Patrick Reilly is an accomplished executive coach and organizational development expert whose career journey began with two unexpected encounters that opened his eyes to the power of leadership done right. Having worked with leaders at global giants like Google, healthcare systems, and specialized industries, Patrick’s mission is to help people develop executive presence, influence, and the ability to navigate complex challenges. His emerging focus on “leadership muscles for AI” bridges the gap between innovation and adoption, ensuring technology serves people and organizations effectively. Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature Patrick for our 5 million-strong global community—dedicated to supporting women and promoting the “He for She” and “She for She” mission—because his insights on leadership, adaptability, and meaningful impact are both timely and transformative.
Q: Patrick, you’ve had a long career in corporate spaces before starting out as a coach. What inspired you to enter the coaching space?
A: Honestly, it started with a bad boss. At the time, I didn’t even know what coaching was, but I knew you could lead people without being terrible. Later, I met someone studying organizational development and learned there were tools to make organizations better. Then I connected with a group doing what we’d now call a mix of organizational development and coaching. It wasn’t a planned path—it was two accidents that set me on it.
Q: Who do you typically work with today?
A: Most of my clients are senior executives in big tech, healthcare, and some in construction and energy. I’ve done a lot of work at Google, as well as with major U.S. healthcare systems like Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health. My focus is on helping leaders navigate complex, ambiguous challenges that don’t have straightforward solutions.
Q: What benefits have your clients seen from working with you?
A: Well, some joke they “fall in love with me,” but practically speaking, many see career growth—17 out of 19 leaders I coached over a few years got promoted, several twice. I also work on developing executive presence, improving influence across diverse audiences, and helping leaders scale their impact. Recently, I’ve been working with AI experts to help them lead adoption and change effectively, because the best tech fails if people don’t embrace it.
Q: Imposter syndrome is common among entrepreneurs. Have you experienced it?
A: Yes—still do, occasionally. It’s natural when you’re doing something new. Moving from being an employee to running your own practice requires a whole new skill set, especially in selling your value to others.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently when starting out?
A: I underestimated how critical connections and networks are. Success often depends on who knows you and the value you provide. Also, I learned to ask clients what they found most valuable about my work—often, their answers surprised me and taught me where my true impact lies.
Q: What legacy do you want to leave through your work?
A: I’d like to be known as a thought leader in leadership for artificial intelligence. I want people to say I added value, helped their teams, and created ripple effects of positive change—like skipping stones on a pond that create wider and wider impact.
Q: What’s your idea of success, personally and professionally?
A: Success is when the people I work with feel I’ve truly helped them and that my guidance has created value for them, their teams, their organizations, and their customers.
Q: Is there anything exciting you’re working on now?
A: Yes—helping leaders understand, adopt, and lead effectively in AI. One project involved a medical doctor using AI for cancer diagnosis. Surprisingly, data alone didn’t move people—what worked was connecting business and technical people, sparking curiosity, and encouraging small experiments. It’s about the human side of innovation.
“The real impact of leadership isn’t in the strategies or tools—it’s in creating connections, inspiring action, and leaving ripples that reach far beyond yourself.” – Patrick Reilly
Connect with Patrick Reilly:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickresourcesinaction/
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