Case Study: ACC Coaching Journey of an HR Leader From Bangalore & Parallel PCC Case From London
Why These Two Coaching Journeys Matter
In this case study, I want to show you – in practical, grounded detail – how the ICF Core Competencies and ACC & PCC coaching behaviours look in real life.
We will look at two parallel journeys:
- Case 1 – ACC Coaching Journey of an HR leader from Bangalore (working with teams across Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kolkata).
- Case 2 – PCC Coaching Journey of a senior leader from London (with stakeholders across Manchester, Birmingham, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Zurich, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne).
Both journeys are anonymised for confidentiality. The patterns, however, are very real – and you will recognise them in your own life, team or organisation.
Client Background – ACC Case (HR Leader, Bangalore)
Profile: 39-year-old HR leader in a technology company based in Bangalore, with responsibilities across Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi. She had completed some basic coaching skills training but wanted a structured path towards ACC coaching and eventually PCC coaching.
Main Challenge: She felt exhausted from being the “fixer” for everyone – leaders, employees, peers. She wanted to move from advice-giving HR to professional, boundary-aware coaching that created ownership and behaviour change in others.
Initial Coaching Goals
- Develop a coach-like leadership style instead of firefighting.
- Build confidence to coach senior leaders in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad.
- Pursue an ICF ACC credential through a structured pathway.
Client Background – PCC Case (Senior Leader, London)
Profile: 45-year-old senior leader in a global organisation headquartered in London, with teams across Manchester, Birmingham, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Zurich, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne.
Main Challenge: Externally successful but internally drained. Struggled with presence, embodiment and sustainable behaviour shifts. Wanted to move from performance driven by pressure to performance driven by clarity, values and emotional resilience.
Initial Coaching Goals
- Deepen coaching presence and emotional self-regulation.
- Integrate somatic awareness and Emotional Fitness Gym® style work into leadership.
- Move from ACC-level behaviours to consistent PCC-level coaching for self and others.
Designing the Coaching Engagements
Structure – ACC Coaching Journey (Bangalore)
- Duration: 9 coaching sessions over 5 months.
- Integration with training: Client simultaneously enrolled in ICF Level 1 – Life Transformation Coach and later in my ICF mentor coaching program.
- Focus: Applying ICF competencies in real HR conversations while building an ACC coaching portfolio.
Structure – PCC Coaching Journey (London)
- Duration: 12 coaching sessions over 8 months.
- Integration with training: Client had already done significant coach training and joined my ICF Level 2 – Life Transformation Power Coach programme plus select Emotional Fitness Gym® work.
- Focus: Moving from cognitive understanding of coaching to embodied PCC presence – in board meetings, performance reviews and high-stakes conversations across geographies.
Key Turning Points – ACC Journey (Bangalore HR Leader)
Turning Point 1 – From Advice to Ownership
In early sessions, she would say, “I know exactly what my leaders should do, they just don’t listen.” In one conversation about a manager in Mumbai, she caught herself giving advice disguised as questions.
We used mentor-coaching style feedback and the ICF ACC markers to help her notice where she was rescuing. Over time:
- Her questions shifted from “Have you tried…?” to “What options are you seeing?”
- Leaders in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune started taking more ownership.
- She reported feeling “lighter and less responsible for everyone’s emotions”.
Turning Point 2 – Boundaries & Emotional Fitness
We integrated simple Emotional Fitness Gym® tools – breath, body awareness and mental framing – so she could stay grounded even when employees from Delhi or Chennai came with emotional breakdowns.
Over three months, she documented multiple incidents where she:
- Stayed calm instead of absorbing other people’s anxiety.
- Used reflective listening and powerful questioning instead of reacting.
- Ended conversations with clear coaching agreements and next steps.
Turning Point 3 – Stepping into an ACC Identity
By the end of the engagement, she had enough:
- Coaching experience hours with internal clients.
- Recorded sessions aligned with ACC-level competencies.
- Mentor coaching feedback to polish her behaviours.
Her words: “I no longer feel like a stressed HR manager trying to fix everyone. I feel like an ACC-level coach in progress – clear, grounded and respected by my leaders.”
Key Turning Points – PCC Journey (London Leader)
Turning Point 1 – Embodiment, Not Just Understanding
In the early sessions, this leader could intellectually explain coaching presence, somatic awareness and emotional intelligence. But in high-stakes meetings across London, Manchester, New York, Zurich and Singapore, his body went into fight-or-flight.
Through somatic coaching, we worked with:
- Noticing subtle shifts in breath, posture and tension during conversations.
- Building micro-practices he could use before board meetings – even while travelling between Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, Dubai, Sydney and Melbourne.
- Linking his values and vision to a more grounded presence.
Turning Point 2 – Coaching as a Leadership Way of Being
He began to use PCC-level coaching behaviours with his direct reports:
- More open questions, less advice.
- Greater trust and safety in performance conversations.
- Stronger focus on evoking awareness and client-led solutions.
Feedback from team members in London, Manchester and New York reflected this shift: “You listen differently now… I feel like I own my decisions more.”
Turning Point 3 – Integrating Business, Emotions & Global Context
In later sessions, we connected his coaching presence to business outcomes – especially in cross-cultural teams in Paris, Berlin, Zurich, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne. He reported:
- Reduced conflict and better collaboration across regions.
- More honest conversations at senior levels.
- A sense of “effortless leadership” instead of constant strain.
What These Two Journeys Reveal About ACC vs PCC
- ACC coaching journey (Bangalore HR leader) – focused on building core coaching skills, boundaries, confidence and structured session flow. Ideal if you are stepping into professional coaching.
- PCC coaching journey (London leader) – focused on embodiment, deep presence, emotional and somatic integration, and global leadership impact.
If you want a conceptual comparison of ACC vs PCC, please read ACC vs PCC – Detailed Comparison. This case study is about how it actually feels and looks in practice.
How My Ecosystem Supported These Journeys
Both clients did not just attend isolated trainings. They moved through an ecosystem that included:
- ICF Level 1 – Life Transformation Coach (ACC path).
- ICF Level 2 – Life Transformation Power Coach (PCC path).
- ICF NLP Practitioner and ICF NLP Master Practitioner – for deeper change work tools.
- ICF Mentor Coaching and ICF Credentialing Exam Preparation.
- Emotional Fitness Gym® workshop and somatic processes for emotional resilience.
- Master the Business of Life Coaching and related business mastery programs for a profitably thriving coaching practice.
What This Means for You
Whether you are an HR leader in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai or Delhi, or a business leader in London, Manchester, Birmingham, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Zurich, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney or Melbourne – your journey can follow a similar pattern:
- Start with a clear ACC coaching path if you are new.
- Move to PCC-level depth as your presence and embodiment mature.
- Integrate NLP, Emotional Intelligence and somatic tools for real, sustained transformation.
- Build a business system so your coaching practice is profitable and sustainable.
Related Knowledge & Solution Pages
- What Is ICF Coaching?
- ICF Core Competencies Explained
- The Ultimate ACC Coaching Guide
- ACC vs PCC Comparison
- Complete Coaching Career Roadmap
Ready to Start Your Own Coaching Journey?
If you resonated with either of these stories – the HR leader from Bangalore or the senior leader from London – and you want to explore your own ACC or PCC coaching path, let’s talk.
To know more about who I am and how I work, you can explore my author page, the detailed About page and media & press.
Frequently Asked Questions – ACC Coaching Journey Case Study
What was the starting point for the HR leader from Bangalore in this ACC coaching case study?
The HR leader from Bangalore began coaching with high responsibility and visibility in a fast-growing organisation but struggled with overthinking, emotional reactivity and difficulty setting boundaries with senior stakeholders. The ACC-level coaching sessions focused on building presence, emotional regulation and clarity, using the ICF core competencies to create a safe, structured space for reflection and behaviour change.
How did the parallel PCC case from London differ from the Bangalore ACC journey?
The London-based PCC case involved a more experienced leader who had already worked with coaching and therapy before. The PCC-level work went deeper into embodiment, somatic awareness, complex stakeholder dynamics and subtle belief patterns. While the Bangalore ACC journey focused on establishing new habits and emotional skills, the London PCC journey emphasised refinement, advanced presence and systemic impact across teams in the UK and Europe.
What kind of behaviour shifts were observed during these coaching journeys?
Both leaders showed visible changes in how they listened, responded and made decisions. The HR leader from Bangalore became calmer in high-pressure reviews, more confident when challenging senior leaders and more intentional in conversations with teams. The London PCC client demonstrated greater emotional range, more grounded presence in board-level discussions and clearer, values-based choices. These shifts are relevant to leaders in other hubs such as Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore, Dubai, New York, Sydney and Melbourne as well.
Can similar coaching outcomes be achieved if I am based outside Bangalore or London?
Yes. The principles illustrated in this case study are location-independent. With high-quality ICF-aligned coaching, leaders in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, London, Manchester, Birmingham, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Singapore, Dubai, Sydney, Melbourne, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Zurich can experience comparable shifts in presence, embodiment and behaviour. What matters most is the quality of the coaching partnership and your commitment to practice.
Is this case study relevant only for HR professionals or also for other leaders and coaches?
While the primary story features an HR leader from Bangalore and a senior professional in London, the patterns described are relevant for any leader, manager or coach who wants to work with presence and behaviour change. Whether you work in HR, business, technology, consulting or entrepreneurship in India, the UK, USA, Europe, Singapore, Dubai or Australia, you can use the reflections from this case to better understand how ACC and PCC coaching journeys unfold over time.
