Alison Dawn Lee

I attribute my success to my inner work. Because of the depth of the work I do with clients, there is nothing a client is facing in themselves that I haven't navigated in myself. The leaders I work with have already done visible work - leadership programs, previous coaching, therapy and personal development. The work I do is structural - the patterns formed long before the role that is still influencing how they lead. I could not do this if I didn't do and continue to do my inner work. I also attribute my success to a small circle of friends that support me to be my most authentic version of myself. These friends see me for who I am and consistently reflect that back to me. This is what I do with clients. When we create deeper shifts, we need someone who holds up a mirror and says, "I see your brilliance, your unique gifts and who you are beyond your old identities." Finally I attribute my success to the teachers in my life - not only my formal teachers but every relationship that has been painful and challenging. I have become the person I am today because of the gifts of those lessons.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is "be yourself, everyone else is taken". Discovering who we are: our gifts, our life story and what we're passionate about point us to who we are in our essence. In my past, my inner critic would always find fault in something but tI came to understand hat voice is simply a voice of protection, and was trying to keep me safe. Through that discovery, I'm able to contribute what we came here to do - my true purpose. I'm passionate about each of us finding that purpose and living it.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to do your inner work. We cannot effectively lead or support others if we haven’t addressed our own challenges first. In executive coaching and leadership development, if a client is facing something we haven’t personally processed, it limits our ability to guide them. By doing the work on ourselves, we cultivate the clarity, empathy, and presence necessary to meet clients wherever they are. This foundation is absolutely essential for anyone pursuing a career in this field.

One of the biggest opportunities in my field is where I believe the practice needs to evolve into. We need coaches who have been willing to do deep identity work. If we aren't playing the role of achiever, pleaser, advice giver, mediator - then who are we? All of these old identities get in the way of us being fully present. The condition of our society and our planet requires a different level of consciousness for healing. Einstein said, "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." This applies to leadership and coaches for leaders. Often this kind of work happens in the second half of life because of the courage it takes and a willingness to embrace what is unknown.

The values most important to me are self-awareness and self-compassion, because compassion for others starts with compassion for ourselves. Curiosity is essential - being with myself and clients from a beginner's mind. Courage is also a big value for me - it takes courage to be true to yourself. Assisting female leaders to find their courage is important and critical work. Finally, integrity matters deeply, because I want my outside to mirror the transformation that has occured on the inside.