Allison Holzer on Transformational Coaching Informed by Emotional Intelligence

This week, Kavitha is joined by Aha2Impact CEO Allison Holzer to talk about how her background with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and as an educator prepared her for excellence as a master certified executive coach. Allison walks Kavitha through the exciting developments at the forefront of coaching today, including expanded opportunities for group and team coaching, internal organizational transformation, and individual entrepreneurship. They also touch upon the democratization of coaching, how Allison incorporates her background in the visual arts into sessions, and why it is imperative for coaches to not feel invested in their clients' success. They key? Coaches and clients alike need to avoid "performing" so that they can disrupt traditional power dynamics, honor the client's agency, and approach the coaching relationship with trust and authenticity.

Transcript

S3Ep4—Allison Holzer Transcript

Links and Resources

Information on YGELP and Yale SOM Executive Education:

• Yale SOM Executive Education Homepage

• Certificate in Professional Coaching Program Homepage

• Sign up for program updates

Resources and Individuals Mentioned in Today's Episode:

• Aha2Impact Insights

• Dare to Inspire: Sustain the Fire of Inspiration in Work and Life by Allison Holzer

• The Gift and Power of Unstructured Time – Allison's TED Talk

• Ideas to Impact Newsletter Signup

• Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell

• AI for the Authentic Leader: How to Communicate More Effectively Without Losing Your Humanity by Allison Shapira

About Today's Guest

Allison Aboud Holzer is a Master Certified Executive Coach, leadership and innovation advisor, author, and keynote speaker who helps leaders rethink how they lead in moments that matter most. She is the Founder and CEO of Aha2Impact, a women-owned leadership consulting firm that partners with organizations to align leadership, strategy, and culture in ways that drive meaningful and measurable impact.

With more than 25 years of experience, Allison has coached and advised over a thousand global leaders - including CEOs, presidents, provosts, and senior healthcare leaders - through growth, transformation, and high-stakes decision-making. Her work spans Fortune 500 companies, leading healthcare systems, and top-tier academic institutions, with a focus on helping leaders newly expanded roles and business challenges with clarity and purpose.

For over 15 years, she has served as a guest lecturer, executive coach, and master facilitator for executive education programs at Yale School of Management, Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business and Vanderbilt Owen's School of Business. Allison is also the co-author of Dare to Inspire and a 2x TEDx speaker whose work explores topics like emotional agility, storytelling, and the power of unstructured time.

At the heart of her work is a simple idea: when leaders harness insight, emotion, and intention, they unlock the potential to create lasting, positive change.