From the Client’s Mouth: Andrew’s Journey to Managing Overwhelm and Leadership Growth

This story comes from a real coaching session. Names and personal details have been changed to maintain confidentiality.

In a recent coaching session, Andrew, a Senior Engineering Lead at a global technology firm, found himself in the middle of a high-pressure career transition. He had recently been assigned to build a new team from the ground up while still managing responsibilities from his previous role. The weight of mounting tasks, looming deadlines, and high visibility within the company left him feeling overwhelmed. His journey highlights how coaching can help leaders regain control, prioritize effectively, and step into their leadership with confidence.

The Challenge: Navigating Being Overwhelmed in a High-Stakes Role

Andrew’s new leadership role came with significant challenges:

  • He had just two employees onboard while needing to hire seven more.
  • His company’s chairman publicly announced his initiative, increasing pressure.
  • He was juggling ongoing training, process development, and system monitoring.
  • His workload felt insurmountable, with lists of tasks growing faster than he could complete them.

“I have so much to do, I don’t even know where to start. It’s like looking at a mountain and trying to figure out the best way to the top.”

The Breakthrough: Reframing and Strategic Prioritization

Through coaching, Andrew gained clarity on how to manage his workload without feeling paralyzed by the enormity of it. Instead of viewing his responsibilities as an unmanageable pile, he shifted his mindset toward strategic prioritization.

He began implementing key strategies:

  1. Breaking Tasks into Manageable Steps: Identifying short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals.
  2. Leveraging Resources: Delegating meetings, utilizing company experts, and identifying critical hires.
  3. Scheduling for Success: Blocking time for training, hiring, and leadership planning to ensure progress.

“Talking through it made me realize I already have a structure in place—I just need to refine and trust it.”

Key Takeaways from Andrew’s Session

  1. Overwhelm Is a Signal, Not a Stop Sign: It’s a sign to step back, assess, and create a strategy.
  2. Prioritization Creates Control: Breaking large tasks into smaller steps reduces stress and increases efficiency.
  3. Support Systems Matter: Leaders don’t have to do everything alone—leveraging a network is key to success.

Why Coaching Matters

Andrew’s session reinforced the power of reflection and structured planning. Instead of feeling consumed by his workload, he walked away with a sense of control and a plan to move forward. Coaching helped him recognize that leadership isn’t about doing everything—it’s about focusing on the right things.

Feeling overwhelmed in a leadership role? Coaching with Ionis Leadership Coaching can help you find clarity, balance, and confidence in your next steps.