
Coaching Real Leaders
We all want to get to the next level of our career, but so many of us get stuck. Longtime leadership coach Muriel Wilkins takes you inside real-life leadership coaching sessions with high performers working to overcome professional challenges and grow as leaders. Listen in on real conversations and leave with new insights and practical guidance for your own career.
The views expressed on this podcast are those of its hosts, guests, and callers, and not those of Harvard Business Review.
Latest episodes

24 snips
May 20, 2024 • 54min
How Can I Set the Right Boundaries in a New Job?
A discussion on preventing burnout in a new job by setting boundaries. Exploring the challenges of work-life balance, recognizing toxic work environments, and reframing approaches to work. Emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, prioritizing tasks, and empowering oneself with clear boundaries to avoid burnout.

40 snips
May 6, 2024 • 53min
How Do I Prove I’m the Right Person for a Different Leadership Role?
A passionate professional shares his journey from the marine industry to a corporate leadership role. He faces challenges in proving his value to senior colleagues while navigating job uncertainties. The discussion highlights the importance of self-advocacy, building trust, and aligning personal goals with organizational needs. The speakers offer insights on establishing credibility and fostering communication during career transitions. They emphasize the need to deftly frame contributions to resonate with decision-makers, aiming for impactful leadership.

25 snips
Apr 22, 2024 • 1h 3min
How Do I Avoid a Career Plateau at Midlife?
Experienced leader coaches individuals through midlife career transitions, addressing concerns about aging in the workforce, finding the right challenges, and planning for the future. The podcast delves into the paradox of feeling content in the present role while being drawn towards new opportunities, exploring the importance of adapting for long-term success and balancing ambition with contentment at midlife.

25 snips
Apr 8, 2024 • 1h 6min
How Do I Stay on the Fast Track to the Next Level of Leadership?
Experienced leadership coach, Muriel Wilkins, guides a leader on strategic advancement, emphasizing the importance of clear objectives, self-awareness, and balancing personal perspectives. They explore finding a 'North Star' in leadership, aligning actions with outcomes, and seeking validation through leadership coaching sessions.

30 snips
Mar 25, 2024 • 51min
How Do I Get Results Without Feeling Burned Out?
Exploring the challenges of a leader in a new role, navigating work-life balance, setting boundaries, managing email overload, embracing change while maintaining balance, detaching from external roles for self-worth, prioritizing learning over busyness, and balancing leadership with time management for sustainability.

5 snips
Mar 11, 2024 • 41min
How Do I Balance My Career Goals with My Company’s Needs?
Explore the challenges of balancing career goals with company needs as Sophie navigates the desire to return to her dream role while staying in a new location. Learn about advocating for career shifts, showcasing readiness for new challenges, and aligning personal goals with company interests

Mar 4, 2024 • 2min
Coming Soon: Season 7
Whether you’re a first-time manager or a high-level executive, we all need some help getting past hurdles and taking our careers to the next level.
Executive coach Muriel Wilkins is back March 11 with a new season of the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of real life executive coaching conversations.
On this season of Coaching Real Leaders, you’ll listen in on coaching sessions with leaders working through pressing career challenges like:
How can I craft my next role to avoid burnout?
Should I return to the C-suite?
How can I find a new role that makes use of my strengths and brings me happiness?
Can I adjust my workload while still making an impact?
Muriel helps each leader discover unexpected insights about themselves and actionable steps they can take to move forward. Listen in, learn with them, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

22 snips
Nov 27, 2023 • 54min
How Do I Handle Negative Feedback from My Team?
The podcast explores how a new leader handles negative feedback from her team, discussing the challenges and offering insights on staying open to growth opportunities, responding authentically, building trust, understanding team members, and framing negative feedback to move forward.

18 snips
Nov 13, 2023 • 1h 1min
Should I Continue to Climb the Corporate Ladder?
In this podcast, the host coaches a high-achiever who is questioning her path on the corporate ladder. They discuss burnout, work-life balance, and redefining success beyond promotions. The importance of understanding team members and finding meaning in work is emphasized. Redefining career success and establishing boundaries are also explored.

38 snips
Oct 30, 2023 • 1h
How Do I Find Meaning in My Work?
A lawyer shares his journey of finding meaning and connection in his work. The podcast explores the importance of cumulative experiences, letting go of fear, and finding emotionally exciting work. It discusses the significance of a 'North Star', untapped opportunities, and the need to focus on criteria for clarity in work.
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