Leadership coach and International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach Francesca Oduoza has released a new book, The ARC of Progress: A Coaching Handbook for Emotional Leadership — Transforming Difficult Emotions into Purposeful Action, introducing the ARC™ Framework—Acknowledge, Reflect, Convert. The book, published on September 15, 2026, arrives as leaders face growing complexity, uncertainty, and workplace challenges, and as AI and digital transformation reshape how teams interact.
The central premise is that emotions are not barriers but signals. Oduoza likens an emotion to a warning light on a car's dashboard, alerting us that something beneath the surface deserves attention. The ARC process helps coaches, leaders, and professionals name their emotions, understand what those emotions reveal, and turn that insight into intentional decisions and meaningful action. The framework unfolds in three interconnected stages: Acknowledge & Accept, which invites recognition of emotional reality with honesty and compassion; Reflect & Reframe, which explores the beliefs and stories shaping the emotional experience; and Convert & Commit, which translates insight into sustainable behavior change.
The book matters because it positions emotional leadership as a strategic unlock rather than a soft skill. As organizations navigate conflict, change, and inclusive decision-making, the ability to work productively with emotions can create space for clearer judgment, stronger relationships, and choices aligned with values and goals. The handbook is written for leadership, life, and executive coaches; people leaders; HR professionals; educators; mentors; and anyone committed to developing others. It includes foundational concepts of emotional regulation, real-life stories and metaphors, action-oriented prompts for navigating emotional contagion, structured coaching domains, hundreds of reflective questions, and practical exercises for individuals, teams, and groups.
The ARC™ approach aligns with most of the International Coaching Federation's core coaching competencies and ethical principles, according to the source. It can be applied in individual coaching, team coaching, leadership development programs, emotional intelligence coaching, workshops, and team development initiatives. Early praise comes from Marcia Reynolds, PsyD, MCC, author of Coach the Person, Not the Problem, who calls it a practical tool to transform emotions that feel like blocks into insights and confident action, and from Emmanuel Michael, SPHRi, a leadership and career coach, who describes it as a transformational tool for elevating human performance and personal mastery.
Oduoza brings more than 20 years of leadership experience, including senior roles in banking, and holds a certificate in mediation and conflict resolution from Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation. She is also the author of Breaking Free from the Paralysis of Inaction. The book is available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Rakuten Kobo, and Smashwords. More information is available at https://francescaoduoza.com.
