From energy drain to self-regulation: Malik’s transformation as a leader

Leadership is not only about logic and strategy, but also about who you are as a human being. Malik Azzouzi truly discovered this when he started a coaching journey with Debbie. What began with energy loss and stress, ended in a radical, more aligned choice, both professionally and personally.

With a strong set of skills, Malik Azzouzi (41) built an impressive professional path, marked by leadership roles with a focus on marketing, advertising and media, as well as general management. His most recent achievement was at an international scale-up in the freelance market. He had been working there for five years before, in March 2024, stepping into the role of General Manager, leading a team of 20 people across Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The beginning: from energy drain to restlessness

Leading a team is not always easy, and it was no different for Malik.

“There was a period that felt emotionally heavy. I lost some of my drive, and my energy was no longer where it needed to be.”

This showed up as increased stress, and certain fears began to surface. After a conversation with his HR Director, he was advised to start a trajectory with a business coach.

Malik spoke with three coaches, but chose Debbie on his own initiative.

“From that very first interaction, Debbie’s approach felt right,” he explains. “She immediately made it clear that she always starts from who people are. She doesn’t only look at how someone thinks, but also at how they are emotionally wired. By working with both logic and emotion, she helps you move toward the best version of yourself. I found that a very interesting way of working.”

At the start of the trajectory, Malik sat down with Debbie and the CEO of the scale-up to align expectations. After that initial conversation, the journey with Debbie could truly begin.

“Right away, Debbie made it clear that there could be no taboos in our conversations, and that everything had to be brought to the table,” Malik shares. “She created the trust to truly stand by those words.”

Beneath the surface: meeting the younger Malik

“It wasn’t psychoanalysis, of course,” Malik laughs. “But Debbie did go deep into who I am, even all the way back to my childhood. That was necessary to understand the patterns I rely on today in how I think, respond and act in certain situations.”

He compares it to an earlier experience. “I’ve done a coaching journey before. To be honest, some things came up back then that we explored too deeply, and they still affect my thinking in a negative way at times.”

With Debbie, going deep was part of the process as well, not too far, but far enough. “To understand how to handle certain challenges in your life today, you need to look at who you are as a person. We often spoke about the ‘younger Malik’. He still shows up in certain situations. Then we would look together at how that younger version of me reacted, and how the adult version of me could respond.”

The breakthrough, Malik says, came from a more neutral way of looking. “Emotions are simply there. You don’t have to judge them.” That brought a sense of calm and new insights.

“Debbie told me something no one had ever said to me before,” he explains. “She told me I’m a very intuitive leader.”

That insight became a common thread throughout their sessions, as they explored how to use that intuition as a compass for leadership decisions.

Intuition as a compass: Malik’s new path

“First, we explored what intuition really is, how you can use it in a leadership role, and how it can guide your decisions,” Malik says.

They also looked at energy and rhythm. “Together with Debbie, I reflected on the way I work and we searched for a rhythm to shape my workday in a way that truly fits me.

Everything was aimed at finding tools to bring me back into alignment with myself.”

Listening to the body became an important part of the process as well. “Becoming aware of your body signals and energy was something we returned to often. Through Debbie, I started paying more attention to how I breathe and what I feel in my body in certain moments. Those turned out to be powerful ways to stay close to myself and not get lost in the rush of the day.”

He noticed the difference quickly. “Thanks to the tools we worked with, I could immediately apply what I learned between sessions. I saw a clear shift in my day-to-day work as a General Manager. With Debbie’s guidance, I’ve been able to grow into a better version of myself,” Malik concludes.

“I’m more effective in my daily life, both personally and professionally. At the same time, I feel closer to who I truly am than ever before. That combination feels quite remarkable.”

When intuition truly takes the lead

“One of the insights I gained is that I need more time for reflection. I could already sense that intuitively, but I had never really put it into practice.”

Through his work with Debbie, Malik found a way to trust his intuition more, and to turn it into action. “Whether it’s about a complex case or a difficult conversation, I now use my intuition to approach things in the right way.”

That intuition brought an unexpected clarity. “Even before the coaching journey, I sometimes questioned my role within my work context, but that feeling only grew stronger,” he shares. Debbie helped him bring a more objective narrative to his values and the direction of the company.

“Working with Debbie helped me grow into my role as a leader. I also became more assertive, and I now better understand which contexts, assignments and projects give me energy, and when something drains me. That helps me see more clearly how, and in which direction, I want to shape my career.”

This led Malik to a broader insight.

“Everything in a company is emotional,” he says. “Some people deeply believe in a project. Others may feel exhausted because of something else. That whole spectrum of people comes to you as a leader. When you are aligned with who you are, and you can recognize and regulate your energy, you can meet those people in the right way. Then you see more clearly.”

“That is something Debbie truly made possible for me, and I’m deeply grateful to her for that.”

The lasting impact: tools for every leader

The insights from the sessions will help Malik stay close to his core.

“The signals my body gives, are not something I can ignore,” he says. “My energy level is a gauge I will pay much more attention to.” The journey with Debbie had a profound impact. “What we explored continues to shape how I move through life, in many ways.”

Malik warmly recommends Debbie to many leaders in his network. “When you are aligned with yourself, it becomes much easier to navigate the complexity within a company,” he explains. He believes every leader needs to be open to working on themselves.

“We live in a world that keeps moving faster, where the pressure on decision-makers only increases. The more you follow your own rhythm, the more grounded you are to walk your path,” he concludes.

Malik’s growth is first and foremost his own, with Debbie as a steady facilitator.

If you feel ready for a next step, Debbie is there to meet you. You can contact her via coaching@debbiebaute.com.