#108: Shruti Sonthalia – Awareness Combined with Action is the Key to Creating Change
Shruti Sonthalia says purpose is her superpower. A strong sense of purpose helped Shruti to demolish seemingly insurmountable barriers to becoming a Master Certified Coach and a globally renowned industry figure, and in this episode of The Coach’s Journey Podcast, she implores all coaches to find their ‘why’.
Shruti began her journey without coaches around her to learn from, living and working in a culture that assumed expertise was the preserve of men with white hair. Believing it was her purpose to create sacred spaces in the workplace, Shruti grafted with steadfast resolve to defy the gatekeepers and doubters who stood in her way.
By taking the path less travelled and proving herself time and again, Shruti developed a work ethic that took her to the top of her profession, empowering leaders across global markets to embody a coaching mindset.
She pays forward her expertise in the training curricula she devises and delivers to the next generation of coaches, founding her structured, evidence-based approach on the values and principles she speaks about here.
In this conversation, Shruti invites us all to ask: which parts of our journeys do we struggle to own? And how might addressing them enable internal changes that ripple out to the ecosystems we operate within?
Shruti and host Neil Mackinnon also talk about:
Whether coaching has the same effectiveness in different areas, geographies, and realities
Accessibility of supervision as a vital aspect of coaching’s growth and integrity
The learning we can take from our own procrastination
How a coaching mindset can help us embody shared power
The principle that says that which you focus on expands, and how to harness it
For more information about Shruti, visit https://ruhco.org/about_me
For more information about host Neil Mackinnon, visit http://www.neilmackinnon.net/
Read more about The Coach's Journey at www.thecoachsjourney.com.
Music by My Good Man William: listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQg
To support the Coach's Journey, visit www.patreon.com/thecoachsjourney and to join the Coach's Journey Community visit www.thecoachsjourney.com/community.
THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:
- AoEC - Academy of Executive Coaching https://www.aoec.com/
- ICF - International Coaching Federation https://coachingfederation.org/
- ICF Foundation https://foundationoficf.org/
- Shruti's paper on effectiveness of coaching in emerging markets https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/file/08d2850c-51fe-42ab-aeea-e7ec829bc5a9/1/IJEBCM%2022_1_10.pdf
- London School of Economics https://www.lse.ac.uk/
- Yannick Jacob on The Coach's Journey Podcast https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/97-yannick-jacob-going-beyond-blueprints-to-challenge-the-status-quo-of-coaching
- Richard Layard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Layard,_Baron_Layard
- Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4069.Man_s_Search_for_Meaning
- Martin Seligman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Seligman
- David Foster Wallace, This Is Water https://fs.blog/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water/
- Theory U by Otto Sharma https://www.amazon.co.uk/Theory-Learning-Emerges-Futures-Business/dp/1576757633
- Robbie Swale’s writing on resistance https://www.robbieswale.com/the-12-minute-blog/2025/3/28/the-more-resistance-we-feel-towards-a-call-or-action-the-more-important-that-call-or-action-is-to-our-souls-evolution
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield https://www.amazon.co.uk/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026
- IFS, parts work, what’s in the way is the way https://matthewharwood.uk/ifs/
- RUHCO https://ruhco.org/
BIOGRAPHY FROM SHRUTI
Shruti Sonthalia is a Master Certified Coach (MCC, ICF) with deep expertise in executive coaching, leadership development, organisational transformation, and change management. She has worked with senior leaders across global markets including the US, EU, and APAC, helping them navigate complex transitions, lead with impact, and foster inclusive, resilient teams. Her extensive journey encompasses the C-Suite and senior leadership in diverse sectors, ranging from multinational corporations and technology leaders to family businesses.
Proficient in coaching across various industries such as technology, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, financial services, development, Edutech, chemical, agrochemical, and textiles, she stands as a testament to dynamic executive coaching prowess. Invitations to present at major coaching platforms, including the prestigious ICF Global Converge, underscore her reputation as a leading industry professional.
Noteworthy clients include senior leaders from EY APAC, PayPal, Viatris, S&P Global, Flint Group, Airtel, Sterling and Wilson Solar, HCL Tech, Adani, Manyavar, Peace Corps Fiji and Madagascar, UNICEF, and Room to Read.