| Client: |
|
Susan
VP, Strategic Marketing Group
International marketing company |
| Age: |
|
39 years old |
| Education: |
|
B.S. Marketing from Northwestern
M.A. Marketing from New York University |
|
Susan was promoted from an AVP, where she managed a staff of two,
to a VP, where she manages 15 direct reports in the New York office
and five regional leaders in North America.
After her promotion, Susan’s boss recommended she work with
an Executive Coach to make her transition to her new responsibilities
easier.
Based on Susan’s assessment of her own needs along with feedback
from her boss, direct reports and peers, Susan and I created goals
for her Personal Development Plan that included:
- Learn to communicate bad news to direct reports in a respectful,
timely and considerate way.
- Learn to delegate and let go of control.
- Develop more executive presence.
As we began working together, Susan realized that she doesn’t
want to disappoint other people, that’s why communicating
bad news to her direct reports was so difficult for her. I talked
with her about showing tough empathy and giving her people what
they needed. To prepare Susan to communicate bad news, we role-played
and I videotaped Susan to reinforce her new behaviors.
To delegate and let go of control, we discussed the benefits of
asking empowering questions. Susan began asking the regional leaders
who report to her these types of questions, which helped them grow
into their roles and take on more responsibilities. Some of the
questions she asked were:
How would you approach that? What’s your plan? What do you
see as the possibilities and obstacles? What are you going to do
about that? How can I help you? By using this technique, her leadership
style developed from controlling and micro–managing into leading.
Susan’s last major goal was to develop more executive presence.
Even though she was a full-fledged member of the board of directors,
she felt like an honorary member whose input didn’t matter.
Susan wanted to develop more authority and a stronger presence.
I worked with Susan to polish her executive presence. As part of
the process of changing her image, we discussed her wardrobe and
how she presented herself visually; but more importantly, we discussed
her non-verbal behavior. We talked about how to take up an equal
amount of space in a room and in a conversation as other executives
did. We also worked on non-verbal cues, such as making eye contact
and entering a room with presence.
By the end of the coaching program, Susan had developed a communication
and leadership style that empowered her people. She also exuded
an executive presence that made her a respected and valued member
of the board.
Clients Who Found Their Executive Styles
Each of the following “sample” clients represents
a combination of several of my actual clients and the challenges
they have faced. Click each to read their case study.
|
