Two high-performing leaders. Two executive coaches. One coaching relationship. Can it work?
From football and tennis to swimming and running, elite athletes work with coaches to stretch their potential. Coaches push them a little further, keep them accountable to their goals, and know when to change things up to make an impact.
The business world is no different: leaders who want to stay at the top of their game invest in their performance.
As executive and leadership coaches, we spend a lot of time supporting others to think clearly, lead confidently, and navigate what’s next. We know the power of coaching because we see its impact on our clients and those around them.
But when should you get a coach, and who should you choose?
Last year, Monique knew she needed to level up with the support of a skilled executive coach. From the outside, she was thriving—keynote speaking, advising organizations across Europe, and winning awards. Yet, she wanted fresh clarity about the path ahead so she asked Zora to coach her.
When Monique later shared that experience publicly, the reaction was immediate. Leaders were surprised by a high-performing coach choosing another high-performing coach.
One comment captured it perfectly:
Messi coaching Ronaldo? Nope, still can't imagine it. Serena Williams and Steffi Graf? Nope. But as I read on, it made total sense: Why try to learn from anyone else when you can learn from the best? — Tim Vaughan, Poppulo.
The truth is, leaders who are already achieving great things also benefit from coaching. In fact, success often adds more complexity—higher expectations, bigger decisions, and less space to pause and think about what’s next. Coaching creates a protected space to work on the decisions that shift revenue, resilience, reputation, and culture—not simply your to-do list.
Our coaching conversations revealed new insights, challenged assumptions, and shaped decisions. Once our coaching agreement was complete, the roles reversed, and now Monique is coaching Zora through a business book writing process (more on this later).
So we decided to share our experience. How did we approach coaching at the top of our game? What did each of us learn? And why do we believe coaching is a powerful catalyst even when everything seems to be going well?
Here’s our conversation—and what we took away—about coaching looks like when you’re already kicking goals.
What is Coaching, and Who Needs One?
Monique: We all need a mentor, coach, or sponsor at different times in our careers to help us progress. Coaching is about personal and professional needs and the desire to grow. You can have a coach for a specific transition period or in an ongoing capacity.
In my case, I had a specific challenge, and my goal was to level up as quickly as possible. Zora was the perfect choice for my challenge, and we committed to six sessions over several months to see what results we could get.
Zora: Unfortunately, in corporate life, some people wait until they hit a career dip before asking for support. Coaching often has the biggest impact when things look successful from the outside—as in your case, Monique.
Coaching differs from mentoring because you’re helping them reach their own conclusions rather than giving advice. And, while sponsors are important, a coach offers a confidential space to think differently and to help them stretch.
What Does Coaching Look Like?
Zora: It’s guided thinking with clear accountability. The client has agency throughout the process over the dilemma, the direction, and the actions, and chooses the commitment they’ll make.
That makes them far more likely to follow through. It’s a thinking partnership. You take the insights away, apply them between sessions, and then build from there.
Monique: Each coaching session focused on the challenge I needed to tackle. There are many models and tools a great coach has in their sports bag.
In my case, looking into what motivates me using the SCARF model really helped me. I’m out of the arena on relatedness, which made us both pause and think. And SCARF shows up everywhere—in decision-making, relationships, and how people respond to change.
I documented my reflections and next steps. A lot happens between coaching sessions, so it is important to stay focused on what you want to achieve. Coaching is not a direct path; there are often twists and turns, but the journey does lead from point A to point B.
My boss sometimes coaches me, isn’t that enough?
Monique: Your boss is not your mentor, nor is your boss your coach. They can guide you through certain workplace issues using coaching techniques. But sometimes you need someone outside your immediate work environment with whom you can be completely vulnerable. Confidentiality in a safe space with your coach allows you to be very human while still being professional.
Zora: My client’s issues often involve relationships with people they report to. It is difficult to be coached by the person who is part of the issue. Independence matters. Credible training, hours of coaching practice, credentials, and ethics are also important.
Why has this partnership worked?
Zora: When people described this as ‘Messi coaching Ronaldo’, it made us laugh. It’s unusual because usually you wouldn’t coach friends or family, and we’ve known each other for ages. I’m not sure if I’d be Messi or Ronaldo. What really made it work was honesty and boundaries. We both showed up fully as coach and client, not just as friends, and that takes trust.
Monique: We already had a respected business relationship based on trust, and I needed to be challenged. I knew I could trust Zora to do this. Trust is essential because you need to be pushed and trust that the push is for your benefit.
How important is it for the coach to understand your profession?
Zora: Chemistry matters more than direct industry experience. This is coaching, not mentoring. Leaders operate in complex environments. It helps when the coach understands how organizations work—decision-making, power structures, culture, and the pressures that can weigh on confidence—and brings a neuroscience-based approach to support more effective thinking, creating new habits and shifting behavior.
Monique: It's not the coach’s profession that matters. It helped in our case, but wasn’t essential to our core conversations. It's about the broader context. A coach needs to understand culture, pressure, and the habits that become automatic in a person. Sometimes, these habits or beliefs need to be challenged. Not every coach is equal, and not every coach suits everyone.
What made you decide it was time to have a coach yourself… and why now?
Monique: I could acknowledge I was successful. I was flying across Europe, paid to speak, and recognized for my expertise. But something was missing. I needed to rethink my direction. I had trouble understanding why reaching the level I’d aimed for didn’t feel like the endgame. I needed someone to help me look in the mirror, confront reality, find clarity, make the best decisions for myself, and take ownership of them.
Zora: After we finished our coaching agreement, the timing was right for me to pursue a big personal goal—writing my first book (scheduled for release in late 2026). Monique has already walked that path as an award-winning author and expert book coach, so now she is coaching me through the writing process.
But isn’t coaching self-indulgent and a luxury?
Zora: Coaching isn't a luxury. It helps you pause, reflect, become more self-aware, and make better choices. Everyone deserves someone in their corner who can help them think more clearly.
Monique: Some people worry about cost. A coach requires training and experience. A friend of mine says that if she doesn’t have coaching to help her perform at a high level, she won't get her end-of-year bonus. Her bonus easily covers the coaching costs. She is investing to ensure she performs. There’s a well-known PwC and the Association Resource Center stat bouncing around that claims executive coaching delivers an average ROI of seven times the investment.
I love what I do, and I’m investing in my future well-being in the professional workforce — Monique Zytnik
Athletes talk about pushing past the pain point to get results—can coaching be uncomfortable?
Monique: No pain, no gain! Yes, some sessions were uncomfortable, but in a good way. Zora would look me in the eye and say, ‘Let’s get back to my question. You haven’t answered it.’ I appreciated not being allowed to skip around the uncomfortable truth. It’s almost like being at the gym lifting weights. You’re pushed to your limit, and your legs are shaking. You want to stop, but your coach steps right up and helps you reach your goal. Coaching sessions can be mentally draining, and recovery time is important.
Discomfort is where insight is. When someone is nearing understanding, you can see it. It’s in their voice, how they sit, breathe, or sidestep a question. You stay with them. You wait. That’s where the ‘aha moment’ lies, and where change begins — Zora Artis
Can you share any insights you gained?
Monique: I gained clarity about what brings me joy, where my boundaries are, and what I need to flourish.
Zora: You confronted patterns you had tolerated for too long. You were curious, vulnerable, and open to being uncomfortable. There was likely some unlearning followed by learning in the process. Would you say that’s fair?
Monique: Absolutely.
Zora: And after we completed our coaching agreement, the timing was right for me to take on something personally significant — writing my first book. Monique has already done this, so now she’s coaching me. Different goal, same accountability and clarity. It feels like the work continues for both of us.
What should every leader know?
Monique: Coaching helps you grow both personally and professionally. It makes you a better leader. It keeps you accountable and stops you from creating illusions about yourself—that inner voice convinces you that everything is fine or makes you question yourself. Saying it to a coach is very different.
Zora: Coaching provides leaders with space to be honest with themselves and understand the impact they have on others. The way they lead influences confidence, well-being, and performance across their team. When they see the bigger picture, they can make clearer, more intentional choices. That clarity then creates a positive ripple effect.
Monique: Clarity is gold, particularly in our time of complete socio-economic chaos.
High-performing leaders are already strong. Coaching helps them stay on track. Elite athletes don’t wait until they are struggling; they train, refine, and push their limits constantly for the benefit of themselves and their team.
Leadership deserves the same level of support.
Sometimes, the bravest move a successful leader can make is to ask for someone in their corner. Has this conversation sparked something for you or a leader you support? Then, coaching is worth exploring.
At the end of the day, it is about people. Communicating with people. Coaching strengthens that.
Zora Artis is CEO of Artis Advisory and Co-Founder of The Alignment People, based in Melbourne. She is a strategic advisor, facilitator, and leadership coach who helps executives and senior teams tackle tough challenges, find clarity, build capability, and act. An IABC Fellow and company director, Zora is certified as a Strategic Communication Management Professional, an ICF Associate Certified Coach, a Mirror Mirror Alignment practitioner, and a Certified Practising Marketer. She is recognized for her global research in strategic alignment, leadership, and communication, and is currently writing her first book on creating and sustaining healthy, high-performing teams and organizations.
Monique Zytnik is a Berlin-based strategic communications leader and author. She has worked with companies including DHL Group, Capgemini, and eBay. Her award-winning work focuses on translating complex topics—especially AI, leadership communication, and organizational transformation—into clear, engaging communication. She is the author of Internal Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, a frequent keynote speaker, and current EMENA Region Director on the IABC International Executive Board.