Mireille Bergraaf

Hi there, welcome to my profile! 

My name is Mireille Bergraaf, as an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) with over 10 years of experience, I specialize in transforming CEOs and managers into even more empathetic leaders who drive engagement and performance.

Are you facing these leadership challenges?
❗Feeling overwhelmed by constant work pressure and lack of time for strategy
❗Struggling with team engagement, high sick leave, and retention issues
❗Sensing that you're not fully utilizing your talents or experiencing work-life balance

Leaders, are you ready to leap to the next level? 🚀

As the Creator of the Manager As A Coach program, I've designed a comprehensive coach-training for CEOs and managers aiming to integrate empathy in their leadership style. By mastering empathetic communication and understanding, you'll not only address these challenges but also unlock your team's full potential.

Here's what you can achieve.
✅ Enhance team engagement and performance
✅ Regain control of your time and reduce stress
✅ Improve communication and create an inclusive environment
✅ Achieve a better work-life balance

Don't just take my word for it. My clients have seen remarkable results.
📈 86% business growth within 8 months
⚡️ 80% productivity increase within 4 months

Ready to elevate your leadership and regain control? Let's connect!

Email me directly at mireille@dld-world.nl to explore how the Manager As A Coach program can revolutionize your leadership style.

Chief Executive Officer

𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝗶𝘀 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜. 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝗶𝘀...


And that terrifies you.

You have the job. 
The salary. 
The title. 

Nothing is broken. Nothing needs fixing. 
So why do you feel so empty?

Here's what no one talks about.

You're not struggling. 
You're trapped. Numb. 
Disappearing. Slowly. Successfully. Silently.

You keep telling yourself, 
I should be grateful. 
Others would kill for this. 
Maybe this is just what success looks like.

But deep down you know. 
You're not ungrateful. 
You're unfulfilled.

And no title, no salary, no promotion will fix that.

That's the trap of having it all. 
When nothing is broken, you can't justify feeling unhappy. 
You can't justify why you are empty. 
➡️That emptiness? That's your life purpose waiting on you.

Because this was never about your career... 

You came here with a purpose. 
Before the titles. 
Before the expectations. 
Before the world told you who to become.

And somewhere beneath the success, beneath the numbness , 
➡️That purpose is still calling.

So, here's my question: how long are you going to keep ignoring that call?

Because you're not unhappy because something is wrong. 
You're unhappy because your purpose is still waiting. ❤️

 
#EmpatheticLeadership 
#SpiritualLeadership
#LeadershipDevelopment 
#ExecutiveCoaching 
#LeadershipCoaching 
#Coaching 
#Mindfulness

Mireille Bergraaf (Leadership Coach)

I coach and train CEOs, C-level executives and managers to become more empathetic | Master Certified Coach (MCC) | 🎙️Keynote Speaker

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵…

Let me say this slowly.
Because you need to hear it.

You.
Are.
More.
Than.
Good.
Enough. 

Even on the days you doubt yourself.
Especially on the days you replay that conversation.
When you think you should be further.
 
You still showed up.
You still stayed present.
You still made the call when no one else wanted to.
You didn’t disappear when things felt heavy.

That matters.
More than you realise.

Leadership is staying when you want to pull away.
Not having the answer and still showing up anyway.
Feeling the weight
without pretending you have to carry it alone.

So if today feels hard
pause.

Breathe.

You are more than good enough.
Not someday.
Not when you fix yourself.
Not when you get it right.

Today.
As you are. ❤️


#ThursdayCourageWithMireille
#LeadershipDevelopment
#EmpatheticLeadership
#Coaching 
#Empathy
#ExecutiveCoaching

Mireille Bergraaf 

Do you have the feeling that there's more to life then you're currently experiencing? Does your inner critic make you doubt yourself? Do you hold back due to limiting beliefs? Do you have thoughts that you're not good enough or that you can't really be yourself. I guide you to tap into your potential and be successful!
My enthusiasm and passion for guiding others to act and think beyond are the most important traits that inspire my clients to thrive. In fact, I don’t win unless my clients win!

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
To me working with you is a partnership in which we will achieve the results or goals you want. Here are some results you can expect when working with me. 
1. Be successful in achieving your personal and business goals
2. Become a better leader
3. Enhance personal effectiveness
4. Enhance communication skills
5. Become a better parent, partner, son or daughter
6. Stop with the rat race and  and start living the life you always wanted and dreamed about
7. Embrace life and experience more happiness
8. Have a better work-life balance

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬?
We are an internationally accredited coaching and leadership development firm and combine Eastern Philosophy with Western Psychology. Our methodology is the reason we are so successful!  

Individual coaching, group coaching sessions, leadership training and mentorship we use as tools to guide you through this process of transformational change. 

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝? 𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤!
It's good to know that I’m not a fit for everyone. I only work with highly motivated people who are willing to put in the work. If this resonates with you, send me a personal message and we'll plan a call to get acquainted, or check out our website: https://www.dutchleadershipdevelopment.nl


Your team delivered again this week...

Targets hit. 
Deadlines met. 
No complaints.

Here’s what leaders I work with come to realize.
 
➡️You see the result. You miss the human behind it.

You see them delivering. 
Performing. 
Never stopping. 
Never complaining. 
Always available.
 
You call it dedication. 
You call it a strong team. 
You might even feel proud.

You call it thriving.
➡️It's not. It's surviving.

Because here’s the thing.

Someone on your team is giving you everything they have. 
Not because they want to. 
Because they've learned it's the only way you'll notice them.

That's not dedication. That's survival.
➡️And you're rewarding it.

Want to see what's actually happening? Keep reading 👇

#EmpatheticLeadership 
#LeadershipCoaching
#ExecutiveCoaching
#LeadershipDevelopment

The question isn't whether you have good advice. 
Of course you do.

The question is what happens if you keep giving it.

Your best people stop thinking. 
Then they stop trying. 
Then they leave. 

Because nobody grows under a leader who always has the answer.

And you? You stay stuck. 
Doing their thinking for them. 
Wondering why you can't delegate. 
Wondering why nothing moves without you.

➡️That's not leadership. That's a bottleneck with a title.
 
Want to fix this? Start coaching.
 
Curious to know how? Keep on reading 👇

#EmpatheticLeadership 
#LeadershipCoaching
#ExecutiveCoaching
#LeadershipDevelopment

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝙖𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸


You already know something is off.

You feel it in the silence on the drive home. 
In the relief when a meeting gets cancelled, followed by the shame of feeling relieved. 
In the way your partner looks at you and asks "𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶?" while you're sitting right there.

You tell them you're just tired. 
You tell yourself it's just a phase. 
You tell everyone you're fine.

But you're not fine. 
You're afraid.

Afraid that if you ask yourself "𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?"
you might hear the answer.

So you keep moving. 
More meetings. 
More control. 
More proving you belong in the role you're no longer sure you want.

𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.
𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥?

That last one keeps you trapped.

Because as long as you don't have an alternative, you don't have to face the question.

Here's what I see in the leaders I coach. 

You're already paying for your silence. 
In the connection you've lost with your partner. 
In the energy you no longer have for your team. 
In the slowly disappearing version of yourself you barely recognize anymore.

The question you're afraid to ask won't destroy your life. 
It might be the only thing that brings you back to it.

How much longer will you keep avoiding it?

𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 ...

The question you're afraid to ask is exactly the question you need to ask. 


#Leadership 
#EmpatheticLeadership 
#PersonalDevelopment
#LeadershipCoaching 
#ExecutiveCoaching 
#Coaching

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿


Yet watch what happens when a conversation is about to end.
Someone shares a concern. 
A doubt. 
A different view.

There is a pause.

You feel the need to step in. 
To summarize. 
To correct. 
To close it properly.

You take the last word. 

It looks strong. 
Decisive. 
Leader like.

This is what I see happen again and again. 
Always having the last word.

Not because you do not respect others. 
But because ending the conversation without your voice 
feels like losing ground.

Here is the truth.

Every time you take the last word 
people learn that your perspective matters more than theirs.

So they stop adding nuance. 
They stop naming doubts. 
They stop sharing the unfinished truth.

Because they know 
there is no room after you speak.

And this is what I need you to know.

Real strength is not having the final word. 
It is listening long enough to hear 
what would never be said after you speak.

But that takes courage.

The courage to risk not looking sharp. 
The courage to leave a conversation unresolved. 
The courage to trust that your authority 
does not disappear when you don’t have the final say.

𝘚𝘦𝘦...

You can be macho and empathetic 
the moment you stop needing the final say ❤️


#ThursdayCourageWithMireille 
#LeadershipDevelopment 
#EmpatheticLeadership 
#LeadershipCoaching 
#ExecutiveCoaching

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 


Your employee sends you the report. 
You say “looks good.”

At 10pm, you open it again. 
Alone. 
Changing sentences that did not need changing.

You tell yourself you are just being thorough. 
But you know that is not true. 
You could not leave it alone.

You delegate on Monday. 
By Wednesday, you have taken it back.

Not because they failed. 
But because not knowing exactly how it would turn out made you restless.

This is what I see with the leaders I coach. 
They say they want their people to grow. 
But their hands are still on the wheel.

They call it high standards. 
They call it efficiency. 
They call it responsibility.

But every time you take it back, something quiet happens. 
Your team stops reaching. 
Stops trying. 
Stops owning.

You do not say “I don’t trust you.” 
But that is what lands.

You became a leader to grow people. 
Not to prove you can do it better.

So here is the real question. 
➡️What are you actually protecting 
when you take the work back?

𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦... 

The tighter you hold, 
the less you lead.


#EmpatheticLeadership 
#LeadershipCoaching
#Trust #Delegation 
#TeamGrowth 
#LeadershipDevelopment 
#ExecutiveCoaching

𝗜 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥...


And for a long time, it worked. 
Things moved. 
Results came.

So I trusted it 
and pushed even more.

A meeting ended. 
I asked someone to follow up.

Then nothing.

No message. No update.

My body tightened. 
Restless came up.

My thoughts were clear: 
this is too slow. Too slow.

I sent a WhatsApp: 
“I hear nothing from you.”

Silence.

Heat rose in my body.

I sent another message. 
Shorter. 
More direct.

I didn’t wait. 
I pushed.

At that moment, it felt justified. 
Necessary. 
Efficient.

What I didn’t see back then was this: 
➡️My unrest became their work pressure.

Because this felt safe to me. 
It felt like control.

At the time, I didn’t call it control. 
I called it drive. 
High standards. 
Leadership.

But the truth was simpler.

➡️I was a control freak.
And when I didn’t have control, 
I felt like I was losing grip.

That constant need to stay on top of things 
started to eat away at me. 
The tension. 
The stress. 
The restlessness in my body.

Something in me knew: 
this wasn’t sustainable.

So I turned inward.

I started meditating deliberately. 
To practice letting go.

I journaled. 
I slowed myself down 
instead of speeding others up.

That was the real shift.

It took me years to let go of control. 
➡️And that took courage.

If this is you, ask yourself: 
how long will you keep pushing harder 
and calling it leadership? ❤️


#ThursdayCourageWithMireille 
#EmpatheticLeadership 
#LeadershipDevelopment 
#LeadershipCoaching 
#ExecutiveCoaching 
#Coaching

𝗔𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗟...


That's what you're really telling yourself.

You've been taught that doubt means you're not ready.
That uncertainty is a sign to wait a little longer. 
You feel that you need to have all the answers before you can start with that new strategy.

But let's be honest about what's really going on. 
Not starting isn't laziness. It's protection.

➡️As long as you don't begin, you can't fail. 
The illusion stays intact, that you could, if you wanted to.

➡️But every day you wait, the leadership gap grows.
Between who you are and who you could be.

And that's the real weight you're carrying.

So, here's what I need you to hear, really hear.

You're allowed to begin.
As the imperfect, uncertain version of yourself.
Not when you feel ready.
Not when the fear is gone.
Now. Like this.

Because you can't start 2026 when you feel ready. 
2026 has started. But you didn't... 

Do you want to make the shift? Here's how.

✨ Talk to yourself the way you'd talk to your team member
If they came to you and said "I don't know if I'm ready" - would you say "You're right, just wait"? No. You'd say: "Start anyway. I believe in you." Give yourself that same voice.

✨ Bring the doubt with you, instead of waiting for it to leave
You don't have to be doubt-free to begin. The doubt isn't an obstacle that needs to go first. It can come along. Start, and trust yourself enough that you will see it through.

✨ Ask yourself: what is this protection actually costing me?
What did you not start this week? What idea did you not share? What conversation did you avoid? Name it. That's the price. Is it worth it?

You may begin while you're still doubting. 
That's the only way anyone ever starts.

So, give yourself permission to close the leadership gap. ❤️ 


#EmpatheticLeadership 
#LeadershipCoaching
#ExecutiveCoaching 
#LeadershipDevelopment

Everyone's talking about executive presence. 
The gravitas. 
The confidence. 
The way you hold yourself.

Meanwhile, your team stopped bringing you the real problems. 
They shortened their updates. 
They learned to handle things without you.

Not because they don't care. 
Because they've learned you're not really there.

❌Executive presence isn’t being charismatic
✅It’s attention

❌Executive presence isn’t about being impressive
✅It’s about being available
 
And availability drives team performance more than most leaders realise.

Curious how? Keep reading 👇

You’re in the meeting. Your calendar is full. Your phone lights up. Your mind is already gone. You nod. You say “mm-hmm.” And you tell yourself you’re

The Best Strategy? Your Executive Presence

You'll write your goals for 2026... 
Fresh intentions. 
Maybe a word for the year.

And somewhere around March, you'll notice the old patterns returning. 
The same reactions. 
The same postponed conversations. 
The same gap between who you want to be and who shows up.

Because let’s be honest...
This isn't about your goals.
The plan was never the problem. 
 
Curious what is? 

Keep reading 👇


#EmpatheticLeadership
#LeadershipCoaching
#ExecutiveCoaching
#LeadershipDevelopment
#DutchLeadershipDevelopment

Right now, somewhere, a leader is writing their goals for 2026. Choosing a word for the year. Mapping out Q1 priorities and booking that leadership re

2026 Won't Be Different. Unless You Are.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹...


There is a moment every leader knows.
Someone on your team is struggling.
They circle the same issue.
They seem stuck.

And almost automatically, you step in.
You offer a solution.
You reframe the problem.
You point them in the “right” direction.

Not because you don’t trust them.
But because not helping makes you uncomfortable.
Because not helping makes you feel out of control.

You have the experience.
You see the pattern.
You know what would help.
So fixing feels like the logical thing to do.

Here is an uncomfortable leadership truth.
People do not grow because you fix them.
They grow when they feel seen.

➡️Empathy is the pause where you don’t fix.
You stay.
You listen.
You let them finish their thinking.

What fixers often don’t notice is what their help creates.
Teams that wait.
People who check before deciding.

And over time, this hurts team performance.

The shift is not about doing less. 

➡️It’s about stepping out of therapy mode and into leadership mode.

Doing this takes courage.
The courage to truly see someone
without rushing them forward
without correcting their process.

Because when you do, something shifts.

They reconnect with their own intelligence.
✨They take responsibility instead of waiting for your direction
✨They feel more respected, which fuels their motivation
✨They become team players because they feel your trust

This is where leadership matures.

Because... 

Stopping yourself from fixing might be the bravest leadership move you make today. 💖


#ThursdayCourageWithMireille
#EmpatheticLeadership
#LeadershipDevelopment
#LeadershipCoaching

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