International Coaching Week 2026 Event
LaTonya Wilkins, PCC
Topic: "REAL Leadership: How to Show Up When It’s Hard to Lead, and Coach Below the Surface"
Co-Hosted event with the Chicago Chapter of ICF
Wednesday, May 13
7 pm - 8:30 pm ET
Via Zoom
Approved for 1.50 Core Competency CCE's
In uncertain times, your presence matters most. In this keynote, LaTonya Wilkins brings her REAL Leadership™ framework—Relatable, Equitable, Aware, and Loyal—to the world of coaching.
Originally developed for organizational leaders, this session is specially adapted for coaches as leaders: those guiding others through challenges and disconnects while shaping the future of our profession. As coaches, we are not only supporting leaders: we are leaders. Our presence, courage, and empathy have the power to redefine how people connect and grow in an era of constant change.
Through stories, reflection, and actionable insights, LaTonya will help you apply REAL Leadership™ and coach below the surface to build psychological safety, lead with authenticity, and stay grounded while caring for yourself and your clients. We’ll also explore Knowledge, Perspectives, and Experiences (KPEs), which are core elements that deepen awareness, resilience, and impact.
This keynote invites you to lead the way as a coach and create a more conscious, connected, and thriving future.
Session Objectives:
Apply the REAL Leadership™ framework—Relatable, Equitable, Aware, and Loyal—to strengthen presence, trust, and psychological safety while coaching below the surface.
Build resilience by practicing strategies that help coaches lead and show up with courage, balance self-care with client care, and stay grounded when it is hardest to lead.
Leverage Knowledge, Perspectives, and Experiences (KPEs) to broaden awareness, deepen connection, and enhance both coaching and leadership effectiveness.
About our Presenter:
LaTonya Wilkins is an award-winning leadership speaker, executive coach, and the founder of Change Coaches. In a world shaped by AI, uncertainty, and growing workplace fear, LaTonya helps organizations return to what matters most: trust, empathy, and real human connection.
Through her transformative keynotes and coaching experiences, LaTonya guides leaders to rebuild trust, lead with courage, and foster psychologically safe cultures where people feel a true sense of belonging at work, no matter the change or pressure around them.
She is the author of Leading Below the Surface, which has sold more than 5,000 copies and ranks in the top 10% of all business books, and is the host of the Leading Below the Surface Podcast. Her signature framework honors each person’s knowledge, perspectives, and experiences (KPEs) and challenges the dominant leadership standard that too often fuels disconnection and fear. Instead, she offers a people-first path to building resilient, high-performing teams in even the most complex environments.
LaTonya has coached executives at leading organizations and taught at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. As a sought-after speaker, LaTonya brings clarity, compassion, and action to the future of leadership.