Laurence Hewitt: Leader Turned Coach, Guiding With Empathy
For Laurence Hewitt, coaching is built on a simple but powerful truth: connection creates possibility. With more than 18 years of coaching experience, 14,000 hours of practice, and over 500 clients across 37 countries, Laurence has partnered with leaders and professionals at every level to create meaningful growth in both their careers and their lives through leadership coaching with empathy.
Laurence’s unique blend of expertise makes his coaching style stand out. With 25+ years as an international executive at IBM, Viacom, and Time Warner, combined with psychology training and accreditation from both the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC), Laurence understands the demands of leadership from the inside out. His approach bridges practical business insight with personal development and understanding.
Laurence’s path to coaching has been guided by a philosophy he first encountered in the words of one of his heroes, Joseph Campbell: “Follow your bliss.” That call to curiosity first led him into the world of film and television production, a passion he developed at the age of ten. Later, when a New York Times article described “New Media” as the next frontier, Laurence pivoted again, earning his Master’s degree and building a career in digital media. Later at Viacom, his greatest opportunity would arise when he was asked to train as an Agile Coach. “I discovered I loved coaching,” he recalls. “That, in turn, led to me becoming an Executive Coach. My journey is the light behind my coaching that helps my clients to understand what is possible in their own lives and careers.” This journey is what now defines his approach to leadership coaching with empathy, helping leaders find clarity and courage in moments of transition.
“My journey is the light behind my coaching that helps my clients to understand what is possible in their own lives and careers.”
– Laurence Hewitt, PCC
Today, his clients range from individual contributors to senior executives, and the challenges they bring are as diverse as their industries. Whether it’s preparing for a promotion, developing executive presence, balancing work and life, or building confidence, Laurence’s role is to help them see clearly and move forward with purpose. “I leverage my 30+ years of corporate experience, my psychology training, and my 14,000 hours of coaching to partner with my clients to achieve success both in their career and in their personal life,” he says.
Part of that work involves helping clients reframe common misconceptions about leadership. One of the most frequent, Laurence explains, is about empathy: “Many people think empathy is about being nice, about being lenient and releasing people from accountability. It isn’t any of those things. It is about connecting with others on an emotional and cognitive level. The best leaders are capable of high degrees of empathy, not through niceness, but through kindness. Not through leniency, but through expecting the best of their people and helping them achieve it.” For Laurence, this is the foundation of leadership coaching with empathy, guiding leaders to balance strength with compassion while holding their teams accountable.
Empathy is one of the most powerful skills a leader can have. Leaders that understand their teams on both an emotional and cognitive level build trust, accountability, and a network of support. Empathetic leaders cultivate environments where people feel valued and motivated to do their best work, often resulting in stronger individual performance and resilience. These outcomes are at the heart of Laurence’s leadership coaching with empathy, where he partners with clients to develop trust, accountability, and purpose-driven leadership.
For Laurence, these principles in connection are central to his coaching style. He helps clients recognize their own capacity to lead with both strength and humanity, while creating space for leaders to shift their own perspectives.
Laurence’s dedication to coaching goes beyond his client work as well. As a board member of the UK chapter of the International Coaching Federation, he champions the importance of certification for coaches. Laurence also shares insights more widely through his Torchwood Coaching podcast, a weekly series of short, AI-generated episodes inspired by real coaching topics.
With a career spanning continents, industries, and disciplines, Laurence Hewitt brings both breadth and depth to his work as a coach. His clients often find in him not just a guide, but a partner who personally understands the complexities of leadership and the courage it takes to grow. At the heart of his work is a belief that empathy is what transforms good leaders into great ones, because when leaders connect with others on a deeper level, they build the trust, accountability, and inspiration needed for lasting success.
Ready to book a coaching session with Laurence? You can arrange a free introductory session (available online or in person) via his Calendly scheduler.
Laurence works across executive, management, and career-transition coaching, offering flexible formats including one-on-one, team, and group coaching, with options suited to leaders at all stages. His work is especially recognized for its focus on leadership coaching with empathy, creating space for leaders to thrive both professionally and personally. Learn more on his website https://www.torchwoodcoaching.com.
