We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leanne Gawley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Leanne, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
This is such an interesting question, and quite complex. Deep in my heart, I hope to be remembered as someone who made a difference, challenged barriers (and hopefully broke through some or helped others to do that!), loved deeply, and genuinely cared about the people I have been lucky enough to connect with.
When I think more deeply about where this started for me, I remember when I was in Elementary School, our school had resources and programming for Deaf children, and we had the opportunity to learn sign language quite early on, starting in about grade 1. I learned as much as I could and loved being able to interact in different ways. In about grade 5, one of the girls in my school wanted to take trampoline lessons where I was training, and I was asked to interpret for her during her lessons. Seeing her excel in that program was such a great moment for me, and helping people succeed and feel valued has carried on from there. I’ve been fortunate to be able to use sign language to help with store purchases, restaurant situations, and just to say “hi” to others I see signing.
I ended up going into Finance as my first career because it came easy for me; I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, and understood from a young age that understanding finance is one of the keys to leading a successful business. It was also another way I could nurture my value of helping others, because of how strategic CFO’s operate in business and can be real difference-makers.
I met my husband while I was working in Madagascar, and that was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. To move from a Western country to an African country is in and of itself, is a wonderful and amazing experience, and a big dose of reality. In Madagascar, so much that happens there is dependent on one’s family, community – its a very collectivist society, which is so different than our culture in the West. I was one of very few white, female employees in the town I was living in, which gave me perspective on what it is like to not blend in because of one’s intersectionality.
My husband immigrated to Canada when my contract finished, and I saw first hand how hard it is for people who make the choice to leave their families and everything they know, for a new life in Canada. I was shocked – it wasn’t the Canada that I knew at all. This disparity continued to fuel me to help others – sometimes simply having a supporter is enough to help someone find work in their chosen field. In my day job, I shared our journey – the good and the bad, I talked a lot about the bias that exists, the systemic oppression, and really leaned in to Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity, Justice, and Equity work in that organization.
As a senior leader within this organization, and having worked with various teams around the world, my philosophy is to be my true self as much as I can, be open and honest, and treat people the way I would like to be treated – with respect, honesty, humility and integrity, helping those around me really find what they are passionate about and go for it.
Coaching came into my life because there was a leader whom I really admired. She spoke differently, listened differently, asked different questions, and I knew I wanted to bring that into my own leadership because it made such a difference for me, and for others around me. After a few years of researching, I embarked on my Coaching training during COVID and have since added in ADHD coaching into my business.
Coaching helps me continue to help people see their potential, lead with impact, do things they didn’t think was possible, lead differently and have a positive impact on others. The ADHD Coaching is the next aspect I am deeply passionate about.
I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early 40’s and it was like my entire life made sense, It was also very lonely – I didn’t really know any other families or executives who had ADHD, what that meant for them and things that are helpful for them to continue to be successful. I took a very deep dive into learning everything I could about it, to help me, my family, and be able to talk about it with others to help those who were experiencing the same kind of loneliness. I was able to create a community around that which helped others feel seen and acknowledged, and have a safe space to ask questions, share stories of success and also tough situations to gather the wisdom from others who have like-experiences.
I am intensely dedicated to work in Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity, Justice, and Equity. It is so close to my heart because it is such a huge part of my family, our experiences, my children’s future and the overall betterment of our society. I will always be a passionate advocate, and if I can make a difference in just one person’s experience, I will have succeeded.
Leanne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am the Founder and Lead Strategist at Leanne Gawley Executive Coaching, where I provide Executive Coaching, ADHD Coaching, Social Justice Coaching, keynotes and more. My passion for fostering personal and professional growth has fuelled my journey as a coach, driven by a deep commitment to supporting individuals in reaching their full potential.
Coaching is an absolute passion for me. The Executive Coaching part of my business is focused on new/emerging/returning leaders, as well as those who have been in leadership for a long time and are looking to gain more insights into their style, and continue evolving. I offer specific programs for emerging/new leaders, as well as those who are further along in their careers, and if those packages don’t resonate, I work with the client to customize exactly what they are looking for and meet them where they are at.
For those who are seeking to increase their understanding and language as well as acceptance of IDJEA in their life and workplace, I offer Social Justice Mindset Coaching which works alongside somatics to understand what is happening in our bodies as these topics come up in life and work. We work with education, mindset, exploration to dig deep into our engrained pathways to understand bias and increase awareness, to then work towards increasing the breadth of the leaders mindset towards acceptance of IDJEA and become an active leader in this space.
The ADHD Coaching arm of my business is very near and dear to my heart. I was diagnosed in my early 40’s with ADHD, and felt very alone. I didn’t know a lot about it, I didn’t know anyone else with it, but at the same time, once I was aware, my entire life made sense. Through my own diagnosis and exploration, I became a Certified ADHD Coach and work with parents, families, children and adults with ADHD. Providing them with a space to ask questions, feel seen and understood is so important as we work through the amazing things about ADHD as well as the struggles.
My background is as an internationally experienced executive with more than 15 years of management and leadership experience and hold a Certified Professional Accounting Designation and a Masters of Business Administration. I pursued and received a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University and followed the path to be recognized as an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. I have been a professional Certified Executive Coach since 2020 and founded Leanne Gawley Executive Coaching in 2021.
My family and I are humbled to live, work, and play across Treaty 7 and Treaty 6 Traditional Territories of the Niisitapi (Blackfoot), (including the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai Peoples), the Tsuut’ina, Stoney Nakoda, Cree, Saulteaux and Métis peoples.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson I’ve had to unlearn is around leadership. Women of my vintage were taught to work harder, please everyone, be kind, be polite, don’t make a fuss. That was how I showed up for a long time. It’s how women before me and around me showed up. And it was so difficult. I wanted to challenge everything, make things better, have people understand the differences in pressure and expectation on women and men. So I started taking risks, small ones at first, where I would call in a leader and share what happened for me in a meeting. Why was I being asked to book the hotels/take notes/book a meeting for follow up? That wasn’t part of my role, and it put an extra burden on me outside of my already stressful job. That was the beginning. I have grown my authentic voice, I have reinvented roles I was in to better suit my capabilities and personality. I have become a sought after mentor and coach which is a huge accomplishment for me in and of itself, and I am humbled and so proud of that.
My children see me use my voice to empower myself and others around me, especially in some of the most difficult spaces. My career has been in Finance, but my passion is Executive Coaching, Inclusion, Diversity, Justice, Accessibility and Equity. I care deeply about people, and want everyone to feel like they belong. This requires me to use my voice in different and sometimes difficult ways to break down barriers, educate those around me and continue on my own learning journey in this space. It is so important for me to create a place of inclusion for all, with the hope that my children won’t experience some of the radicalized experience others around us have.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Honestly, the best source of new clients for me has been word of mouth. It is also the most humbling source. When I have made a difference in someone’s life, such that they refer me to others in their network. I am so grateful they would consider referring me.
The next best source for me has been speaking engagements. I speak on a number of different topics, Women in Leadership, Finding Your Authentic Voice, IDJEA topics, Difficult Conversations and more. These conversations always lead back to my coaching because it is inherent in everything I do, whether its at home, with my children and family, or at work, and its what has brought out and honed some of my best leadership qualities, in my opinion.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leannegawley.ca
- Instagram: leanne.gawley
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leannegawleyexecutivecoaching