In today’s fast-paced business environment, leaders are expected to perform under considerable pressure, inspire diverse teams, and drive sustainable growth, often all at once. Emma Doyle, former high-performance tennis player and now a business coach, argues that the secret to navigating this complexity lies not in giving orders, but in unlocking potential.
Doyle, who featured on a recent episode of Vistage LIVE brings a rare perspective: years of experience coaching elite athletes blended with a deep understanding of leadership psychology. Her message is clear: “The leader as coach is the way of now.”
Drawing from her sporting experience, Doyle emphasises the power of presence. “Get your head where your feet are,” she says, reflecting on how even top-performing tennis players need mental clarity to deliver. In business, just like on the court, distractions can cost you the point—or the contract.
Leadership is no longer about having all the answers
Traditional command-and-control styles are fading. Today’s high-performing teams don’t need a boss who dictates every move. They need a coach—someone who listens deeply, asks the right questions, and knows when to challenge, when to step back, and when to support.
Doyle recalls her time coaching the national junior Fed Cup team. The turning point wasn’t a strategy overhaul or rigorous drills—it was understanding how each athlete ticked. “We didn’t just win because we were good,” she says. “We won because we adapted. We respected each other. We created a culture in days, not months.”
That culture came from a blend of emotional intelligence, neuro-linguistic programming, and something harder to define: curiosity.
Curiosity killed the cat—but satisfaction brought it back
Doyle’s playful reframe of the old idiom captures a core leadership skill: remaining curious even when the stakes are high. Her coaching model, C.A.T., encourages leaders to:
- Catch assumptions
- Ask curious questions
- Trust their people
This shift—from control to curiosity—isn’t always easy, especially under pressure. But it’s precisely in those moments that great leaders distinguish themselves.
“When we suppress stress, it resurfaces in the worst ways,” she explains. “But if we prepare, and then get fully present, we can anchor ourselves and perform. That’s true on the court and in the boardroom.”
The enemy within: confronting the internal opponent
Perhaps the most resonant insight Doyle shares is borrowed from The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey: “The opponent in your head is more formidable than the one on the other side of the court.”
Business leaders often battle self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and overwhelm—all internally. Doyle’s approach helps them shift focus from fear to strategy, from noise to clarity.
Her recommendation? Short, powerful reframes. Ask: What’s possible next time? Not only does this build a culture of improvement, it allows teams to fail forward—quickly, constructively, and with resilience.
Coaching at scale: empowering many, not just one
Can leaders apply coaching principles in a group setting? Absolutely, Doyle says. The key lies in structure. She often uses the GROW model—Goal, Reality, Options, Way forward—and stresses that leaders should spend the majority of time in the “Options” phase. “That’s where creativity lives,” she adds.
But beware of the common trap: dwelling too long in reality. “Everyone gets stuck there. Everyone gets depressed,” she warns. Instead, leaders should drive the team forward with clarity, accountability, and a shared game plan.
Leading with energy, not ego
High-energy leadership doesn’t mean burning out. “You can’t let others plug into you and drain you,” Doyle advises. “You’ve got to top up your own energy first.” That starts with simple practices—reflection, recovery, and a bit of play.
After all, she reminds us, “People follow people, not job titles.”
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