Redefining Success through Executive Coaching
THE CHALLENGE
A professional services firm had begun the transition to employee ownership. The leadership team knew this change in structure, while beneficial for the business, would require a culture shift, and some of their executives were not equipped to lead this change.
Of particular concern was their top revenue-generating executive. Highly valuable to the firm, he had a reputation as a brilliant engineer and salesman. However, he was highly volatile, prone to emotional outbursts and his demeaning style of micromanagement ran counter to the culture they hoped to create.
THE SOLUTION
We began working with the top team to determine a set of core capabilities needed for their leaders to move the culture and the business forward. These included effective communication, self-awareness, and the ability to develop high-performing teams. Through this lens, we were able to focus our coaching engagement with the executive vice president.
As with all coaching engagements, we started by listening. Through an in-depth interview and ongoing meetings, we built a trusted relationship and a deep understanding of the challenges he faced. By listening to feedback from multiple sources (360 interviews) and shadowing his interactions, we could see the big picture and effectively partner with him to create actionable improvement goals.
THE IMPACT
Through our work with the executive, he made enormous strides in self-awareness and leadership effectiveness. He developed his ability to stop and reflect before derailing and began to control the pattern. He reported that the skills he gained through our work together helped him build on his strengths to add even greater value to the firm and benefited him in all aspects of his life.
