#WISHRM25 Vendor Spotlight: Transitions Coaching LLC, Karen Konrath

Behind every great leader is a moment of transformation — and Karen Konrath has made it her mission to help leaders navigate those pivotal moments with clarity and confidence. As the founder of Transitions Coaching, LLC, Karen brings deep expertise in helping professionals grow through complexity, lead with intention, and reconnect with their purpose. At the WI SHRM Conference Expo, you’ll have the chance to meet Karen face-to-face, explore the power of coaching through meaningful conversations, and reflect on your own leadership journey. Whether you're facing a new challenge, eyeing your next growth move, or simply craving a more human-centered approach to leadership, this is a booth worth visiting!

Read on to learn more about Karen and Transitions Coaching:

Q1: Transitions Coaching is all about helping leaders unlock their potential. What inspired you to start this work, and how has your approach evolved as leadership challenges have changed?
Karen: I started Transitions Coaching because I saw how often leaders were promoted for their technical expertise but left without support to navigate the real work of leadership — the human side. Over the years, I’ve learned that leadership is most challenging precisely because, at the end of the day, we’re human too. That truth hasn’t changed, but the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world we live in today makes leading even harder. In complexity, the very things that make us human — our fears, habits, and desire for certainty — can undermine our effectiveness if we’re not conscious of them. That’s why our work focuses on helping leaders develop the capacities most essential for leading in complexity. And just as leaders must keep evolving to meet these challenges, we’ve had to evolve as coaches too — continually growing ourselves and adapting our approach to support them.

Q2: You work with leaders navigating growth, change, and big transitions. What’s one common leadership hurdle you see again and again — and what’s your favorite way to help leaders tackle it?  
Karen: One of the greatest hurdles we see leaders face is learning to be okay with being wrong. It’s tough, because many have built their success on being right. But the most effective leaders today pause, notice when they’re clinging to being right, and ask instead: ‘How might I be wrong?’ That shift opens new possibilities and invites fresh perspectives from others — both essential in today’s complexity. The practice we offer our clients is to catch themselves in the moment, again and again, and choose curiosity over certainty to discover what they might learn.

Q3: The expo floor will be buzzing, but leadership coaching is such a personal, reflective process. How do you plan to draw attendees into conversations at your booth and help them connect with your work?  
Karen: Our goal is to make each visitor’s experience as interactive as possible. Instead of simply telling people about coaching, we’ll ask a question (maybe even a provocative one!), offer a quick self-assessment, or spark a conversation about their own leadership journey. Even a brief pause for reflection in the middle of a busy expo can give people a real taste of coaching. Our philosophy is simple: don’t just take our word for it — come experience it for yourself.

Q4: A lot of leaders know they “should” invest in coaching but hesitate to take the leap. What’s one myth about leadership coaching you’d love to bust wide open?  
Karen: Many leaders still believe coaching is only necessary when there’s a problem. But that view is outdated and reactionary. Coaching is most powerful when it happens long before any sort of ‘problem’ with a person’s leadership arises. At its best, coaching isn’t about fixing or self-improvement — it’s about self-understanding. Because when you see yourself more clearly, you can unlock your hidden potential, create lasting change, and build the habits that make you most effective as a leader.

Q5: You’ve worked with leaders across industries and levels — what’s one “aha!” moment from a client’s journey that sticks with you and reminds you why this work matters?  
Karen: There are so many moments, but a recent one stands out: after receiving feedback through a 360 process, a client realized that what he valued most — mentoring and developing others — was actually being experienced as micromanaging and overbearing, driven by his desire to be the smartest person in the room. It was a hard pill to swallow, but through deeper reflection on how he came to be this way, he was able to shift his perspective, release old beliefs, and uncover the pathway to becoming the leader he most wanted to be. Stories like this are what make me excited to get up every day and walk alongside amazing humans on their own unique leadership journeys. And at a time when the world can feel quite bleak, these leaders give me hope for our collective future.

Q6: WI SHRM brings together such an incredible mix of HR pros, leaders, and coaches. What are you most looking forward to at this year’s conference and expo — personally or professionally?  
Karen: Probably not surprising, I’m most looking forward to the conversations!  Having been an HR professional myself, I know how challenging the work can be. HR leaders are on the front lines of shaping culture and developing talent, so hearing what’s on their hearts and minds not only informs our work — it fuels my passion for supporting them.

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Whether you're exploring coaching for yourself, your leaders, or your organization, don't miss the chance to connect with Karen and the Transitions Coaching team at the 2025 WI SHRM Conference. The Exhibit Hall grand opening is Wednesday, October 8 from 4:00–7:00 PM. Stop by Booth 601 to spark a conversation, reflect on your leadership journey, and experience the power of coaching firsthand.
To learn more, visit transitionscoachingllc.com and connect with Karen Konrath on LinkedIn.