Aida Yousefi

Trust and the Unexpected Friendship in Coaching

Aida admits she was a little sceptical at first. She saw coaching as a work thing—a practical tool to help her lead a team. She wasn’t expecting to build a friendship, but that’s exactly what happened.

“I think quite quickly, and maybe I didn’t even want that to happen because I was suspicious, right, originally. Slightly dubious, thinking to myself, okay, you’re here to help me with my work, this is work stuff, this is a professional thing.”

She realised early on that effective coaching isn’t just about skills and strategy—it’s about trust. She describes how the process moved beyond work, helping her develop personally as well as professionally.

“This is something that’s going to take me not only to where I need to get to from a work environment, but actually from a personal environment.”

This is a common experience in coaching—people come in expecting to talk about work, but the real breakthroughs happen when they start to understand themselves better.

The Importance of Honest Feedback

One of the things Aida valued most was the honesty she got in coaching—even when it was difficult to hear.

“It was that I trusted that you were going to be honest with me, about me. And that was very important because people tell you what you want to hear.”

She describes how people often give surface-level encouragement or just do their job, but coaching gave her something more—real, unfiltered feedback that made her reflect and grow.

“Was I? Honest with you?”
“Yes. Straight with you?”
“Always.”

This kind of honesty is rare in leadership roles. Most people aren’t challenged in a way that truly helps them evolve. Aida acknowledges that some of this feedback was hard to hear—but it was necessary.

This highlights an important point—growth is uncomfortable. But the discomfort of honest self-reflection is what leads to real change.

Being Too Hard on Yourself—And Learning to Stop

Aida, like many high achievers, struggled with self-criticism. She was always pushing herself, always raising the bar, and never quite allowing herself to rest in what she had already achieved.

“Because I wasn’t aware of some of the things that I needed to hear. And difficult because I’m the hardest on myself. You know this about me.”

She shares that one of the biggest shifts in coaching was learning to have some leniency with herself.

“I can have a friend in myself. Rather than constantly be so hard on myself.”

This is a huge realisation for many leaders. The drive to be better is valuable, but when it turns into relentless self-criticism, it leads to burnout, stress, and a constant feeling of never enough. Aida reflects on how this journey is ongoing—she’s better than she was, but still working on it.

She also shares a powerful piece of advice for anyone still stuck in that mindset.

“There are actually a bunch of people around you that just adore you the way that you are. And you are loved and cherished by all of them, so just take a chill pill and enjoy the moment.”

This ties back to the idea that leadership isn’t just about achieving—it’s about learning to acknowledge your own worth and the impact you already have.

Coaching is Like Having a Personal Trainer for Your Mind

Aida compares coaching to fitness training—saying that reading self-help books or watching videos is like going to a general gym class, but coaching is one-on-one, personalised training for the mind.

“Nothing compares with a personalised experience. I can read ten books and they might all be the wrong ones for me.”

She makes a great point. People can spend years consuming advice, but without the right guidance tailored to them, it might not lead anywhere. Coaching, she says, cuts through the noise and delivers real results.

“The fact that I’m here 17 years on and I consider you a dear friend of mine would not be because it’s my duty or it’s something I have to do. It’s because of the valuable outcome that I continuously have and receive.”

This is the ultimate proof of coaching’s value—not just immediate benefits, but long-term transformation.