In this testimonial interview, Lynne Levy speaks with her client Torlisa about her journey through Lynne’s leadership coaching program. Torlisa describes feeling stuck in a leadership ceiling after several years, prompting her to seek resources and attend a live Facebook event. Despite initial hesitation about whether the program would address both hard and soft skills, she decided to try it, noting that she could always change course if it didn’t meet her needs. Throughout the coaching, she gained a practical leadership toolkit that helped her recognize personal triggers, manage stress, and feel more confident in navigating challenges. She highlights the unexpected value of group sessions, which provided diverse perspectives and peer learning despite scheduling concerns. The coaching led to a broader view of her career possibilities, increased self‑awareness, and ultimately a promotion to Head of Product. Torlisa also offers advice to other managers considering the program, encouraging them to reflect on the type of leader they want to become, the roadblocks they face, and the impact on their personal life, emphasizing that the program offers tools to address those concerns.
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Almost a year ago. Tell me where, what were the things you were dealing with? What were those pain points that you were like, I need to address these?
Yeah.
And I think you came to one of my live sessions, didn't you?
I did. I saw on Facebook that you were having live events and I thought, why not? Let's join. Let's see what this is about. At that time, I had been feeling as if I'd hit a ceiling in my journey of trying to grow into leadership. And it had been about 3, 4 years sort of in the same position. And I just thought maybe there were— there was something that was missing and I could benefit from getting more help, understanding tools, having a different lens of how do I solve for this. So that's what led me to kind of look for resources. And then I happened to see your Facebook event and decided to join it.
So I know you had initial hesitation. Like, what is this? So tell, tell a little bit more about some of that hesitation and how you worked through that hesitation to make the decision to join.
Yeah, I think for me, I wasn't, I wasn't sure if like work I need to focus on was both hard skills and soft skills. And, um, your program focused quite a bit on sort of the leadership components. Um, and so as I got to know a little bit more about what the mod— what the learning content would entail, I just kind of went, all right, just try it. And, and I can always make a different decision if for whatever reasons it didn't meet what I needed it to meet. But I'm happy I did.
How has a day in your life changed as you learned a lot of these new leadership skills?
It's made me more aware of what are my triggers, when I'm triggering others, how do I sort of shift approach and be mindful of those around me. It's just given me a toolkit to tap into when I need to, if I'm not getting to an outcome that is desired by myself, the team, the org, etc. So I feel empowered given this toolkit.
I love that, empowered. Has it helped with stress or the overwhelm that comes with just working in tech?
Yes, because for me, if I have— if I feel as if there are some things that I can leverage in the toolkit, it gives me a bit more certainty. Because my driving force is certainty that I can navigate it. It gives me sort of that added boost to confidence that I can navigate it. So it does alleviate some of the stress.
I love that. So a lot of people who join the program, it's interesting, they're like, Lynne, I want one-on-one coaching, which is fine. You and I did a lot of one-on-ones, but tell folks what you thought of group sessions.
Yeah, I actually was pleasantly surprised by the group sessions. I wanted one-on-one primarily because I am in Singapore, so didn't think that timing-wise the group sessions would work for my schedule. But as I've been able to join them, just the diversity of opinions, understanding where people are on the spectrum of their journeys. There could be cases where they're in a scenario that I was in and I could offer something to help and vice versa. So just sort of that groupthink and broader perspectives would shift my way of how I might approach something. So I was really, really appreciative of that.
How have you changed since you joined in terms of career, life perspective, thoughts on the future?
I think the biggest is broader opportunity set, seeing the ways in which I might, might have limited myself Seeing the ways in which I'm great at certain aspects and sure, with awareness now I know there are some additional things that I can do to be an even better leader. Um, but just sort of the confidence that I have a way to navigate it and know how to achieve those goals.
So if you were to meet somebody who's a manager, senior manager, out in the street and they were to say, who the heck is this Lynne Levy? Should I join this program? What things should they think about? What questions should they ask themselves?
I would ask them to think about the sort of leaders they want to be, what they feel are the roadblocks or challenges to being that sort of leader. I would also ask them to think about broader picture, what they want their life to be, and are there ways in which, you know, they're coming home from work and they're stressed, or they're at work and then certain behaviors are happening and that is stressful. Think about how they might want to see changes in life and go, hey, there's a way, there's, there's tools. For me to leverage in order to achieve that and then come join your program.
