Meet Dianna Anderson, a pioneer in the world of coaching and leadership development with nearly three decades of experience. As the Founder and CEO of Cylient, Dianna has dedicated her life to building better leaders by transforming the way we communicate, one conversation at a time. With a mission to instill coaching as a leadership style within organizations, she has impacted thousands globally.
Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature Dianna’s journey as part of our commitment to celebrating changemakers who inspire personal and professional growth. With a global community of 5 million, Fuzia believes in amplifying voices that empower women, foster connections, and promote “She for She” and “He for She” support across the world.
You’ve been in coaching for nearly 30 years, long before it became a global trend. How did your journey begin?
It started back in the early 1990s. After completing my MBA, I was working in large-scale change management consulting. When I got married and had a child, I took a pause to figure out my next steps. Living in Houston, I came across one of the first newspaper articles ever written about coaching — I was immediately intrigued. That led me to attend Coach University, one of the earliest coaching training schools, which also gave birth to the International Coach Federation. I’m proud to be a founding member of that organization. Coaching as a leadership style has been my passion ever since.
Tell us more about Cylient and the work you’re doing today.
Cylient is a leadership development training company. Our flagship workshop, Coaching in the Moment, helps people build stronger connections, learn with and from each other, and inspire change through simple, real-time conversations. I created an approach called Untying the Knot, which is designed to help leaders engage in coaching conversations anytime, anywhere.
We primarily work with mid-sized to Fortune 100 companies who want to evolve how their leaders lead. Over 55,000 people worldwide have learned how to improve their conversations using our approach.
Is there a specific industry or demographic that benefits most from your work?
Not really. What we teach is an essential human skill — better conversations. We’ve worked across industries like manufacturing, finance, construction, and many others. Our approach has been successful everywhere we’ve applied it, regardless of industry or location. Though currently, we only deliver our programs through organizations, not individuals.
How do new clients typically discover Cylient?
Mostly through referrals. Companies that experience success with us often recommend us to others. I also speak at niche conferences for senior learning and development leaders, which helps us connect with new organizations. I’ve not been very active on social media recently, but I’m working on changing that.
What is the biggest challenge you’re facing in your business right now?
The complexity of change that senior leaders face today is immense, especially after the pandemic. They’re overwhelmed, making it harder to prioritize learning and development. Ironically, the very skills we teach — better conversations, building connections — are exactly what can help them navigate this complexity. My challenge is helping leaders see that enhancing conversation skills is a strategic advantage in driving change.
What are your goals for 2025?
I’m currently working on a book to share how human connection and conversations are at the heart of impactful change. Along with that, I’m developing a keynote to spread this message more widely. My aim is to help leaders understand the immense value of focusing on the human side of change.
Finally, what message would you like to share with women, especially entrepreneurs and professionals?
Believe in yourself, even when others don’t. If an idea truly speaks to your heart, follow it. Challenges and fears will come — I’ve faced more than I can count — but if you greet them as opportunities to learn and grow, you’ll emerge stronger and better equipped for what’s next.
“Meet your challenges as opportunities to grow — every setback is paving the way for your next success.” — Dianna Anderson
Connect with Dianna Anderson:
You can connect with Dianna on LinkedIn
Want to be featured?
If you’d like to be featured in the Humans of Fuzia series, email us at fuziatalent@fuzia.com.
