In a recent LinkedIn post, Leanne Bridges discusses a common pitfall in professional development: the difference between gaining self-awareness and achieving actual effectiveness. Bridges, who works with managing directors, highlights her own past experience with a coach who, she contends, increased her awareness but failed to improve her performance.
The Limits of Self-Awareness in Coaching
Bridges recounts her experience hiring a coach during her time as an employee. Her goals were clear: to overcome overthinking in conversations, influence key stakeholders more effectively, and ultimately reduce long working hours that stemmed from communication inefficiencies. However, the advice she received was, in her view, superficial.
“His advice was: ‘don’t sit on things, be more focused and stop getting distracted.'”
As Leanne Bridges points out, this advice offered no new information. “I already knew that. So nothing changed,” she states. The core issue, Bridges argues, was not a lack of awareness but an absence of actionable strategies to implement change. This leads to her central thesis: many coaches excel at identifying problems but fall short in guiding clients toward solutions.
Bridging the ‘Knowing-Doing’ Chasm
The executive coach emphasizes that her current clients, managing directors, are not seeking theoretical knowledge or new frameworks. They have already consumed books and attended courses, yet they still struggle with team productivity and driving business growth. This persistent challenge underscores the significant gap between understanding what needs to be done and possessing the capability to execute it.
The Real Value of Executive Coaching
According to Leanne Bridges, the true value of coaching lies in helping leaders close this gap. She argues that the effectiveness of a coach is measured not by the self-awareness they foster, but by their ability to help clients translate insights into tangible results. This involves moving beyond identifying issues to providing the practical tools and guidance necessary for behavioral and operational change.
“Most coaches will help you see what’s wrong. They won’t get you out of it.”
Bridges elaborates on this point, stating, “Knowing what to do isn’t the same as being able to do it.” This distinction is critical for leaders who are often bogged down by the day-to-day, struggling to delegate effectively, or setting the stage for future expansion. The ability to move from understanding to action, she suggests, is what truly enables leaders to move forward without constant personal intervention.
“The gap between knowing and doing is what actually gets things moving without you constantly chasing and reminding people.”
In Leanne Bridges’s view, the focus of impactful coaching should be on facilitating this transition. It’s about equipping leaders with the means to empower their teams and drive progress, rather than merely pointing out inefficiencies. This approach, she concludes, is the key to unlocking true effectiveness and sustained business momentum.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Leanne Bridges on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on April 17, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →