Success Story — Talent Coaching

The Opportunity:

A vacancy on the Executive Team had become available through a resignation and the CEO had approached a talented director to take up the position. This person was not sure about the promotion, a combination of doubting their own technical expertise and being unsure of their desire to sit at the top table.

The Solution:

A series of 1-2-1 coaching sessions over a few weeks were undertaken to allow the individual the time and space to explore their understanding of the following:

• The demands of the technical part of the role, especially leading a new function in which they were not a subject matter expert

• The role of an being part of the Executive Team leading the whole organisation

• Their own career aspirations and personal drivers, along with any potential inner critical voice that they may be listening to

The Outcome:

The coachee realised that their significant leadership experience would enable them to lead the new function effectively, and that they could substitute a previous reliance on being a technical SME with being a leadership SME. They also realised that this would also enable them to be an effective member of the Executive Team, something they were highly motivated to do given their passion for the business’ purpose and the customers it served. The appointment was accepted and was so successful that the individual was promoted a second time within 18 months in the wider Group.