February Coach Spotlight: Gemma Bernabé
- beatrice918
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
Strong leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about knowing how to navigate uncertainty.
That’s where Gemma Bernabé comes in. Gemma works with organizations to strengthen their leadership pipeline, helping executives and teams build the resilience, adaptability and confidence needed to lead effectively in unpredictable environments.
Her coaching starts with two critical questions:
🔸 How does your brain respond to change?
🔸 What do you do when you don’t know what to do?
The question for organizations isn’t if leadership coaching is valuable, it’s how quickly you can implement the right support.
What inspired you to become a coach?
"My journey has been guided by curiosity, empowerment, and a commitment to lifelong learning. These values, combined with my diverse personal and professional experiences, led me to become a professional coach with a clear vision: to help people transition from feeling powerless to a place of empowerment, alignment, and clarity with their true selves. Inspired by Gandhi's quote, which has become my mantra—"The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself, in the service of others"—coaching allows me to serve others in a way that fuels both their growth and my own. This path is profoundly fulfilling and impactful."
What is your unique coaching style?
"My coaching style is rooted in empowering individuals to recognize their potential, abilities, and value, helping them navigate challenges head-on. Anchored in my core values—honesty, kindness, a love of learning, and gratitude—it is a personalized, inclusive approach tailored to each client’s unique needs, goals, and learning preferences, with them at the wheel of their journey. I celebrate diversity and honour each client’s individuality, meeting them where they are."
What skills do you bring to the coaching world?
"I bring a blend of skills shaped by diverse experience and client feedback. I build rapport and trust-based relationships, fostering positive change through active listening and emotional intelligence, ensuring clients feel heard and understood. My self-awareness and cultural sensitivity allow me to adapt coaching to individual preferences. With expertise in neuro- agility, I help clients become more learning agile and mentally flexible, enabling them to adapt, navigate and lead change in complex environments."
Which topics come up most frequently in your coaching?
"- Adaptability and agility to respond to changes
- Strategic leadership and influence
- Communication style and presence
- Resilience and Mental Well-Being
- Decision-Making Agility & stress management
- Team Development
- Managing difficult conversations and conflict
- Goal setting and accountability
- Life-Work balance"
Which coaching question, model or tool brings the most insight? "There are two questions I explicitly ask or explore, which prompt deep self-reflection and encourage clients to examine their internal responses to change and uncertainty by looking inward: - How does your brain respond to change? - What do you do when you don’t know what to do?"
What is your favorite motivational quote or mantra? "Integration is not about erasing differences. It’s about honouring them while promoting connection” (Dan Siegel)
What advice would you give someone starting their coaching journey? "Start by tuning out external noise and focusing inward. Listen to yourself first—coaching begins from the inside out. Build a foundation of self-awareness and authenticity so your true self can emerge. Only then can you genuinely guide others to do the same."
Can you tell us about your favorite moment throughout your coaching career? "My career is built on a favourite moment—unique and yet recurring: every time I first connect with someone. These magical moments are filled with endless possibilities. It's in this shared energy that we begin to sync, creating a powerful foundation of trust and openness to growth and transformation."
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from coaching others?
"Through coaching, I have learned that we need each other in order to grow. Relationships are the catalyst for transformation, and the simple act of being present can profoundly impact someone’s journey. Connection, understanding, and trust are the foundation of meaningful change. True growth happens in the shared moments where we show up for one another with presence and attunement."
What’s your favorite book, podcast, or movie related to personal development? "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl
The right coach transforms leaders, teams and organizations. Reach out today to explore how coaching can support your team’s success.
