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Here’s a strange truth: in most boardrooms, you’ll hear more about quarterly targets than hot flashes. Yet one in every two working women will go through menopause, often silently, sometimes painfully, right under the radar of organisational leadership. That silence isn’t accidental. It’s a product of discomfort, ignorance, and the long-held belief that personal things don’t belong in professional spaces.

But here’s the plot twist: it’s often executive coaches who are the first to crack open that silence. Not HR. Not even direct managers. Coaches, with their unique access to both power and vulnerability, are becoming the unexpected torchbearers for change, bringing leadership support for menopause into the spotlight, and turning what was once taboo into a new pillar of emotional intelligence at the top.

A Coach’s View from the Middle

Executive coaches often sit in a peculiar space. They're not part of the chain of command, but they're deeply trusted by those who run it. That position allows them to do something extraordinary: hold a mirror up to leaders while also helping them understand what’s being left out of the reflection.
A senior executive may walk into a coaching session grappling with irritability, brain fog, or energy crashes, assuming it's burnout or work overload. A perceptive coach, attuned to the subtler cues, might ask a different kind of question: “Could this be something physiological?” It’s not about playing doctor, but about unlocking a long overdue conversation.

And once that conversation opens, it often creates ripples. Leaders, especially women, begin to realise how many others in the organisation may be silently struggling too. That's where the shift begins: from private pain to collective understanding.

The Coaching Room as a Safe Laboratory

Menopause isn’t just a biological shift. It’s an identity shake-up. For high-performing professionals, especially those who’ve spent decades climbing ladders, the symptoms can feel like betrayal.
The stakes are high, confidence can take a hit, and so can visibility, leadership presence, and career momentum. Executive coaches provide something rare in the corporate world: a judgment-free zone. In that space, leaders can shed their armour and admit, “I’m not okay, and I don’t know how to talk about this.” That raw honesty becomes the first step toward agency.

Coaches also help reframe the narrative. Menopause isn't a professional liability. It’s a stage of evolution. With the right support, it can deepen empathy, sharpen perspective, and unlock a whole new kind of leadership; one that’s more embodied, present, and resilient.

Creating Culture Through Coaching

Here's where it gets interesting. Once leaders understand menopause through the lens of their own experience, they're often more motivated to advocate for systemic changes. Executive coaches, again, become crucial here, not just as private confidants, but as strategic thought partners.
They can encourage organisations to move from ad-hoc awareness to structured support. That means investing in menopause awareness training for leaders, where executives learn not just what menopause is, but why it matters in the context of performance, retention, and equity.

It also means rethinking DEI more expansively. Because let’s be honest: if DEI and menopause conversations aren’t intersecting, then something’s missing. Gender inclusion isn’t just about recruitment and pay parity, it’s about making space for real, lived experiences across the lifecycle. Coaches help leadership teams realise this isn't a “women’s issue.” It’s a workplace issue.

Beyond Awareness: The Rise of Menopause Coaching Programs

What began as quiet side conversations in executive sessions is now growing into full-scale menopause coaching programs within companies. These programs don’t just support individuals, they seed cultural transformation. Some organisations are hiring specialised menopause coaches alongside their executive coaches, creating holistic frameworks where support is both top-down and bottom-up. The result? Women feel seen, leaders feel equipped, and teams start having braver, more human conversations.

Executive coaches often serve as the bridge in these transitions, educating CHROs, nudging CEOs, and helping middle managers develop language and comfort around the topic. It’s not always smooth. But it’s starting.

 Conclusion: Coaching as Catalyst

The truth is, we’re in the middle of a quiet revolution, and executive coaches are helping lead it. They’re giving voice to what was once unspoken, helping top leaders become better listeners, and guiding organisations toward more inclusive, empathetic cultures. Menopause might never make it to the annual report. But in the coaching room, it’s already becoming a key indicator of emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and evolved leadership.

If we’re serious about building workplaces where people can thrive across every life stage, then menopause deserves a seat at the table. Thanks to executive coaches, I’m finally getting one.