Blog - Lisa D. Foster, Leadership Coaching & Training

Karen learns about impulse control and conflict resolution

Learning About Impulse Control | Customer Journey: Karen, Part 2 of 5

August 5, 2026

Sometimes people hear you better if you find a softer approach. Customer Journey Series: Karen This article is part of a customer journey series following “Karen,” a first time manager in a small non-profit learning how to manage a team, motivate people, and promote collaboration. Her journey explores empathy, communication, conflict resolution, and learning how to manage people—not just tasks. Each post explores a real coaching conversation or leadership challenge from that journey. This is the second post in Karen’s…

Karen had been labeled as a difficult employee when she came to me

Manage People, Not Tasks | Customer Journey: Karen, Part 1 of 5

August 3, 2026

Customer Journeys

Karen, a first-time manager, was valuable to the organization but considered a difficult employee—on track to get fired if she didn’t improve her people skills. Customer Journey Series: Karen, A Difficult Employee This article is part of a customer journey series following “Karen,” labeled as a difficult employee. She was a first time manager in a small non-profit learning how to manage a team, motivate people, and promote collaboration. Her journey explores empathy, communication, conflict resolution, and learning how to…

Carrie learns how important it is to have confidence in yourself

Finding Confidence in Yourself | Customer Journey: Carrie, Part 6 of 6

July 31, 2026

Customer Journeys

The biggest leadership lesson Carrie learned was that finding confidence in yourself comes from trusting yourself to handle whatever comes next. Customer Journey Series: Carrie Carrie is a finance executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, she navigated new roles, organizational change, layoffs, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Her journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to take ownership of her own growth. Each post in this series examines a real coaching…

Carrie's career resilience pays off as she is reassigned to a new team

Career Resilience: Rebuilding and Moving Forward | Customer Journey: Carrie, Part 5 of 6

July 29, 2026

Customer Journeys

Even though she is being pulled in a lot of directions and very busy, Carrie is happy. “I know I’m in the right place.” Customer Journey Series: Carrie Carrie is a finance executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, she navigated new roles, organizational change, layoffs, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Her journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to take ownership of her own growth. Each post in this series examines…

Carrie learns what happens when you have a bad boss

Learning from Hardship: A Bad Boss | Customer Journey: Carrie, Part 4 of 6

July 27, 2026

Customer Journeys

Many leaders learn a lot from hardship or a bad boss, even if they learn what not to do as a leader. Customer Journey Series: Carrie Carrie is a finance executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, she navigated new roles, organizational change, layoffs, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Her journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to take ownership of her own growth. Each post in this series examines a real…

Carrie learns as she learns an important lesson: lead yourself

Learning to Lead Yourself | Customer Journey: Carrie, Part 3 of 6

July 24, 2026

Customer Journeys

In many roles, it’s up to you to pursue your own growth and lead yourself. Customer Journey Series: Carrie Carrie is a finance executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, she navigated new roles, organizational change, layoffs, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Her journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to take ownership of her own growth. Each post in this series examines a real coaching conversation or leadership challenge from Carrie’s…

Smiling businesswoman in a dark blazer in a modern office setting.

Learning How to More Approachable at Work | Customer Journey: Carrie, Part 2 of 6

July 22, 2026

Customer Journeys

To build relationships, stop judging and start being more curious. Customer Journey: Carrie Carrie is a finance executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, she navigated new roles, organizational change, layoffs, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Her journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to take ownership of her own growth. Each post in this series examines a real coaching conversation or leadership challenge from Carrie’s journey. This is the second post…

Portrait representing Carrie, a finance executive managing a career transition

From Moving Laterally to Moving Up | Customer Journey: Carrie, Part 1 of 6

July 20, 2026

Customer Journeys

In mid-career, Carrie was still moving sideways instead of up — and wondering if something about how she come across was holding her back. Customer Journey Series: Carrie Carrie is a finance executive who came to coaching during a career transition. Over the years that followed, she navigated new roles, organizational change, layoffs, difficult bosses, and periods of uncertainty. Her journey explores self-leadership, resilience, confidence, and learning to take ownership of her own growth. Each post in this series examines…

Kami learns how to manage up in this third post in her series

Preparing for Your Next Leadership Role | Customer Journey: Kami, Part 7 of 7

July 17, 2026

Customer Journeys

Ask questions to generate buy in, take ownership of changes, and connect the changes to their motivation. Customer Journey Series: Kami This article is part of a customer journey series following “Kami,” a sales leader in pharma managing competitive changes and new leadership. Her journey explores building leadership confidence, managing up, navigating organizational change, and positioning herself for the next level. Each post explores a real coaching conversation or leadership challenge from that journey. This is the seventh post in…