On this episode of the Coaching Studio

Leading Under Pressure: with Dr. Carol Kauffman

In this high-impact episode of The Coaching Studio, host Lyssa deHart sits down with Dr. Carol Kauffman, founder of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School and co-author of Real-Time Leadership, to explore what it takes to make the right move in the moments that matter most.

From being told she was “average” in high school to coaching some of the world’s most powerful leaders, Carol’s story is proof that high-stakes clarity is a skill anyone can develop. She shares pivotal moments from her career, including the day she accidentally discovered coaching by winning free tuition, and the instant she realized it was nothing like therapy—it was a completely new way of creating change.

Listeners will discover why Carol believes therapy follows the trail of tears with the goal of healing, while coaching follows the trail of dreams toward an optimal life. She unpacks how intention, not just tools, shapes the work, and why coaching is one of the most shame-free mechanisms for change.

Central to the conversation is the MOVE framework:

• Mindfully Alert – staying present and attuned like an athlete in the game.

• Options Generator – creating multiple pathways forward, even under pressure.

• Validate Your Vantage Point – challenging your own perspective to ensure it’s accurate.

• Engage and Effect Change – taking action only you can take as a leader.

Through powerful client stories—including the CEO who completely shifted strategy after answering a single, scaling question—Carol illustrates how small interventions can have massive ripple effects.

She also shares her go-to self-management tool, the deceptively simple question: “Who do I want to be right now?” This one question, she says, can reset your mindset before any conversation, meeting, or decision.

Whether you’re a coach, a leader, or someone navigating your own high-stakes moments, this episode will leave you with practical tools, fresh perspectives, and the inspiration to make your next move your best move.

Carol’s book – Go check it out!

Carol Kauffman, PhD

When you’re seen as powerful, no one tells you the truth. My job is to tell you the truth—sometimes with humor, often with disruption, always with the goal of helping you create the impact you want.

I’m an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, Visiting Professor at Henley Business School, and Senior Advisor at Egon Zehnder. I founded the Institute of Coaching at Harvard with a $2M gift from the Harnisch Foundation, and I’m proud that our Leader as Coach program won Harvard’s inaugural award for a culture of excellence in mentoring.

With over 40,000 coaching sessions behind me, I still love coaching leaders as much as when I began. Clients tell me I’m a lateral thinker who blends candor, humor, and challenge to spark new insight. My favorite question? “Who do you want to be, right now?”

Named the #1 Leadership Coach by the Marshall Goldsmith Group and recognized among the Thinkers50 top 8 coaches worldwide, I’m passionate about starting things—whether launching the first peer-reviewed journal on coaching, shaping global leadership forums, or co-authoring Real-Time Leadership: Find Your Winning Moves When the Stakes Are High.

All of these experiences matter because they make me better at the work I love most: coaching leaders in the moments that matter most.