Why Ehsan Ali Says Senior IT Professionals Shouldn’t Navigate Their Careers Alone

In a recent LinkedIn post, Ehsan Ali discusses how coaching might have changed his experience as an employee and argues that senior IT professionals can benefit from seeking guidance before they reach a career crisis. This article reports on Ali’s post and reflects his account and views; it was not written by Ali.

“I fought with most of my bosses. My performance reviews showed it.”

Ali recalls receiving 22 performance reviews, with a mix of ratings: “A good number of Bs. A few As. A lot of Cs.” He describes his earlier approach as naive and connects his conflicts with managers to a lack of guidance. In Ali’s view, support could have helped him handle difficult workplace conversations and perform more effectively.

From workplace conflict to seeking a coach

After leaving corporate employment, Ali says he spent two years out of work and went through three failed businesses before getting expert guidance. He presents coaching as a lasting part of how he now runs his business, rather than a resource reserved for people who have already achieved success.

“Since then, I have not run my business without a coach.”

Ali says that experience shaped his work with senior IT professionals: “I became the guide I needed back then.” According to Ali, people he works with have won awards despite difficult bosses, earned promotions after being overlooked, doubled their salaries and advanced by as many as three levels. These are outcomes he attributes to clients’ experiences; the post does not provide further details about the individuals or how the results were measured.

Support before a career setback

Ali says he once thought mentorship and coaching were intended for business leaders, elite athletes and politicians—in other words, people who had already made it. He now argues that people can benefit from support earlier, while they are still working through career challenges. As he describes it, a coach can challenge a person’s thinking, identify blind spots and help with conversations that have gone poorly.

Rethinking the do-it-yourself approach

The post does not claim that individual effort cannot lead to success. Instead, Ali questions whether trying to solve every problem alone is worth the time it can cost. He frames his own “DIY mindset” as a source of years lost and invites readers to consider what they are still trying to figure out without help.

“I’m not saying you can’t succeed on your own. But you don’t have to figure everything out the hard way.”

Ali’s central point is that career guidance need not wait until someone has reached the top or encountered a major setback. By sharing his own difficulties and the support he later sought, he makes the case for treating coaching as a practical option for professionals who want to navigate challenging workplace relationships and pursue advancement.