From Survival to Choice: Daniela Dragomir's Energy Leadership (with Puppets)

In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave sit down with Daniela Dragomir—former Big Four consultant, actor, and now executive coach—to explore the Energy Leadership framework that helped her transform a decades-long rift with her mother and reshape how leaders show up at work. Daniela maps the journey from fear and survival (Levels 1–2) to compassion and co-creation (Levels 4–5), explains the awareness → acceptance → choice sequence, and shows why practices like fitness and meditation only truly serve us when they come from an integrated sense of being, not compensation.

A standout twist: Daniela brings puppets to leadership coaching—“Alvin” for Level 1 and “Vic” for Level 5—making heavy emotions visible, memorable, and safe to work with. The conversation dives into navigating toxic cultures, holding your state when rooms run on conflict, and inviting others to entrain to higher energy by modeling it, not controlling it.

Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/from-survival-to-choice-daniela-dragomirs-energy-leadership-with-puppets/