about michelle Pauk

founder of streamside coaching

Hi, I’m Michelle—an executive coach, facilitator, and thinking partner for leaders navigating the messy, human side of change.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve helped leaders in global Fortune 500 companies, fast-growing startups, and nonprofits lead change that actually sticks. Not with a playbook, but with presence. Not with authority, but with trust.

But I didn’t always lead this way.

Earlier in my career, I worked as a software project manager, trying to drive complex efforts forward across teams and silos. It didn’t take long to realize that I couldn’t “make” anyone do anything. The biggest risk to my projects wasn’t the timeline or the budget. It was me: my own perfectionism, my need for control, and the way I pushed harder when things felt uncertain.

Learning to work in agile environments taught me to let go, listen, and collaborate in real time. Later, training as an executive coach deepened that shift. I started seeing change not as something to push through, but as something to navigate with curiosity, care, and courage.

Now, I help others do the same, especially mid-level leaders who are doing the heavy lifting of change without clear authority or support.

how i help

I offer coaching, facilitation, and leadership development that blends empathy, behavioral science, and practical tools. My work focuses on helping you:

  • Influence across silos and systems

  • Communicate with clarity and credibility

  • Navigate resistance and restore momentum

  • Build trust without over-functioning

  • Stay present, even when you’re unsure what’s next.

why work with me?

My clients tell me I bring both clear insight and deep calm to our interactions. I don’t do off-the-shelf solutions: I listen carefully, ask thought-provoking questions, and help you turn reflection into forward motion.

Whether you're stepping into a new role, leading a stuck initiative, or trying to align a team around a shared vision, I’ll meet you where you are, and help you move forward with clarity, courage, and connection.

let’s turn your leadership challenges into real momentum.

I explore these ideas in more depth in my book, Build a Golden Bridge: How to Lead Change When You’re Not in Charge. It’s a practical guide for leaders navigating complex change. The book is grounded in the belief that meaningful change starts with honest reflection, thoughtful dialogue, and the willingness to do things differently.

my upcoming book

credentials & tools

  • Professional Certified Coach (PCC), International Coaching Federation

  • M.S. in Leadership & Organizational Development

  • Certified Leadership Agility Coach (Changewise™)

  • Authorized to deliver: EQ-i 2.0™, EQ-i 360™, Leadership Agility 360™, Team Diagnostic Survey™

  • Instructor for O’Reilly Media (Managing Resistance to Change)

  • Certified Women-Owned Small Business