Leading through change — without the self-doubt

A trusted thought partner for analytical leaders navigating pressure and ambiguity

Becky Farone, ACC
Executive Leadership Coach

Organizational Services
Individual Coaching

The problem

Change has a way of exposing every crack in a system — including the human ones.

Even seasoned, capable leaders can lose their footing when roles blur, expectations go unspoken, or the pressure to “get it right” intensifies.

This isn’t a failure of confidence or competence; it’s what happens when responsibility, ambiguity, and long-held patterns collide.

Under pressure, we all fall back on what’s familiar—so do organizations.

My work creates space to slow the swirl, name what’s really happening, and lead with clarity and authority that feels grounded — not performative.

When Pressure Hits, Patterns Emerge

These patterns often show up as organizational problems — stalled decisions, misalignment, burnout. But for the leaders inside them, the experience is deeply personal. Self-doubt rises under pressure. Authority gets second-guessed. Capable leaders start carrying more than they should, questioning themselves while holding everything together. This is where the real work begins.

Many leaders recognize these patterns intellectually. What’s less visible is the internal experience beneath them — the self-doubt, second-guessing, and imposter-syndrome moments that surface under pressure, even for highly capable people.

The Analysis Paralysis Pattern

When stakes are high, leaders over-analyze to avoid getting it wrong. Decisions stall, confidence erodes, and momentum quietly dies.

The Consensus Culture

The need for buy-in replaces the use of authority. Leaders defer, energy diffuses, and no one feels fully accountable — least of all the person in charge.

The Over Control Reflex

Under pressure, capable leaders tighten their grip. Micromanagement creeps in, trust thins, and innovation slows — even as effort increases.

The Promotion Gap

New leaders step into bigger roles without the internal recalibration or support required. Old habits resurface, self-doubt spikes, and burnout often follows.

The Values Disconnect

When what’s rewarded doesn’t match what’s said, leaders feel the friction internally. Cynicism grows, trust erodes, and staying starts to feel like self-betrayal.

These patterns don’t disappear on their own—but they can be rewired.
I help leaders and teams build the awareness, alignment, and agility to move past them—and keep their best talent engaged through change.

the approach

Why This Approach Works When Traditional Training Fails

Because leadership capacity isn’t built in a workshop—it’s developed in real time, under real pressure.

Most leadership programs treat development as a one-time event. They teach frameworks but ignore the human and systemic patterns that resurface once the pressure’s back on.

Fireworks Coaching takes a different approach: iterative, Agile, and grounded in behavioral awareness.

We help leaders build habits that hold up under stress and translate directly into measurable outcomes.

What changes when you work this way

  • Leaders accelerate trust and effectiveness in their first 90 days

  • Teams adapt faster to reorgs, integrations, and new strategies

  • Engagement and retention rise—even during uncertainty

  • The culture learns to self-correct, not wait for another training cycle

This isn’t about fixing people—it’s about rewiring how your organization responds to change.

Ready to build capacity that lasts?
See organizational programs -> or Explore 1:1 coaching ->

Who is this for?

Fireworks Coaching partners with organizations and leaders navigating high-stakes transitions—when clarity, trust, and momentum matter most.

For Organizations

You’re leading teams through disruption—new leadership, reorgs, M&A, or cultural change.

You want your top talent to stay engaged and deliver results, not burn out or bail out.
You need leadership development that actually changes behavior and sticks.

Common partners include:

• HR, L&D, or OD leaders
• Transformation, DEI, or People Development teams
• Program owners overseeing onboarding or leadership assimilation

For Individual Leaders

You’ve stepped into a new role, been promoted, or are re-evaluating what’s next.


You want to lead with calm, clarity, and confidence—without falling back on overdrive or self-doubt.


1:1 coaching helps you align who you are with how you lead.

Whether you’re guiding an organization through change or navigating your own, the goal is the same:
to build sustainable leadership capacity that lasts well beyond the moment of transition.

Services

  • Organizational Leadership Development

    Retain and accelerate top talent through critical transitions.
    We design 4–6-month development sprints for first-90-days, promotions, reorgs, and integrations. Leaders build habits that hold under pressure—so strategy sticks and engagement rises.

    Best for: onboarding/assimilation, high-potential pipelines, team re-engagement.

    Explore organizational programs

  • Individual Coaching

    Executive & Career Coaching Through Change.
    Targeted coaching for leaders navigating new roles, critical transitions, or pivotal career decisions. We shift default patterns, clarify direction, and build sustainable leadership habits.


    Best for: new role/promotion, “stay or go,” narrative and influence.

    See 1:1 coaching options

  • "Becky helped me break through my own barriers and overcome burnout while learning to show up as my best self in leadership—I left every session with new inspiration."

    Cyndi S., Senior HR Director

  • "Becky's unbiased perspective and unique blend of design thinking helped quiet my 'swirl' of indecision—I now approach decisions with more clarity and can own who I am without apologizing."

    Mary M., Sr Product Director

  • "Becky helped me overcome imposter syndrome and self-doubt to successfully land a director-level promotion, providing practical interview support and guidance to clarify what I wanted."

    Amanda F., Director

  • "Becky helped me identify my values and strengths, articulate them all and then decide what job to take next in my career. She's one of the best humans I've met with exceptional coaching methodology."

    Tina B.,
    Head of Learning and Talent Development

  • "Becky helped me gain confidence in my leadership abilities and learn to authentically lead a diverse team of 15 as I transitioned into Chicago Program Director."

    Laura G., Program Director

  • "Becky coached me through my transition from private consulting to non-profit environmental conservation, helping me overcome analysis paralysis and make the right move rather than just the next move."

    Melanie M., Director

  • "Becky helped me clarify my values, shift away from self-blame, and redefine leadership for myself. I now have a clear vision and practical roadmap forward."

    Jennie F., Program Leader

  • "Becky transformed my default career path into deliberate choices aligned with my values, giving me frameworks to gain clarity and create a solid roadmap I'm excited to implement."

    Sara B., Sr Product Marketing Manager

  • "Becky helped me move from contemplating quiet-quitting to finding a new path with a definite future at my existing workplace—I gained confidence in setting boundaries and advocating for myself."

    Dina W., Manager, Program Management

  • "Becky helped me shift from asking 'Should I stay or go?' to 'What do I want my career to look like?'—I learned to explore possibilities rather than race to find the next job."

    Kristel A., Chief Financial Officer

  • "Becky's thought-provoking questions cut through my professional uncertainty and helped me recognize my inner wisdom to make decisions honoring both growth and integrity."

    Rebecca B., Assistant Director

  • "Becky helped me unwind my tangle of ideas and move from burnout and feeling lost at sea to finding authentic joy and self-authority—she helped me dismantle limiting beliefs I didn't even realize I had."

    Jeremy G., SVP of Product

  • "Becky's unwavering curiosity and thought-provoking questions gave me the courage to leave my former job and design a new path—her guidance was transformative in empowering me to take the leap."

    Kelly P., Senior VP of Sales

  • "Becky was an invaluable partner through my career change and re-alignment, creating tangible results and an expanded toolkit—I left each session with actionable ideas I immediately put into practice."

    Betsy I., Principal Consultant

  • "Becky's thought-provoking questions helped me get clarity about what was important—I now have a new position with ALL the qualities I wanted at a great, growth-oriented company."

    Amy P., Senior Admin. Assistant

Hi, I’m Becky

I spent 30+ years leading teams at Microsoft, Nike, Starbucks, and Kaiser Permanente—shipping products, building teams, solving complex problems. But I also spent years stuck in patterns I didn't have language for: second-guessing my judgment, abandoning myself to fit what others expected, and working exhausted while feeling empty.

The breakthrough came when I stopped looking outside for answers and started trusting my own judgment. Now, as an ICF-credentialed coach and MIT Sloan career advisor, I help analytical leaders interrupt the same patterns—moving from self-doubt to grounded, confident action during critical moments of change.

When I say I coach leaders, I mean all of us. Whether you manage dozens of people or none at all, the work is the same: get out of the overthinking swirl, stop abandoning yourself, and lead with clarity and confidence.

Your analytical mind isn't what's holding you back — it's what will make you exceptional once you trust it.

Learn more about my story