Building Strong Relationships
Leeza Furman’s Path to Leadership Excellence
Building strong relationships transforms more than just work dynamics—it transforms who you become as a leader and as a person. For Leeza Furman, Director at Citi in New York, the journey to building strong relationships began with recognition of her own blind spots and continued through Dr. Sydney Ceruto’s transformative coaching. Working with Dr. Ceruto at two different points in her career, Leeza experienced the power of integrative, science-based coaching designed to address the behaviors and thought distortions that had been holding her back.
Dr. Ceruto guided Leeza through profound transformation, showing her how to communicate more effectively and how to genuinely listen—not just hear—what people were actually saying. Thanks to Dr. Ceruto’s expert guidance, Leeza feels like she’s able to build stronger relationships with her colleagues, and she’s become a better leader and a better person because of their work together. This coaching experience stands as by far the most valuable investment in her professional development since college—a testament to the power of building strong relationships at the foundation of leadership excellence.
The Challenge: Blind Spots Limiting Relationship Potential
Leeza had achieved significant professional success at Citi. Her technical competence was never in question. Her work ethic and commitment were evident. Yet somewhere beneath the surface accomplishments, Leeza sensed limitations in how she connected with others.
She had blind spots—patterns of behavior and distorted thinking that she couldn’t see but that others experienced. These patterns prevented building strong relationships—genuine connections characterized by trust, understanding, and mutual respect. Instead, interactions often felt transactional or guarded. Leeza could work effectively alongside colleagues, but deeper professional relationships seemed elusive.
The challenge of building strong relationships extended beyond surface-level networking. Leeza wanted to be the kind of leader that people genuinely wanted to work with, not just for. She recognized that leadership excellence required more than individual competence—it required authentic relationship capability grounded in self-awareness and genuine listening skills.
Yet without expert guidance helping her identify and address her blind spots, Leeza remained trapped in patterns she couldn’t see.
The Solution: Integrative Science-Based Coaching
Dr. Sydney Ceruto’s integrative approach, grounded in solid science, directly addressed what was holding Leeza back. Rather than surface-level coaching, Dr. Ceruto helped Leeza identify the specific behaviors and thought distortions creating barriers to building strong relationships.
These distortions weren’t character flaws—they were learned patterns, neurological habits that made sense in context but now limited her effectiveness. Dr. Ceruto guided Leeza through understanding these patterns with both intellectual clarity and emotional insight.
Crucially, Dr. Ceruto didn’t just identify problems—she guided Leeza through transformation. She showed her how to communicate more effectively, teaching specific techniques for expressing thoughts and needs in ways that invited understanding rather than defensiveness. More importantly, she taught Leeza how to genuinely listen—a skill that sounds simple but requires fundamental shifts in how we approach conversations.
Real listening means setting aside our agenda, our judgments, our rush to respond. It means creating space for understanding others’ perspectives, concerns, and humanity. Dr. Ceruto helped Leeza develop this capability, recognizing that building strong relationships ultimately depends on authentic listening and genuine care for others’ wellbeing.
The fact that Leeza chose to work with Dr. Ceruto at two different points in her career demonstrates the lasting value of this approach. As Leeza faced new challenges and leadership transitions, she returned to this proven resource for continued growth.
The Results: Better Leader, Better Person
The transformation has been profound. Leeza’s colleagues experience her as someone genuinely interested in understanding them—not as means to professional ends, but as people with inherent worth and legitimate perspectives. This shift alone has transformed how people respond to her and work with her.
Leeza’s leadership effectiveness has increased dramatically. Leaders who excel at building strong relationships inspire loyalty, attract talent, and create cultures where people perform at their best. Leeza now experiences this reality—her teams are more engaged, more collaborative, and more willing to go extra mile because they feel genuinely seen and valued.
Most importantly, Leeza has become not just a better leader but a better person. Building strong relationships changes who we become at a fundamental level. When we genuinely understand and care about others, when we listen with authentic curiosity, when we communicate with integrity, we evolve as human beings.
Leeza reflects that her coaching experience with Dr. Ceruto stands as by far the most valuable investment in professional development she’s made since college. This assessment captures something essential: building strong relationships isn’t a nice-to-have skill that supplements technical excellence. It’s foundational to genuine leadership effectiveness and personal fulfillment.
Leeza’s Direct Testimony
“I have worked with Dr. Ceruto at two different points in my career. Sydney created an integrative approach based on solid science to point out the behaviors and thought distortions which had been holding me back. She guided me through the transformation with passion and empathy. Dr. Ceruto showed me how to communicate more effectively and how to really listen to what people were saying. Thanks to Dr. Ceruto, I feel like I’m able to build stronger relationships with my colleagues, and I am a better leader and a better person because of our work. This was by far the most valuable investment in my professional development post college.”
Ready to Begin Building Your Own Strong Relationships?
Like Leeza Furman, you may have achieved professional success while still sensing limitations in your ability to build strong relationships. These limitations often stem from blind spots—patterns you can’t see on your own but that others experience clearly. Building strong relationships requires both identifying these patterns and transforming them through guided, science-based coaching.
Dr. Ceruto’s integrative approach combines neuroscience insight with compassionate guidance, helping ambitious professionals identify blind spots, develop genuine listening skills, and master the communication that creates strong relationships and exceptional leadership.
Your transformation begins with a personalized Elite Insight Strategy Call with Dr. Ceruto to explore your relationship-building challenges and create your path to building strong relationships and leadership excellence.
