Meet Dianne Mckim

We recently connected with Dianne Mckim and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dianne , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Building confidence and self-esteem wasn’t an overnight transformation for me – it was more like watching a garden grow. You plant the seeds, tend to them daily, and one day you look up and realize just how much has bloomed.

My confidence grew through experiences, both challenging and rewarding. Each time I stepped out of my comfort zone – whether leading a new project, helping someone through a difficult time, or starting my own coaching practice – I learned something valuable about my capabilities. The interesting thing about confidence is that it often builds backwards: you take action first, see positive results, and then your confidence grows.

What really accelerated my growth was realizing that my past experiences, even the difficult ones, had equipped me with unique insights and strengths. Every challenge I’d faced had taught me something valuable that I could use to help others. That realization was transformative.

Today, as a coach, I get to help others discover their own path to confidence. I see my clients go through similar journeys – from hesitation to action, from self-doubt to self-assurance. What’s beautiful about this work is that I can show them what I learned: that building confidence isn’t about becoming a different person, it’s about uncovering the capabilities that were always there.

The most powerful thing I’ve discovered? True confidence comes from knowing your worth isn’t tied to perfection, but to your ability to keep growing, learning, and making a positive impact in others’ lives.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

“You know that feeling when you’re stuck, when self-doubt keeps you second-guessing every decision? I’ve been there. My journey to confidence wasn’t a lightning-bolt moment – it was a gradual transformation that taught me something powerful: real, lasting change takes time, and that’s actually the beauty of it.

Today, as a certified executive and life coach, I bring both my personal transformation experience and extensive business background to help my clients move from stuck to unstoppable. What excites me most? Watching my clients have those breakthrough moments when everything shifts – when they go from uncertainty to confident decision-making, from endless planning to purposeful action.

My approach? It starts with truly understanding you. Before we even begin working together, I take time in our discovery call to deeply listen to your challenges, needs, and goals. My clients often tell me they’ve achieved more breakthroughs in our coaching sessions than in years of other approaches. Why? Because I tailor every coaching relationship to your unique situation, drawing from my corporate leadership experience, multiple certifications, and life wisdom to create a personalized pathway to your success.

What makes this work so special is seeing my clients transform their challenges into stepping stones. Whether you’re a corporate leader looking to make bigger impact or someone ready to unlock your full potential, I understand both the professional landscape and the personal journey of building authentic confidence.

The most rewarding part? Watching my clients move from ‘I’m not sure’ to ‘I’ve got this.’ Because that journey from self-doubt to self-assurance? I’ve walked it myself, and now I get to help others find their way – one breakthrough at a time.”

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

“Looking back, three qualities stand out as absolutely crucial in my journey:

First, being a lifelong learner. This wasn’t just about formal education – it was about seeing every experience, even the challenging ones, as an opportunity to grow. Nothing is wasted in life if we’re willing to learn from it. Each experience, whether in my corporate career or personal life, added another layer of understanding that I now bring to my coaching.

Second, deep listening – both to others and myself. This started with having close friends who helped me see qualities in myself I couldn’t recognize at first. Their insights were invaluable, and now deep listening has become one of my strongest coaching tools. It’s amazing how much you can discover when you truly listen.

Third, resilience combined with organization. These might seem like an odd pair, but they work together beautifully. Resilience kept me moving forward, while strong organizational skills helped me turn challenges into actionable steps forward.

For those early in their journey, here’s my advice: Start by becoming a detective of your own success. Look back at moments where things went well – even small wins – and identify the specific skills that made those successes possible. You might be surprised by what you discover about yourself.

Also, don’t walk this path alone. Seek out trusted friends or colleagues who can help you see your natural abilities. Sometimes others can spot our talents before we recognize them ourselves. I’ve seen this countless times with my clients – often their greatest strengths are hiding in plain sight.

Finally, embrace being a lifelong learner. Stay curious about yourself and the world around you. Take courses, read books, try new things. But most importantly, remember that every experience – even the ones that feel like setbacks – is teaching you something valuable about who you are and what you’re capable of achieving.”

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me? They modeled resilience and dedication in everything they did. I remember my dad working three jobs while going to night school – talk about a powerful lesson in work ethic! While they were strict (which, looking back, taught me that sometimes toughness comes from a place of love), they balanced that with a deep love for each other and their children.

My attention to detail and organizational skills? That’s their influence right there. But perhaps more importantly, they planted the seeds of compassion that now drive my coaching practice. Watching them navigate their own struggles while never losing sight of what mattered most – family and personal growth – showed me that challenges don’t define us; how we handle them does.

Their example taught me that success isn’t just about individual achievement – it’s about using your strengths to lift others up. That’s a lesson I carry into every coaching relationship today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.preciousstonescoaching.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianne.mckim
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannemckim/
• Twitter: @diannemckim