Coaching The Elephant

This article explores grief not just as a response to death, but to any profound loss that shatters a person's sense of identity. It uses the Kübler-Ross Change Curve as a non-linear map to navigate loss, emphasizing that healing is about walking alongside others in pain, not about finding a quick fix.

This article explains that the stories people tell themselves shape their identity and choices. It discusses how some of these narratives are empowering while others are quietly limiting, often driven by inner saboteurs. The article offers insights and practical steps to help readers recognize their own stories and choose a new, more positive way forward.

This article explains that many conflicts seem to arise from minor events but are actually a reactivation of older, unresolved issues. It argues that seemingly insignificant disagreements are often signals of underlying tensions, unaddressed fears, or recurring behavioral patterns that must be understood rather than avoided.

This article presents a thought experiment for leaders to consider what would happen to their business and family if they were suddenly gone. The exercise is a practical tool for assessing a leader's true legacy by revealing hidden dependencies and encouraging the building of systems that empower others.

This piece explores the paradox of founders who cling too tightly to leadership. While being indispensable might feel like loyalty, it undermines future success and legacy. René argues that letting go, with trust and intentional succession, enables long-term viability and health of a family enterprise.

René reframes resilience not as a fixed trait but as a conscious choice and ongoing practice. Using a story about a client engagement collapsing, he illustrates how true strength emerges in adversity, not by avoiding it, but by standing firm within it. It’s a guide to cultivating inner presence when everything falls apart.

Drawing on Tim Gallwey’s The Inner Game of Tennis, René highlights the internal dialogue that sabotages peak performance. He teaches that mastering attention and quieting self-doubt enables the “body to take over” and perform at its best, whether on the field or in the boardroom.

René explains that even brilliant strategies crumble without a healthy culture. He breaks down four team culture archetypes, showing how emotional clarity, connection, and psychological safety are indispensable for long-term performance, not optional extras.

Instead of fearing errors, René reframes failure as a powerful school for growth. He argues that organizations and individuals thrive when mistakes are openly shared, analyzed, and normalized, creating resilience and innovation through a mindset shift from blame to learning.

In this episode, René breaks down the purpose and power of mental performance coaching. He explores why it matters, how it works, and what real change looks like, from boosting clarity and confidence to building resilience under pressure. A practical look at the tools helping athletes and leaders unlock their full potential.

René explores the emotional challenges of feedback - shame, defensiveness, silence - and flips the narrative: feedback becomes transformative when met with humility, curiosity, and a deliberate mindset to learn and grow.

What if your heart was more than just emotional? In this episode, René explores how ancient wisdom and modern science reveal the heart’s powerful role in decision-making, emotional regulation, and leadership. Learn a simple daily practice to shift into heart-brain coherence—and discover how leading from the heart can elevate clarity, presence, and resilience.

René highlights burnout and emotional silence among elite coaches. He argues for normalizing mental performance conversations, supporting coach vulnerability, and building systems that safeguard not just athletes—but those who guide them.

This article unpacks the art of toggling focus and rest—essential for sustained peak performance. Drawing from athletes like Djokovic, René shares mindfulness and visualization strategies for recognizing when to switch on and off, optimizing both concentration and recovery.

Examines how adopting a growth mindset across different life areas enhances adaptability and success, while recognizing that fixed mindsets can offer stability in certain contexts.

Highlights the transformative power of trust in leadership, illustrating how letting go of control fosters team empowerment and a collaborative culture.

Argues that advisors to enterprise families must evolve from technical experts to emotionally intelligent partners, capable of navigating the complex interpersonal dynamics that underpin family businesses.