Inside The Lab
THE
SIX CORE CAPACITIES
Inside the Lab, leaders strengthen six interdependent capacities and become:
WELL
Physical and mental sustainability.
Energy that holds across demanding seasons.
AWARE
Emotional and cognitive clarity and self-regulation in real time.
ALIGNED
Ownership, boundaries, and direction.
Leading from choice instead of reactivity.
THRIVING
Strengths, engagement, and meaning.
Expanded energy beyond survival mode.
RESILIENT
Durability under stress.
Recovery speed and emotional steadiness.
EFFECTIVE
Clear decisions. Strong communication.
Steady execution.
These capacities are interdependent.
We assess where strain is highest and strengthen what matters most.
02.
Choose The Capacity to Cultivate
Leaders do not enter the Lab in the same place.
Some are depleted.
Some are reactive.
Some are carrying too much.
Some are ready to grow their leadership.
Some are effective — but unsustainably so.
Inside the Leadership Capacity Lab, leaders choose the core capacity they most need to strengthen.
Each engagement is focused, intentional, and built around real leadership conditions.
What’s Included
Every capacity focus includes the same structured support and follows a distinct learning arc.
The Standard
This is not passive development.
It is structured, coaching-centered capacity work designed to strengthen leaders where it matters most.
Choose the capacity that needs strengthening.
The structure remains rigorous.
Investment
Leadership capacity is a strategic investment.
Capacity strengthens performance.
Performance sustains outcomes.
Each capacity focus includes:
8 individual coaching sessions
Cohort-based access
Tools and micro-learning
Between-session support
Monthly office hours
Continued resource access
Support for three months following
$1,599 per leader
Organizational cohorts and multi-seat engagements available upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Leadership Capacity Lab™ is a structured leadership capacity–building engagement for emerging and mid-level leaders. It combines individual 1:1 coaching with a shared online cohort space to strengthen six core capacities while they are actively leading. It is designed to support leaders under real conditions—without adding to senior leaders’ time or oversight.
Our very first cohort begins April 1, 2026 and concludes June 22, 2026. Participants will schedule their 8 sessions throughout this period.
No. Coaching sessions are individual and confidential. The cohort aspect exists in the online space only, where leaders access shared resources, language, and optional peer learning. Leaders are never required to share personal or organizational information with the cohort.
Participants engage in:
- 8 individual 60-minute coaching sessions over the course of 12 weeks
- light reflection, 15-minute micro-learning, and application between sessions
- optional office hours and support as needed
The Lab is designed to integrate into existing leadership roles, not add significant workload.
The Leadership Capacity Lab™ follows a clear, intentional arc across eight individual coaching sessions.
- The engagement begins with an introductory session to establish goals, context, and priorities.
- Six sessions follow, with a distinct learning arc for the selected core capacity.
- The final session centers on integration, helping leaders consolidate learning and apply it intentionally going forward.
Each conversation connects insight to real decisions and next steps, so learning translates directly into day-to-day leadership behavior.
Senior leaders are not asked to coach, monitor, or evaluate participants. Their role is typically limited to:
- identifying appropriate participants
- supporting participation and selection of one or more core capacities
- engaging in an optional kickoff or alignment conversation
The Lab is intentionally designed to reduce escalation and dependency, not increase senior leaders’ involvement.
Confidentiality is foundational to this work.
- Individual coaching conversations remain private.
- No personal content is shared with supervisors or sponsors.
- Any organizational feedback is shared only in aggregate, without names or identifying details.
Confidentiality boundaries are clearly established with sponsors and participants at the outset in a written coaching agreement and upheld throughout the engagement.
Yes—only those required by professional coaching ethics and law. Confidentiality may be breached if there is a credible risk of harm to the participant or others, or if disclosure is legally required. These boundaries are explained clearly at the start of the engagement and in the written agreement.
The Leadership Capacity Lab™ addresses the breakdowns that emerge between training and sustained performance. It is designed for organizations experiencing strain such as:
- Capable leaders hesitating under pressure, despite strong credentials
- Escalation increasing because issues are not addressed early
- Leaders over-functioning, absorbing too much, and becoming depleted
- Decision-making slowing due to self-doubt or approval dependency
- Inconsistent leadership behavior across teams
- Development investments failing to translate into durable, day-to-day leadership effectiveness
The Leadership Capacity Lab™ is a strong fit for leaders who:
- carry real responsibility and decision-making authority
- are open to reflection and applied learning
- want to strengthen agency and sustainability, not just performance
It is not designed for performance remediation or leaders who are unwilling to engage in reflective work.
Coaching in the Lab is:
- non-directive
- future-focused
- centered on the leader’s agenda and judgment
It does not involve advice-giving, mentoring, training, supervision, or evaluation, and it does not replace organizational accountability structures.
The Lab is designed to sit alongside training, professional learning, and internal leadership programs. It strengthens leaders’ internal capacity so learning translates into behavior—reducing friction, hesitation, and escalation that often limit the impact of training alone.
Participants retain access to the online space and resources, and ongoing office hours are available to support continued application and integration.
The goal is not dependence on coaching, but durable leadership capacity that leaders continue to use beyond the engagement.
The next step is a focused conversation to explore fit. We’ll discuss your leadership context, participant readiness, and whether The Leadership Capacity Lab™ aligns with your needs.
The investment for The Leadership Capacity Lab™ is $1,599 per leader. This includes all individual coaching sessions, access to the private online cohort space, micro-learning collections, tools and resources, between-session support, and office hours. Cohorts are intentionally capped to protect depth, application, and quality of support. Pricing is structured to make leadership capacity support accessible at scale—without increasing senior leaders’ time or involvement.
Participant selection is intentional. The Leadership Capacity Lab™ is designed for emerging and mid-level leaders who carry real responsibility and decision-making authority, and who are ready to engage in reflective, applied coaching.
Organizations typically nominate leaders who:
- are trusted, capable, and influential in their roles
- are navigating increasing scope, complexity, or people leadership
- would benefit from strengthening agency, energy, and judgment under pressure
The Lab is not intended for performance remediation or disciplinary situations. Selection guidance is provided to help organizations identify leaders for whom this engagement will be most effective. This approach protects the quality of the coaching experience and ensures the Lab is positioned as developmental, not corrective.
The Leadership Capacity Lab™ The Leadership Capacity Lab is led by Dr. Michelle Watson-Grant, an ICF-credentialed leadership coach, educator, and former senior leader in education and mission-driven organizations. Michelle holds an ACC credential through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and practices in alignment with ICF ethics and professional standards, including confidentiality, client autonomy, and clear boundaries between coaching, supervision, and evaluation.
In addition to her coaching credentials, Michelle brings decades of experience supporting senior leaders in complex systems, understanding firsthand the pressures senior and emerging leaders face, and the internal capacity required to lead effectively and sustainably. Her work integrates evidence-informed practices from leadership development and positive psychology with a calm, deliberate coaching approach focused on agency, energy, and leadership capacity under real conditions. Michelle's coaching specialties include Team Development, Navigating Transitions, and Burnout Prevention & Recovery.
Invitation
If you’re responsible for leadership outcomes, or you are a leader carrying more than you should, let’s strengthen capacity before something breaks.