A reflective exploration of 30 years in leadership and mentoring, revealing how real growth comes from listening, compassion, and helping others see themselves more clearly through life's challenges.
Verified Member
Influential Woman · Coaching
Lisa Rawlings
Certified Professional Coach, Life with Lees, LLC
Dallas, TX
1Article published
Her Story
About Lisa
Lisa Rawlings is a Certified Professional Coach and former McKinsey & Company professional with more than 30 years of experience guiding individuals and teams. After a distinguished three-decade career at McKinsey, where she held leadership roles in management, operations, coaching, and mentoring, Lisa embraced a new chapter by founding Life with Lees, LLC. Through her coaching practice, she helps individuals navigate life’s challenges, build confidence, and create meaningful, lasting change by combining practical leadership experience with compassionate guidance. Lisa earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Northwood University, graduating with a 4.0 GPA, and completed her Certified Professional Life Coach training at Texas State University. She is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) through the International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches (IAPRC) and is an active member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Her expertise includes leadership development, performance coaching, change management, operational excellence, and servant leadership, enabling her to support clients through both personal and professional growth. Committed to lifelong learning and service, Lisa is actively involved with professional organizations including the International Coaching Federation, Executive Women International, and the McKinney Chamber of Commerce. She credits her success to hard work, being fully present, showing up consistently, and giving back to others. Passionate about making coaching accessible to anyone seeking positive change, Lisa is dedicated to empowering individuals to recognize their strengths, overcome obstacles, and become the best version of themselves – one empowered choice at a time.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lisa
01What do you attribute your success to?
Hard work. I always say that one of my aha moments in life was having others see potential in me before I saw it in myself. And that's something that I've kept with me for so long, and that's a way that I want to give back to others, because I want to help others find their best within themselves. Being willing to do the hard things, always showing up, being present, giving back. I believe that when we do that, it will return to us.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be patient. Choose courage over comfort. Don't be afraid to get it wrong and then learning from that mistake. Hopefully they're just small blips along the journey, and you course correct and see it as a great learning opportunity. Also, don't think you have to have all the answers yourself. It's okay to say "you know, I'm not sure, but let me dig into that." Multiple brains are always better than one, so find good mentors and good people to have in your network and on your journey, because they will make your experience so much richer.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Along the same lines, I think first and foremost, particularly with young people starting their career, you must have patience. that is definitely something you have to pack. Getting your education and coming out of college with no experience and thinking you're just gonna hit the ground running with a six-figure salary (look, I hope that happens for someone), but it's probably not going to, so get your hands dirty and be patient. Life, unfortunately, goes too fast. As we recognize when we get in our 50s, how did I get here? But just don't rush life. Stay present in every moment, and remember your best learnings often come from your mistakes. And again, don't be afraid to fail, because that's where you will generally find your biggest successes.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I believe within the coaching realm we need to almost demystify it, and that people believe coaching belongs to executive-level individuals, whereas that's just not true. Every individual needs some kind of help and an accountability partner. That's the biggest thing, because coaching is a partnership. I also think a lot of people don't believe that they could afford to do it, whereas that is not the case. So that's been a big theme for me in current coaching journey is making sure that people know coaching is available, is accessible, and can be affordable for anyone who needs it. And, coaching covers any topic in life - so both personally and professionally. I am a recovery coach as well, and guide individuals who have been through loss and tragedy. Many people struggle with how do I not let this define me? And so just partnering with people to help them understand that they're okay to feel the way they do, and also how to overcome that and move forward in a productive way. And so those are the biggest challenges that I think we're currently facing. I do believe that social platforms and platforms such as what we're doing right now in getting the word out there that coaching is accessible and available and there are people that want to help others and be there for others. Coaching can also be challenging in a world where everything is so online, and a lot of people don't want to have a conversation. But real change happens sometimes with just one conversation. So again, being able to get more exposure of our industry, and that is the one advantage of the advanced technological world that we live in now. Sometimes we get frustrated with the amount of technology, but again it certainly does allow us more exposure, even just to simply find the right coach.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty, first and foremost. Being your true authentic self. Integrity. The other thing too, no matter what I do or how I lead. I do that with love. I have so much love in my heart, and I have to bring that to being my true self. Obviously love looks different in different settings but really caring for people as human beings. I believe that's what were put on this earth for.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Lisa
A Legacy of Encouragement: Observations on Being Human
How paying attention to people's hearts shaped a life of mentorship and led to a new calling in coaching.
A Legacy of Encouragement
For more than 30 years, I believed my work was about helping people succeed. I spent my career walking beside people-as a trusted advisor, mentor, and leader. I sat across conference tables, shared difficult conversations, celebrated promotions, supported people through disappointments, and watched countless individuals navigate the complexities of work and life.
For a long time, I thought I was learning about leadership. Then I thought I was learning about careers. Eventually, I realized I was learning about people. That realization changed everything.
Over the years, I discovered that the challenges people bring to work are rarely just about work. A difficult conversation is often about fear. A missed opportunity is often about self-doubt. Conflict is often about hurt. Perfectionism is often about believing our worth is tied to our performance. Even success, at times, can hide exhaustion, loneliness, or the quiet question so many of us carry: Am I enough?
Titles may change. Jobs come and go. Life moves through seasons. But the human heart wrestles with many of the same questions, regardless of where we work or what role we hold.
I've watched extraordinary people doubt themselves. I've watched quiet people become courageous and step well beyond their comfort zones. I've watched confident people experience losses that reshaped their lives. I've watched people discover strength they never knew they possessed. And through it all, one truth has continued to reveal itself: People rarely need someone to tell them what to do. More often, they need someone who can help them see themselves and their circumstances with greater clarity, wisdom, and grace.
Looking back, I realize those moments shaped me as much as they shaped the people I was privileged to walk beside. The greatest lessons of my career didn't come from business strategies or leadership books. They came from showing up and paying attention.
Paying attention to what people feared but rarely said aloud. Paying attention to what gave them hope. Paying attention to the remarkable resilience that quietly appears when people are reminded of who they are.
Years later, I made a decision that surprised many people, including myself. After more than three decades in a career I deeply loved, I stepped away to follow a different calling. It was, without question, one of the hardest and scariest things I've ever done. For all the wisdom I had gained from walking beside others through change, I was suddenly being asked to trust that wisdom in my own life.
Life with Lees was born from a simple belief: Every person deserves someone who will listen without judgment, encourage without pressure, and remind them that growth doesn't require perfection.
It requires honesty. It requires courage. And sometimes, it begins with just one small choice.
When I think about what coaching has taught me, the truth is that coaching didn't begin when I earned my certifications. It began years earlier, in ordinary conversations with ordinary people who were simply trying to navigate life the best they could. My training gave me tools. Life gave me perspective. The people I had the privilege of knowing gave me wisdom.
Today, I think less about giving advice and more about offering perspective. Less about having answers and more about asking thoughtful questions. Less about changing people and more about encouraging them to see themselves with greater compassion.
If these reflections accomplish anything, I hope they do one simple thing: remind you that you are not alone.
Whatever season you find yourself in, someone else has stood where you stand today. Growth is rarely dramatic. Wisdom is often quiet. Grace is never weakness. And one empowered choice made today can begin to change tomorrow.
I don't write because I have all the answers. Not even close.
I write because I've spent a lifetime paying attention.
If something I've observed helps even one person carry their burdens a little more lightly, see themselves a little more clearly, or believe in themselves a little more deeply, then every lesson, every conversation, and every season has been worth it.
That, to me, is a legacy of encouragement.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.