ABOUT

Meet Linda Steinbock

Leadership Coach | Facilitator | Founder of Touching Distance

I coach leaders and teams who care deeply about their work, and want to grow without losing themselves.

How I got here

I spent over a decade leading humanitarian teams through some of the world's most complex crises. Typhoons in the Philippines, earthquakes in Nepal and Indonesia, conflict and displacement across the Middle East, West and Central Africa, Bangladesh and Myanmar. I know what it feels like to lead when the ground is shifting beneath you.

What I learned in those years wasn't just about crisis management. It was about people. About what happens when you create space for someone to be honest. About how trust is built, and how quickly it breaks. Some of that work changed me in ways I didn't expect, leading children's consultations in the Rohingya camps and turning their stories into a waterproof book because of the annual flooding, taught me something I've never put down: the best work happens when you actually see people.

That's what I carried with me when I left the humanitarian system and trained as a coach. I wanted to create the kind of space I'd needed most during my own transitions and growth opportunities. Somewhere to pause, be honest, and figure out what really matters.

That's what Touching Distance is. It's coaching and development rooted in real experience, not textbook theory. It's for leaders who want to show up with more clarity, confidence, and connection. And it's for organisations who know that investing in their people is the most important thing they can do.

What I believe

Connection

Every relationship has the power to spark something new. When we create space for authentic connection, transformation becomes possible.

Authenticity

Real transformation starts when we allow ourselves to be seen. Showing up confidently and consistently with honesty, courage and vulnerability.

Purpose

How we direct our energy shapes what we achieve. Leadership aligned with purpose creates impact that extends far beyond the role.

Resilience

Not just strength, it's growth through change. The ability to stay grounded while everything around us shifts.

Background & Qualifications

EMCC-Senior Practitioner Certified Coach

10+ Years Humanitarian Leadership

Published Children's Book Author

Worked in 25+ Countries

Team Coaching & Facilitation

United World College Alumni

Based in Switzerland

Featured In

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Lockdown Hair

I also wrote Lockdown Hair, a children's picture book about resilience and agency, because these themes matter at every age. Born from my work with children in crisis and written during quarantine in Singapore, it explores how connection helps us through uncertain times.

Resilience

Agency

Connection

Featured in TimeOut Singapore

You can also order it from your local bookstore.

Purposeful Futures

I'm also co-founder of Purposeful Futures, a podcast and community I run with A-Purpose, exploring what it means to lead with purpose in a changing world. A space for conversation about the questions that matter most.

Let's have a conversation

Whether you're navigating a transition, developing your team, or just want to explore what coaching could look like — I'd love to hear from you.

© Touching Distance. 2026. All rights reserved.

LET'S CONNECT

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