A Journey to Excellence in Practice With the Defense Intelligence Agency

In a high-stakes, fast-paced environment like the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), clear communication and strong leadership aren’t just helpful — they’re mission-critical. To support its 16,500+ employees and build resilience across every command, DIA launched an agency-wide coaching program that has transformed its culture from the inside out.

Originally offering coaching only to senior leaders, DIA saw overwhelming demand across the organization. Leadership responded by building a robust internal coaching capacity, training hundreds of employees as Certified Professional Coaches and embedding coaching principles at every level of the agency. Today, the program reaches thousands annually, with measurable impacts on performance, satisfaction, and leadership growth.

“Coaching and team coaching should occur organically wherever it’s needed,” says Dr. Theodora Fitzsimmons, DIA coaching program chief — and that’s exactly what’s happening. With rigorous training, clear ethical standards, and ongoing development, DIA’s coaching culture is thriving.

From Washington, D.C., to global outposts, DIA has created a powerful model for how coaching can strengthen leadership, connection, and mission readiness — even in the most demanding environments.

Explore the full case study to see how coaching is shaping the future of leadership at DIA.