Jeff Kaplan, Founder and PresidentWhile visionaries who embody empathy, innovation, and humility are often celebrated, the real test of leadership lies in transforming those often labeled as “difficult.” For many consulting firms, such leaders are considered uncoachable and unmotivated, leaving them to navigate environments where they cannot thrive.
But one company is flipping that narrative.
Leading With Heart, a consulting and coaching firm specializing in leadership and organizational development, redefines conventional coaching practices. It stands out from typical consulting firms by focusing on three key areas—the leaders it serves, its certified coaches' expertise and consistent coaching philosophy, and the hands-on care it offers.
The company works with leaders who struggle with self-awareness, have strained workplace relationships, or are resistant to change. They may routinely clash with others, blame external factors for their shortcomings, or shy away from personal accountability.
This commitment is reflected in Leading With Heart's team of coaches, who go beyond surface-level coaching to foster lasting change in leaders. They are highly qualified, many with advanced degrees such as PhDs in psychology and/or MBAs, and most are certified by the International Coach Federation, the gold standard in coaching.
“It's not that these leaders are uncoachable—it's that no one has found a way to connect with them. That is our job,” says Jeff Kaplan, Founder and President of Leading With Heart.
Its coaches view it as their duty to forge meaningful connections, understanding that true transformation begins when leaders feel seen, heard, and understood. It also provides specialized support for leaders in sensitive roles, such as those with personal ties to board members, where maintaining the right dynamics is crucial.
What sets the firm apart is its proprietary coaching methodology, built around five core tenets—empathy, understanding, engagement, humility, and purposefulness. As organizations become less hierarchical and more matrixed, Leading With Heart’s coaches apply these principles to foster growth and adaptability. Its coaches, while highly experienced, undergo a two-and-a-half-day certification in the Leading With Heart process, ensuring they are aligned with its values and methods.
This high-touch, personalized approach ensures that no two engagements are alike. Coaches work closely with leaders to assess their needs, goals, and personal challenges. They begin with a thorough needs assessment to determine whether coaching is the right intervention for a particular leader.
Leading With Heart employs a two-phase approach to the intervention. During phase one, the assessment phase, the coaches meet the leader twice or thrice and gather insights from their manager, HR representative, and other key stakeholders. It evaluates four key conditions—motivation to change, identifying clear and specific success metrics, organizational support, and the potential for a strong coach-leader relationship. Its unique qualitative, interview-based 360 feedback approach provides leaders with deep, actionable insights and recommendations. Based on this information, it assesses whether to proceed to phase two, the coaching phase.
Leading With Heart 360 (LwH-360™) is a groundbreaking online feedback tool that takes only 10 minutes to complete yet captures others' perceptions of essential leadership qualities through the lens of heart-centered principles.
One of Leading With Heart’s many success stories involves a leader who faced significant interpersonal challenges during a difficult career transition. The new company that hired him recognized his expertise and capabilities, deeming them significant enough to outweigh any interpersonal challenges.
Leading With Heart stepped in, and after conducting its assessment, the firm moved into phase two. During this phase, Kaplan worked closely with the leader. He recalled a discussion where the leader shared that his difficult behavior was not intentional; it stemmed from being bullied as a child and was a way of protecting himself.
That moment of vulnerability was a turning point. He trusted Kaplan, and that made all the difference. A few weeks later, when a difficult situation arose, he called Kaplan instead of reacting as he usually would and said, "I know I could mess this up, but I want to get it right this time." The powerful moment reflected his desire to improve his relationships.
Our coaches undergo two and a half days of training, aligning our values and ensuring consistent quality
“This experience touched me deeply. Leading With Heart was created to help people. It's a huge win for us when we can help the leader and the organization. We often tell leaders that this process won’t just make them more effective at work—it will help them become better human beings, more empathetic, understanding, and humble,” explains Kaplan.
The firm further enhances the leadership development process through AI. It has introduced an AI-powered companion coach, providing real-time support and feedback. The AI coach simulates the role of a human coach by asking powerful questions and suggesting actions tailored to the leader’s specific challenges. This AI tool becomes an invaluable resource for larger organizations, where it may not be feasible to provide personalized coaching to every leader. It allows leaders to seek guidance whenever needed, even in the middle of the night, ensuring that development does not stop when the coaching session ends. The tool can also send transcripts of these AI sessions directly to the coach, allowing them to follow up and provide deeper insights in the next meeting.
Leading With Heart is developing customized, cost-effective packages for startups, recognizing the crucial role of effective leadership in driving success. These packages include cultural fit assessments, personality assessments, and comprehensive 360-degree reviews aimed at nurturing leaders to strengthen their organization’s distinct culture.
The company goes beyond mere leadership coaching; it is committed to fostering lasting, meaningful change that empowers leaders to thrive with empathy, purpose, and humility. Investing in the development of empathetic leaders elevates individual potential and drives collective success, creating organizations that are resilient, innovative, and prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.
