I'm executive coach Muriel Wilkins and this is coaching real leaders. I've spent over 20 years

working with highly successful leaders who've hit a bump in the road. My job is to help them get

over that bump so they can lead with a little more ease.

I typically work with clients over the course of several months, but on this show, we have a

one-time coaching meeting focusing on a specific leadership challenge they're facing.

Today I'm coaching someone will call Susan to protect her confidentiality.

She's had a long career in public service that she's loved.

But she recently decided to explore her options given some of the changes that were happening

in her sector and where she is in her own life.

Public service was where I thought I was going to be for long term.

I was like, you know, let's ride this out as long as we can.

And I loved it. It was crazy, crazy work, but it made all the difference to work for such an incredible boss, a great team.

We had a really, really healthy office culture,

which was really unique. And so when this job came through, I said, you know what, maybe I should

just start practicing interviewing again. Go through the motions, see what's out there.

Susan unexpectedly got an offer quicker than she anticipated in the private sector.

It was really hard to pass up financially, especially with the life stage that we're in.

And it was an opportunity for me to be challenged. It feels like the left hand and the right hand didn't really meet, right?

Like what I experienced in the interviews. See, it seemed good on paper, I guess is a better way to say. And then, you know,

being in this position now, the new position offers excellent compensation. But for me, it really

lacks that deeper sense of purpose and the public impact that previously motivated me.

Susan reached out because she's having a bit of buyer's remorse, but wants to find a way to

...