In this insightful episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, host Severin Sorensen interviews Stephen Bruyant-Langer, a distinguished executive coach, keynote speaker, bestselling author, associate professor, and founder of The Personal Business Plan (PBP). Recorded on February 28, 2025, via Zoom, this episode explores transformative coaching methodologies, future-oriented life planning, and the structure behind personal reinvention .

With an episode titled, "Design Your Future: Blueprint for Life and Career Success", Stephen Bruyant-Langer brings a wealth of corporate and entrepreneurial experience:

• Corporate and executive search experience: Stephen’s early career spanned 15 years in global marketing roles at L’Oréal and Coca-Cola. He then spent two decades in executive search, including a tenure as Managing Partner of Korn Ferry Denmark .
• Transformational pivot: A personal life crisis became the catalyst for his transition to coaching. He developed The Personal Business Plan, a proprietary methodology for life and career planning now used in over 90 countries .
• Thought leadership: Stephen is the author of three influential books: Career, The Personal Business Plan, and The Existential Playbook, addressing themes of success, personal strategy, and meaning .

Key Insights for Executive-Level Coaches

1. Start with the future in mind: Stephen advocates for "future-back" planning—coaching clients to envision life 10–30 years ahead, then reverse-engineer the pathway with clarity and intention .
2. Structure breeds freedom: His 10-session coaching process provides the structure needed for clients to explore deeply while ensuring measurable outcomes—a concept he dubs "freedom systematized" .
3. Pedagogical integration: Stephen combines coaching, curated readings, and a robust online toolkit to help clients create a comprehensive, 100-page life strategy document .
4. Master the Choice-Action-Responsibility model: This mental model targets client blind spots, helping coaches diagnose and address areas where clients may procrastinate, blame, or ruminate .
5. Be available, be present: For high-performing leaders, availability builds trust. Stephen underscores the importance of concierge-level, just-in-time coaching to accelerate impact .

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on February 28, 2025.

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