In this engaging episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, titled "From Engineering Expertise to Master Chair Leadership," host Severin Sorensen interviews Susan Motkaluk, a visionary leader, Master Chair, CEO, and Board Advisor with TEC Canada. With over 25 years of experience spanning civil engineering, project management, infrastructure innovation, and executive coaching, Susan brings a rich interdisciplinary perspective to leadership excellence. Recognized for her work in sustainable development and awarded for her contributions by the United Nations, Susan shares her insights on coaching, leadership, and building communities of excellence.

Susan’s journey into executive coaching is a testament to curiosity, resilience, and lifelong learning. An early achiever in engineering and leadership roles, Susan led large groups in the oil sands and public sector positions, including as a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Recognizing gaps in leadership tools early in her career, she sought mentors who became instrumental in her growth.

Her engineering background, particularly first principles thinking developed at the University of Waterloo, became the cornerstone of her coaching philosophy—encouraging structured problem-solving, curiosity, and assembling diverse teams.

Today, Susan channels her passion into leading TEC Canada peer groups, running her company SDM Inc (Sustainable Development and Monitoring), facilitating leadership alignment workshops, and serving on private company boards, helping leaders and communities grow sustainably.

Key Insights

1. Coaching Rooted in First Principles and Curiosity. Susan blends engineering problem-solving techniques with deep curiosity, helping clients move beyond surface-level issues to uncover root causes and achieve sustainable success.

2. The Power of Mentorship and Community Building. Susan credits much of her success to mentors she actively sought out. She stresses that leaders must not only create but recognize opportunity—and that belonging and connection are crucial antidotes to the epidemic of loneliness in leadership roles.

3. Alignment as the Heart of Effective Leadership. Building and aligning leadership teams around shared values and purpose is central to Susan’s work. She champions “carefrontational” conversations—honest yet compassionate dialogues that drive deeper connections and actionable insights.

4. Courageous Leadership and Authenticity. Susan emphasizes the need for courage in leadership: telling the truth with care, remaining authentic, and making bold decisions even when misunderstood.

5. AI and Decision-Making in Leadership. While recognizing AI’s ability to optimize decision-making processes, Susan insists that human intuition, gut instincts, and the spark of original ideas remain irreplaceable. She promotes a balance between data-driven tools and human ingenuity.

Memorable Quotes

1. "If you don't know, somebody might know—so keep asking and surround yourself with great people."
2. "You have to see the invisible to do the impossible."
3. "Opportunity is a blessing, but recognizing it is a skill."
4. "Alignment happens when everything clicks—and that’s when the real magic starts."

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on March 10, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Welcome to the Arete Coach Podcast, hosted by Severin Sorensen. In this episode titled "Mastery in Motion — Journey to Coaching Excellence and Leadership Impact," Severin speaks with Dr. Wai K Leong, an accomplished ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC), ICF Global Board Director, and Founder of JMC Coach Mastery Academy.

Recorded on December 20, 2024, this conversation explores Wai K’s journey from corporate leadership to coaching mastery, and his influential role in building coaching cultures across Asia and beyond. Recognized as the first Malaysian to receive the MCC credential and a member of the ICF Circle of Distinction (2019), Wai K shares powerful lessons for leaders and executive coaches seeking excellence.

Wai K Leong’s career began in education and corporate leadership, including significant roles at Intel and the Hong Leong Group, before he transitioned fully into coaching. His early leadership challenges sparked a deep interest in coaching methodologies, greatly influenced by the teachings of Thomas Leonard.

In 1999, Wai K founded the JMC Coach Mastery Academy, establishing one of ASEAN’s first ICF-accredited institutions with all four accredited coaching programs. His authored works — including Empowering Asian Mindsets Through Coaching — blend coaching mastery with cultural intelligence, empowering leaders to drive transformational change.

Key Insights

1. Mastery Beyond Tools: Transforming the Self

Wai K emphasizes that true coaching excellence requires a personal transformation — not just mastering techniques, but deep inner work, developing self-awareness, and practicing courageous presence.

2. The Power of Staying Curious

He illustrates the importance of "remaining in a state of not knowing," allowing deeper client truths to emerge without rushing to conclusions, a hallmark of masterful coaching.

3. Narratives Shape Leadership

Wai K teaches that problems are symptoms of deeper assumptions and beliefs, and coaches must guide clients to reframe unhelpful narratives for true progress.

4. Cultural Bridges in Coaching

Addressing the differences between Eastern and Western mindsets, Wai K shares strategies for adapting coaching approaches across cultures, fostering reflection even where expressiveness may not be culturally natural.

5. Lifelong Development and Reflection

From mastering presence to reinforcing healthy boundaries, Wai K champions continuous personal development as the foundation of lasting coaching impact.

Closing & Copyright Information

This episode of the Arete Coach Podcast featuring Wai K Leong, MCC was recorded on December 20, 2024, via Zoom video.

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

Copyright © 2024 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

© 2024 Arete Coach. All rights reserved.

To learn more about Wai K’s work, visit JMC Coach Mastery Academy or connect with him via LinkedIn.

"Mastering the Art of Coaching: On Readiness, Supervision, and Growth."

In this episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, host Severin Sorensen welcomes Clare Norman, a Master Certified Coach (MCC), author, and master mentor coach based in Brockenhurst, England. With over 25 years of experience in leadership and coaching, Clare specializes in executive coaching, leadership transitions, team coaching, and fostering coaching cultures within organizations. She is also the founder of Clare Norman Coaching Associates and the author of several books, including The Transformational Coach, Mentor Coaching: A Practical Guide, and her latest release, Cultivating Coachability. In this conversation, Clare shares her insights on coaching readiness, supervision, and the journey toward masterful coaching.

Clare’s path into coaching began during her tenure at Accenture, where she recognized the gap between leadership training and the practical application of learned concepts in the workplace. Witnessing the struggle leaders faced in implementing training-driven changes, she discovered coaching as a powerful tool for sustained behavioral transformation. Her research-based approach led her to champion coaching as an organizational development tool, earning her the self-appointed title of “advocate for coaching” within Accenture.

Clare’s journey toward mastery was gradual, transitioning from an ACC to PCC and ultimately to an MCC credential with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She emphasizes the importance of supervision in this journey, highlighting how mentor coaching and supervision allowed her to unlearn ineffective habits, refine her skills, and deepen her presence as a coach.

Key Insights & Takeaways

1. The Role of Supervision in Coaching Mastery

• Coaching supervision is essential for ethical, professional, and personal growth.
• It provides a reflective space to analyze coaching effectiveness, ethical dilemmas, and personal biases.
• Supervision helps coaches avoid common pitfalls and ensures they remain client-centered.

2. Coaching Readiness vs. Coachability

• Clare differentiates between “coaching readiness” and “coachability.”
• Not everyone is immediately ready for coaching; readiness depends on motivation, timing, and willingness to engage in deep thinking.
• Organizations should assess coaching readiness before assigning a coach to an executive.

3. The Journey from PCC to MCC

• Mastery requires significant unlearning, particularly around directive coaching tendencies.
• Key shifts include summarizing less, using the client’s own words to formulate powerful questions, and focusing on depth over breadth.
• Effective coaching is about presence, patience, and helping clients slow down to gain clarity.

4. The Importance of Full-Body Wisdom in Coaching

• Coaching is not just about cognitive processing but also involves emotional and somatic awareness.
• Encouraging clients to stand, move, or explore metaphors can unlock deeper insights.
• Full-body wisdom integrates intuition, gut feelings, and physical awareness into coaching conversations.

5. The Intersection of AI and Coaching

• Clare acknowledges the rise of AI-driven coaching but emphasizes that human connection remains irreplaceable.
• AI can serve as a useful in-between tool for coaching clients but should not replace human coaches.
• Ethical concerns and ensuring AI remains non-directive are critical.

Memorable Quotes

“Hours of coaching do not a master make.”

“Our job as coaches is to build the client’s thinking muscles, not do the thinking for them.”

“Supervision isn’t about fixing; it’s about refining and deepening our coaching presence.”

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on February 7, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.