1:1 Leadership Coaching · Tech Leaders

Lead up, down, and sideways — with confidence.

You were promoted for what you could build. Now you're judged on what your team delivers — and by people you don't even report to. That's where we work.

An AI-first era

AI is dissolving the line between engineer and leader. More engineers are managing sooner — often before they feel ready.

From Navigate the Leadership Chain
Two decades of experience across
Groupon Avaya IBM Ericsson Amazon Verint INRIA Quartics
Sound familiar?

Which one is you?

Tap the one that fits. Chances are, it's exactly what we'd work on together.

That's exactly the work — one-on-one, with someone who's already been there.

Book a call →
The whole chain — not just the part below you

Three directions. All at once.

Most coaching covers the team beneath you. Your success is decided in three directions at once.

Leading up

Bosses, execs, stakeholders — trust that compounds, and the craft of "not yet" over a flat no.

Leading down

Hiring, feedback, retention — turning strong people into future leaders.

Leading sideways

Peers and politics — staying in the rooms where decisions actually happen.

Why a mentor, why now

Keep learning the hard way — or borrow 20 years from someone who already made the mistakes.

The world moves too fast to learn only from your own. Someone who's led up, down, and sideways across nine countries — on your side, to listen, to push back, and to point you the right way.

Book a call →
About Ahmad

Two decades in the chain — not theory about it.

20+ years in tech. I grew into leading global engineering teams across nine countries — eventually as a Director of Engineering reporting to the CTO.

But early on, I got stuck — no mentor, learning the slow way. Once I fixed what was really holding me back, I grew fast. Now I coach from the trenches, and I'm the mentor I never had.

Ahmad Abdul Wakeel
Ahmad Abdul WakeelAuthor of Navigate the Leadership Chain · Your coach, in your corner
20+
years leading in tech
9
countries leading global teams
Director
level operator, reporting to the CTO
Navigate the Leadership Chain — book cover
The philosophy behind the coaching

Navigate the Leadership Chain

A field guide for engineers and tech leaders making the climb — leading down, up, and sideways, all at once.

Every chapter ends with Field Notes — blunt takeaways you can use Monday morning.

Read it on Amazon →
Coaching rates

Simple, by the session.

One-on-one coaching in focused blocks. Longer sessions go deeper — and cost less per hour.

1 Hour
$450
Focused single session
2 Hours
$800
$400 / hour
Best value
3 Hours
$1,000
$333 / hour · deep-dive intensive

Coaching is by appointment and fully remote. If this resonates, send me a note about what you're working through.

Get started

Stop managing in one direction. Start navigating the whole chain.

Book a call

WhatsApp — +353 86 233 5871

A few lines about your role and what you're navigating is all I need. Fully remote — I work with leaders worldwide.

How it works

1 · Reach out

Tell me your role and what you're navigating.

2 · We find a time

A session that fits your time zone — one-on-one, fully remote.

Payment is arranged once we've confirmed your session.