopleDevelopmen