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Business Challenge:
Vice President Challenged to Sharpen his Performance for Interactions with Global Leadership Team.
- Top performer and overall subject matter expert, has been chosen to present to the Executive Committee.
- A step-up in communication strategies and overall professional maturity are required to give this mid-level executive comfort in presenting on sensitive issues to senior leadership.
- New skills and tactics must be cultivated to gain support during tough economic times for the monumental change he was tasked with creating - moving from a higher margin service to a lower margin outsourcing business model.
How Break Through Consulting Helped:
Information:
- Analyzed the company's existing 360-assessement data.
- Conducted customized qualitative interviews with the Executive's boss, peers and direct reports.
- Interviewed the Executive for a self-assessment.
- Observed the Executive in interactions with peers and senior leadership.
Insight:
- Recognized that he was not at ease presenting to the Executive Committee because he did not feel their equal. Others perceived this as a lack of depth and seriousness in the Executive's demeanor and communications.
- Understood that his old style of "winging" it in professional situations was no longer effective in interactions with senior leadership.
- Realized that being emotionally attached to his ideas did not serve the Executive or the organization.
- Discovered that he needed to operationalize his ideas with processes and methodologies.
- Found that he was valued for his ideas, but that he needed to cultivate listening, self-awareness and self-confidence.
- Realized that to drive change, he would need to build his network and better understand others' points of view.
Innovation:
- Paradigm shift to Influence Management: coached the Executive to socialize his ideas prior to presenting to uncover objections and address them. Collaboration led to a stronger plan that could gain wider acceptance.
- Uplifted the Executive's communications through increased preparedness that allowed him to convey a clear and concise point of view.
- Developed himself as a facilitator of ideas, rather than the "idea man." This resulted in less stress for the Executive, increased collaboration and better outcomes for the organization.
Impact:
- Successfully adopted a crisp communication style that, under sensitive conditions, gave him a better ability to lead and direct.
- Presented his ideas to the Executive Committee where he was recognized for his improvement in communications and finesse.
- Senior Partner acknowledged that during coaching, the Executive matured into his new responsibilities as a "credible, contributing, mature leader" at the global level.
- Developed confidence as a true peer on the Executive Committee.
- Gained greater acceptance and greater ability to drive his initiatives through the organization.
- Discovered a new passion for his job responsibilities and experienced less stress.
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