Life has a way of shaping us in unexpected ways, often through a mix of triumphs, challenges, and life-altering moments. For Peggy Tiderman, these experiences have become the cornerstone of her approach to leadership and coaching. Her journey into leadership spans over 35 years, weaving together lessons from her roles as an executive leader, board member, and now as a coach who works passionately to develop leaders across industries. Through Streamlined Coaching, the company she co-founded in 2017, Peggy helps leaders embrace their potential, grow through challenges, and create lasting impact within their organizations.
But Peggy’s story isn’t just about her professional success—it’s about the resilience, insight, and compassion that define her approach to leadership. To understand Peggy’s perspective on coaching, it’s important to step back and see how her life’s experiences have shaped her into the leader and mentor she is today.
Building a Leadership Foundation
Long before Peggy became a coach, she spent decades navigating leadership in the post-secondary education sector. Her roles required her to consistently adapt, grow, and lead with authenticity. Over the years, she developed a belief that leadership isn’t just a title or a destination; it’s a daily commitment to growth.
Peggy describes this philosophy as a focus on three essential elements: mindset, skillset, and toolset. “You have to grow in all three areas every single day,” she says. “Always knowing I am only as effective today as my willingness to be a better leader tomorrow.”
Her experience wasn’t limited to one kind of leadership role. From managing teams to shaping organizational strategy, Peggy had to wear many hats throughout her career. These diverse roles gave her a unique perspective on the challenges leaders face, as well as the strategies they can use to overcome them.
When Peggy began her coaching career, she brought this wealth of experience with her. She didn’t just teach leadership from a theoretical standpoint—she knew firsthand what it was like to make tough decisions, build teams, and navigate the complexities of organizational life.
A Turning Point: Loss and Renewal
In 2014, Peggy faced a personal loss that would change the trajectory of her life. At 55 years old, she lost her husband of 37 years to a sudden and aggressive form of cancer. It was a devastating moment, one that forced her to reevaluate what mattered most to her.
At the time, Peggy had already spent more than three decades helping others achieve their goals and develop their passions. But this loss brought a new clarity to her purpose. “I felt called to share with others how to navigate life as a leader—not just professionally, but personally as well,” she explains.
Her son, who already owned a company called Streamlined Digital, asked her what she wanted to do in this next chapter of her life. Peggy didn’t hesitate. She wanted to give back, to help others achieve their goals by sharing the leadership lessons she had learned over the years.
In 2017, the two of them founded Streamlined Coaching as a division of Streamlined Digital. Over the past eight years, Peggy has coached leaders across the US in education, government, and the private sector. From leading workshops to facilitating growth opportunities, she has helped countless individuals and organizations thrive.
What Leadership Means to Peggy
For Peggy Tiderman, leadership is more than a role or a set of responsibilities—it’s a way of life. The belief that “Leadership changes everything” isn’t just a slogan for her company, Streamlined Coaching; it’s a deeply held conviction that shapes how she works with clients and how she lives her own life.
Peggy believes leadership is about showing up every day with intention, humility, and a commitment to personal growth. “Great leadership isn’t a destination,” she says. “It’s a daily practice, a mindset you choose to embrace every single day. It’s about being better today than you were yesterday and aiming to be even better tomorrow.”
What makes Peggy’s perspective unique is her insistence that leadership is not reserved for a select few—it’s something anyone can develop with the right approach. She teaches her clients that leadership is not about being perfect or having all the answers. Instead, it’s about being willing to learn, adapt, and inspire others by example. When a leader commits to this journey, the impact is profound.
“When leaders lead by example, it creates a ripple effect,” Peggy explains. “It influences their teams, their organizations, and even their communities. It’s not just about achieving goals; it’s about building trust, creating a positive culture, and empowering others to rise to their potential.”
Leading through Challenges
One of the most defining moments in Peggy’s leadership career came in 2016, during her tenure as Chair of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). At the time, ACCET was faced with an unprecedented challenge. A peer accreditor, ACICS, was on the verge of losing its recognition from the Department of Education, leaving hundreds of institutions scrambling to find a new accreditor. Many turned to ACCET for help.
As Chair, Peggy had to navigate this complex transition while upholding the high standards of accreditation. It was a moment that tested her ability to lead with clarity and resolve. “There is no wrong way to do the right thing,” she says. “Even when it’s hard, even when it’s unpopular, you have to stand by your principles and make decisions with integrity.”
Peggy’s leadership during this time was marked by tough, sometimes unpopular decisions. Some institutions were granted accreditation, while others were denied. Each decision required careful consideration of data, performance outcomes, and the long-term impact on students and communities.
Through it all, Peggy remained focused on doing what was right. Her ability to lead with purpose and transparency helped ACCET successfully navigate this challenging period, reinforcing her belief in the power of strong, principled leadership. “Challenges like these remind us why leadership matters,” she reflects. “It’s not about avoiding difficult decisions—it’s about facing them with integrity and a clear sense of purpose.”
Listening and Tailoring Strategies
What sets Peggy apart as a coach is her ability to tailor her approach to the unique needs of each client. Whether she’s working with a government agency, a non-profit, or an educational institution, she starts by listening.
“It all begins with understanding their mission, their culture, and their challenges,” she says. “I ask them, ‘What does success look like for you?’ and then we work together to create clarity around those expectations.”
This collaborative approach allows Peggy to design strategies that are both practical and impactful. She understands that while every organization is unique, there are common threads that connect all leadership challenges. By focusing on these shared elements, she helps her clients build a strong foundation for success.
Energizing Teams
One of Peggy’s key insights about leadership is the importance of managing energy. In today’s fast-paced world, teams are often stretched thin, leading to burnout and disengagement. For Peggy, creating a high-energy, positive environment is essential to unlocking potential and driving results.
“When people have fun and feel energized, they grow,” she explains. “And when they grow, they win.”
Through workshops and coaching sessions, Peggy helps leaders create cultures that inspire engagement and foster growth. By focusing on energy and positivity, she equips her clients to navigate the challenges of today’s business environment with confidence.
Lessons from Accreditation
Peggy’s experience conducting over 200 peer-to-peer accreditation review visits has also shaped her approach to coaching. These visits required her to lead without authority, gather data quickly, and make objective assessments.
“I learned to stay focused on the facts,” she says. “It’s about letting the data tell the story and using that information to guide decisions.”
This data-driven approach has become a key part of Peggy’s coaching methodology. She helps her clients stay grounded in objective information, enabling them to make better decisions and drive meaningful change.
Avoiding Common Leadership Traps
One of the biggest traps leaders fall into is the blame game. Peggy believes that this mindset can quickly erode trust and accountability within an organization.
“Leadership cultures are contagious,” she says. “When leaders take ownership and lead by example, it creates a culture of trust and accountability.”
Peggy helps her clients overcome this trap by encouraging self-reflection and personal growth. She teaches them to focus on their own development, creating a ripple effect that inspires their teams to do the same.
Personal Growth and Self-Leadership
For Peggy, personal growth is at the heart of effective leadership. She practices what she preaches, constantly seeking out new opportunities to learn and grow.
“I believe in saying ‘yes’ to new experiences,” she says. “It’s about stepping out of your comfort zone and maintaining a growth mindset.”
This commitment to growth extends to her coaching as well. Peggy encourages her clients to embrace vulnerability, learn from their mistakes, and stay open to new ideas. By doing so, they become not only better leaders but also better people.
Preparing for the Future
As the world becomes more volatile and unpredictable, Peggy is focused on helping her clients navigate the challenges of a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, chaotic, and ambiguous) environment.
“Our goal is to be the energy boost teams need,” she says. “We’re equipping leaders with the mindset, skillset, and toolset to thrive in this rapidly changing world.”
Through workshops, coaching programs, and community support, Peggy is helping leaders stay resilient and adaptable in the face of constant change.
Advice for Emerging Leaders
Peggy’s advice for emerging leaders is simple but powerful: Live by truth, trust, and transparency.
“When you’re truthful, people trust you,” she explains. “And when there’s trust, people feel safe. That safety leads to vulnerability and accountability.”
By modeling these values, leaders can create a culture of learning and growth that inspires their teams to achieve great things.
A Legacy of Leadership
Peggy Tiderman’s journey is filled with quiet determination and unwavering purpose. Over the years, she has proven that leadership isn’t defined by titles or accolades—it’s about the everyday choices to listen, to grow, and to lead by example. Through Streamlined Coaching, she has taken her decades of experience and poured them into helping others find their strength, build their confidence, and create meaningful change in their lives and organizations.
Peggy’s legacy isn’t written in grand gestures or sweeping changes; it’s in the small, powerful moments when a leader finds their voice, a team discovers its potential, or an organization redefines its culture. She knows that leadership changes everything because she’s lived it—and now, she’s helping others do the same.
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