In a recent episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne B. Ryan unpacked a powerful question sparked by executive coach Greg Smith of FranklinCovey:
How do you sustain the growth and energy of coaching once you’re back in the real world?
Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: too often, coaching feels transformative in the moment — and then fades.
The insight? Passion at work doesn’t come from a one-off breakthrough. It comes from embedding new habits so deeply they become part of who you are.
Coaching Isn’t a Quick Fix. It’s a Practice.
Jerome described working with a leader who believed he needed to improve his storytelling to inspire his team.
But what they uncovered was surprising. The real issue wasn’t storytelling. It was listening. This leader felt pressure to always have the answer — to stand in front of his team with clarity and vision. And yet, despite speaking eloquently, he often received blank stares. When he flipped the dynamic — listening first, speaking second — everything changed. Instead of forcing a narrative onto his team, he began building stories from what he heard.
That shift did more than improve communication.
It reduced pressure. It built trust. It reignited his engagement with his role.
Passion isn’t about performing. It’s about connecting.
The Difference Between “Prolonging” and Sustaining
Julienne seized on a single word Jerome used: prolong. To prolong something suggests it will inevitably end — like a medicine you’re trying to extend. But leadership growth shouldn’t be something you’re stretching before it expires. It should be something you sustain.
Sustainability requires:
- Structure
- Accountability
- Practice
- Support beyond the one-on-one coaching “bubble”
As Jerome put it, real change happens when the method gets “into your bones.” When it becomes muscle memory. Like an athletic coach who prepares an athlete for game day — the coach isn’t on the field. The player performs alone. Sustainability is proven when the leader can operate with confidence without constant guidance.
That’s when passion stops being motivational — and starts being embodied.
Being Seen, Heard, and Appreciated
Julienne brought the conversation back to something deeply human: When people feel seen, heard, and appreciated, engagement naturally rises. Storytelling in leadership isn’t about delivering inspiring speeches. It’s about interwoven communication — remembering what someone struggled with, recognizing their growth, and acknowledging their lived experience. We often try to gloss over pain points in organizations. But those moments of friction are where real learning happens. Listening is the foundation of meaningful storytelling. And meaningful storytelling fuels purpose. And purpose fuels passion.
Coaching Is Not a Check Mark
One of the most important takeaways from the conversation: Coaching is not a box to tick. It’s not a compliance measure or a perk to “cover bases.” It’s an investment — in time, attention, and organizational commitment. If an organization sponsors coaching but doesn’t create structures for reinforcement and accountability afterward, the impact fades. Sustainable growth requires the broader team to be engaged in the process — to encourage, empower, and reinforce progress long after formal coaching ends.
Growth doesn’t happen in one segment of a person’s life. It’s layered. Reinforced. Practiced.
So Where Does Passion Fit In?
Passion at work is often misunderstood as excitement or enthusiasm. But what Jerome and Julienne reveal is something deeper:
Passion grows when:
- You feel heard.
- You’re allowed to evolve.
- You practice new skills in real time.
- You see progress.
- Your organization invests in you beyond surface-level development.
Passion is sustained confidence.
It’s the quiet shift from “I have to perform” to “I know how to lead.”
At Narativ, leadership development is about embedding story and listening into everyday practice — whether through one-on-one coaching, group training, or on-demand programs. Because storytelling isn’t about stagecraft. It’s about connection. And connection is what keeps passion alive at work long after the coaching session ends.
LISTEN to this episode HERE
If this resonates, explore more conversations like this in the Leadership Story Talks archive at Narativ.com — and consider how you’re sustaining growth inside your own leadership journey.
Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off – Use code NARATIV → Register Here
Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.
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