About Me

Coaching for leaders:
self-awareness and sustainable leadership

My name is Piotr. For years, I built my career in a world defined by performance, precise decision-making, and composure under pressure - first as a lawyer, then as a leader of legal teams across Poland, Europe, and the United States. Over time, I rose to the role of VP at a global corporation. It was a path defined by challenge, pressure, and responsibility, but also by an extraordinary education in people.

"Leadership does not have to be exhausting. It requires self-awareness, a clear objective, and the willingness to experiment with new behaviors."

Along the way, I noticed something more important than transactions and deadlines

People. Teams. Leaders who - much like I once did - lost sleep at night, carrying the weight of too much responsibility. Leaders who had no one to turn to with the question:

How do I stay composed without sacrificing performance or fulfillment in my role?

That was when I made the decision to continue my own development journey with a new perspective. I first immersed myself in therapeutic approaches — Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and Coherence Therapy — to better understand how greater self-awareness can fundamentally shift the way one perceives reality. I then completed a year-long coaching program at Laboratorium Psychoedukacji — one of the most respected schools in Poland, combining coaching with rigorous psychological training. From there, I participated in a program at INSEAD, one of the world's leading business schools, where alongside leaders from across the globe, I deepened my understanding of leadership in a broader context: who the leader is as a person, what roles they play, and how they are shaped by the organizations in which they operate.

The culmination of my learning journey was the Leadership Circle Profile™ certification - a tool that delivers a precise portrait of leadership and allows all subsequent work to be grounded in real data, not assumptions.

Today, I am a coach

I work with senior leaders who are committed to growth — while maintaining balance and authenticity:

with individuals who have been promoted to senior leadership positions or are preparing to take on significantly greater responsibility;
with those experiencing early signs of overload who want to take care of themselves before burnout sets in;
with leaders who lead intuitively and are looking to enrich their leadership toolkit;
with owners of family businesses seeking a structured succession process — from preparing successors to establishing clear principles of collaboration between family members and the broader organization;
with those who sense that change is already necessary, but have yet to determine which direction to take.

If you find yourself in any of these situations, there is a strong likelihood that my work can provide meaningful support.

"Leadership should be a source of energy. Transformation requires self-awareness, a clear objective, and the willingness to experiment with new behaviors."

I draw on knowledge spanning coaching, management, and psychology. I work with full respect for the client's values, autonomy, and confidentiality.

Why work with me

I do not impose change – I help uncover the resources each person already carries within them. The client always stands at the center of the process: their objectives, their decisions, and their accountability for the direction of their growth. For me, coaching is a space where, through a creative process, previously unseen – yet entirely accessible – solutions can be discovered. My role is to provide safe, partnership-based conditions for bold experimentation, ask the right questions, and be present at the moments that matter – not only professionally.

What I offer is not coaching in its classic form, but a process in which I integrate coaching with elements of mentoring. I accompany the client in discovering their own answers. When the space allows for it, I share experience or an observation that may broaden their perspective and serve as a source of inspiration. I do not present this as the only viable path. Rather, I place a possibility on the table. It is the client who decides whether to take it – or chart a different course.

I draw on knowledge spanning coaching, management, and psychology. I work with full respect for the client's values, autonomy, and confidentiality.

Professional experience
as the foundation of effective leadership

Stage 1

Foundations: law and business

My professional journey began during law school, when I took my first position at Bank Gdański (now Millennium) — where, within just over a year, I was already leading a private banking project. From there, my career path took me through roles as Senior Counsel at the international law firm CMS, Head of Legal at one of MetLife's subsidiaries, and Legal Advisor to the President of GE Poland. Even then, what became central to my work was not just the law — but finding solutions: effectively supporting the business, particularly in sales and marketing. During this period, I developed a process-oriented mindset, learned to lead teams and projects, and gained a deep understanding of pricing and product. Under the guidance of mentors, I continuously calibrated the quality of my legal and regulatory risk assessment.

Stage 2

National-level risk management

The next step was a return and continued growth at MetLife, where I took on the role of Head of the Legal Department (General Counsel) within the national structure. This was the moment I began managing not only legal matters, but also the regulatory risk of the entire capital group in Poland. Direct collaboration with executive boards deepened my understanding of the weight of strategic decisions and gave me insight into the dynamics of an international conglomerate. By relinquishing control, I built a remarkably effective, self-directed team. I found time for reflection and strategic thinking. I became a mentor. I also expanded my competencies to include Government & Industry Relations.

Stage 3

Regional responsibility

I then took on the role of Regional Legal Head at MetLife, overseeing two regions: Central Europe and the Eastern and Southern Europe Region (spanning more than a dozen countries). This assignment demanded not only fluency across multiple legal systems, but also the ability to build teams in a culturally and commercially diverse environment. I harmonized processes and ensured alignment across international operations. Such a broad scope of responsibility is rarely entrusted to a single individual — for me, it became a masterclass in refining leadership styles and managing risk in an extraordinarily complex landscape (including Russia, Ukraine, and Greece). I learned to serve my teams and — most critically — to develop the next generation of leaders.

Stage 4

Global scope of responsibility

The next chapter brought a relocation to New York City and the role of Vice President & Associate General Counsel at MetLife Holdings. There, I was responsible for managing the legal and regulatory risk of select MetLife businesses generating revenues in excess of $11 billion annually. I led a team of attorneys in the United States while simultaneously and independently coordinating international projects. I worked with legal professionals across the US, Europe, and China. Working at MetLife's headquarters gave me a firsthand understanding of the dynamics of a global conglomerate's interests — in particular, the internal politics of the SLT (C-suite). By choice, I also led an organizational health initiative, implemented a mentoring program, served as a mentor, and conducted internal coaching.

"My professional experience points to one thing - I have always been in service of my teams, never the other way around."

"My professional experience points to one thing — I have always been in service of my teams, never the other way around."

Coaching education
and certifications

School of Coaching, Laboratorium Psychoedukacji, Warsaw – a year-long coaching program grounded in psychological methodology and supervisory practice. The program focuses on building a growth-enabling relationship, integrating empathy, mindfulness, and respectful confrontation. It develops the ability to flexibly adapt methods to the client’s needs and to recognize unconscious dynamics within the coaching relationship. Prepares practitioners for work with teams and the challenges of contemporary leadership.

INSEAD Coaching Certificate – an international program developing leadership coaching competencies, integrating academic rigor with hands-on practice, and covering coach mindset, ethics, the coaching relationship, and diagnostic tools. Completed among a cohort of global leaders.

• Leadership Circle Profile™ (LCP) Certification

• Collective Leadership Assessment® (CLA) Certification

• PULSE™ Certification

Accountability

taking ownership of one's beliefs and leadership behaviors

Awareness

from both an internal perspective and in the eyes of others

Strength and energy

operating from intention, not fear

Effectiveness

effective self-management and team leadership

Wellbeing

long-term balance maintenance

I support leaders who carry great responsibility. Sometimes too much

I help them reclaim agency without losing energy, lead teams without burning out, and operate from intrinsic motivation — not under the pressure of fear or expectations. I believe that leadership can be both effective and energizing, that responsibility does not have to mean burden, and that strong results can go hand in hand with psychological wellbeing.

I support leaders who carry great responsibility. Sometimes too much

Wellbeing

long-term balance maintenance

Effectiveness

effective self-management and team leadership

Accountability

taking ownership of one's beliefs and leadership behaviors

Strength and Energy

operating from intention, not fear

Awareness

from both an internal perspective and in the eyes of others

How I can support you?

Coaching 1:1

Individual Leadership for Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed Professionals

EXPLORE THE OFFER

Coaching 1:1

Individual Leadership for CEO-Level and Senior Executives (CEO B, B-1)

EXPLORE THE OFFER

— for companies —

Group Coaching

Group Leadership for Board Members, Senior Leadership Teams (SLT) and Leadership Teams (LT)

EXPLORE THE OFFER

— for companies —

Growth Plan

Individual Coaching Engagement

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Posłuchaj mnie

ZOBACZ ODCINEK

“Od account managera do CEO | Piotr Urbanik & Aleksander Fronczek”

27.08.2025

Spotkanie z Olkiem Fronczkiem przyniosło zajmującą opowieść o drodze zawodowej na szczyt organizacji – o drodze, która wymagała "zaczynania od nowa", adaptacji, osobistej inicjatywy i odwagi... i przejścia kilku "extra miles". Olek opowiada o wielu ważnych zjawiskach z zakresu przywództwa, i o tym czego trzeba, żeby rosnąć w roli lidera. Mówimy też dyspozycjach i umiejętnościach CEO i ich znaczeniu.

About Me

Coaching for leaders: self-awareness and sustainable leadership

Along the way, I noticed something more important than transactions and deadlines

Today, I am a coach

Why work with me

Professional experience as the foundation of effective leadership

Coaching education and certifications

I support leaders who carry great responsibility. Sometimes too much

I support leaders who carry great responsibility. Sometimes too much

How I can support you?

Coaching 1:1

Coaching 1:1

Group Coaching

Growth Plan

Coaching for leaders:
self-awareness and sustainable leadership

Professional experience
as the foundation of effective leadership

Coaching education
and certifications