The demands and expectations of leaders have never been higher and show no signs of letting up anytime soon. Yet the rewards and return of leadership success are also high, if not always easy to achieve.
Leadership Development is often one of the first things to go by the wayside when we get busy though, somewhat ironically, this is when you need it most!
Over the years I have been fortunate to coach some incredibly talented leaders who are are at the start, middle or end of their leadership journey. Here are some of their inspiring stories to help you see what’s possible for you…
*Note: Names have been changed to respect client confidentiality
Situation:
Moving interstate to take up a senior state management position in the medical insurance industry, Jo found herself faced with the significant task of introducing significant change to a team entrenched in the ‘old ways’.
Jo’s P2R Executive Career and Leadership Development Program gave her new beliefs, techniques, skills and strategies to change organizational culture, attitudes and behaviours.
Importantly, she developed the ability to manage herself through the transition, developing resilience and replacing self-doubt with calm confidence.
Gaining greater understanding of her leadership style and identifying the leadership qualities she needed helped Jo significantly improve team performance.
Problem:
Being stuck in the old ways was compounded by a passive aggressive culture where the team would say they were on board with the change and then stubbornly stick to the old processes.
Solution:
Jo’s P2R Executive Career and Leadership Development Program gave her new beliefs, techniques, skills and strategies to change organizational culture, attitudes and behaviours.
Outcomes:
- Jo developed the ability to manage herself through the transition, developing resilience and replacing self-doubt with calm confidence.
- She gained greater understanding of her leadership style, identifying the leadership qualities she needed to significantly improve trust and team performance.
- Within 3 months, Jo’s team went from being the poorest to highest performing nationally, achieving 75% in Hewitt Engagement Scores (the national average of 65% was considered to be ‘high performing’)
- Jo went from surviving to thriving as her team consistently achieved their KPIs and set the benchmark.
As a result of your coaching, I’m a lot stronger and know I have a lot more to give to people. I’m much happier and people actually want to be around me. My health has improved enormously and I am sleeping well most nights and no longer need sleeping tablets.
From being the lowest ranked, my team scored the second highest score in the organization for engagement and the feedback from auditors and other departments has been glowing. I now have a clearer idea of where I want to go have grown a lot and look forward to growing and achieving even more.”
Jo - Manager, Medical Insurance Industry
Actionable Advice:
No matter how challenging it may seem, there is always something you can do to turn things around! Start by setting a clear vision and expectations with your team to co-design a better future. Use it as an opportunity to fix problems they identify and have long since put up with.
Seek feedback as to how your behaviours are unintentionally creating or reinforcing old patterns and build your behavioural flexibility muscles.
Wondering how Executive Coaching could help you?
Situation:
It took Sam 12 months to find the right role after he’d been laid off and he was determined to succeed. On paper, he had the right experience, skills and competencies, he just needed to prove it to his employer and, more importantly, himself.
Problem:
To add to the challenge, Sam’s hospitality industry employer was undergoing rapid growth and expansion which meant Sam had to ‘deliver’ quickly.
Solution:
Undertaking the P2R Hit the Ground Running – First 90 Days Program, Sam first set goals and developed a plan to establish key relationships, gain a deep understanding of the business and set the priorities.
This helped him manage the demands of the role and heavy workload, providing a structured approach to make fast progress.
Outcomes:
- Regular coaching sessions enabled Sam to reflect on his achievements (not just focus on what was still to be done) and maintain perspective. This rebuilt his self-confidence and helped him demonstrate and report daily and weekly success
- Sam developed new planning, problem solving and decision making strategies which resulted in the successful establishment of a new organisational structure and on-boarding formerly outsourced finance staff within 3 months
- Sam quickly built the trust of both the CFO and CEO and was able to successfully advise and influence decisions regarding the implementation of new systems and processes
- Within 2 years, Sam was promoted to become the CFO.
The biggest change has been in my thinking and approach to my role, both from a strategic perspective and my day to day responsibilities. My physical and mental energy reserves are higher as a result of the coaching program and I am now lot more confident in dealing with any issues.”
Sam - CFO, Hospitality Industry
Actionable Advice:
Avoid 'new job overwhelm' by creating a clear prioritised plan. Start out as you mean to go on - equal parts disciplined and flexible. Prioritise trusted relationship building and delivering quick wins whilst identifying wasy to add value that are tied to the organisation's mission and strategic direction.
Curious to see how an Executive Coach can help you hit the ground running in your new role?
Situation:
Having been brought in 9 months previously to take the organisation from a small, ‘cottage-industry’ to a fully fledged, successful enterprise, Kaye had been recruited for her successful track record in a multi-national business and as an accomplished academic.
Problem:
Neither Kaye nor the Board had anticipated the significant differences in culture and approach and the staff did not respond well to Kaye’s fast-paced, forthright, business-focused style. With so much scope for improvement, Kaye was working excessive hours and the stress was taking a heavy toll.
Facing a ‘vote of no confidence’ from the Board and her staff, Kaye’s position as CEO of a small but rapidly growing non-profit organisation, was rapidly becoming untenable.
Solution:
Through a 6 month, tailored P2R Executive Leadership Coaching Program, Kaye was able to increase her self-awareness, clarify her goals for the organisation, modify her style (including slowing down, containing her hours and reducing intensity without sacrificing her vision) and re-establish the confidence of both the Board and staff.
Outcomes:
- Kaye successfully improved services, lifted skills and capability and introduced a revitalised structure, processes and culture
- Exceeding its growth targets, the organisation is now expanding its international services with Kaye driving the development of an exciting and achievable strategic plan
- Kaye earned the trust and respect of her staff who now turn to her as a role model and mentor – a far cry from those who had complained about her 12 months previously.
Actionable Advice:
Failing to recognise significant industry related cultural differences can create a world of pain for leaders who change industries! Take time to watch, listen and learn before you change anything. Learning what motivates people and what they respond well to will save you time, relationships and credibility - all of which you need to make change happen successfully.
Need help to gain the trust of your people?
Situation:
Although acknowledged as highly knowledgeable in her field of expertise, Anna was perceived as not being 'executive leader' material. Yet she'd worked hard and was keen to progress.
Problem:
A natural extrovert, she had a tendency to overshare in an overly demonstrative way and she found herself constantly worrying about what the executives thought of her, which led to her doubting she had a place at the executive table.
Pulling back and failing to effectively influence led to her working excessiv hours, feeling stressed and exhausted.
Solution:
Anna's self-awareness and desire to understand why she did what she did was a strength we built on and used. Through the Executive Career & Leadership Development Program, Anna explored her stories, reframed old beliefs that had passed their 'Use By' date; developed new insights and implemented simple strategies to stay calm and in control.
- Anna gained conscious awareness of her emotional triggers and successfully re-established a formerly strained relationship with a general manager
- Within 3 weeks Anna successfully implemented a new productivity strategy which gave her control of her workload, calendar and the demands others placed on her
- Feedback from the executive team was validating as they acknowledged and appreciated her new, more considered approach, even asking her how she'd done it!
- 3 months after completing her coaching, Anna was promoted into an executive level role and took up her 'place at the table'.
Outcomes:
Actionable Advice:
No matter how challenging it may seem, there is always something you can do to turn things around! Start by setting a clear vision and expectations with your team to co-design a better future. Use it as an opportunity to fix problems they identify and have long since put up with.
Seek feedback as to how your behaviours are unintentionally creating or reinforcing old patterns and build your behavioural flexibility muscles.
Wondering how Executive Coaching could help you?
Situation:
When Cathy moved from interstate to take up a more senior role in a government authority, she quickly found herself floundering.
Problem:
Navigating and influencing in a highly volatile organisation, she found herself defaulting to 'doing it all' as the pressure increased. Working long, exhausting hours felt like the only solution.
Solution:
When this didn't work, Cathy enrolled in the P2R Executive Career and Leadership Development Program. Developing techniques to stay calm under pressure, focus on what mattered most (vs everything) and establishing a strong support network helped her gain traction.
Outcomes:
Actionable Advice:
No matter how challenging it may seem, there is always something you can do to turn things around! Start by setting a clear vision and expectations with your team to co-design a better future. Use it as an opportunity to fix problems they identify and have long since put up with.
Seek feedback as to how your behaviours are unintentionally creating or reinforcing old patterns and build your behavioural flexibility muscles.
Let's explore how Executive Coaching could help you
Situation:
When Richard was first referred to P2R, he was plagued by self-doubt and procrastination. During his PDP review, he'd agreed with his manager that someone at his level should be a much more impactful leader!
Problem:
The problem was he just didn't know where to start. Through his Advanced Executive Leadership Program, Richard gained greater understanding of what was driving his lack of confidence.
Solution:
Fear of scrutiny, judgement and failure were overcome and once he achieved early success, coaching helped build momentum as Richar was able to apply his new mindset, stories and strategies to different situations. Incrementally stepping outside his comfort zone, Richard armed himself with simple yet powerful ways to 'be' the leader he wanted to be.
Outcomes:
Richard developed the courage to:
- Deliver a high impact talk at an All Staff forum for 350 people which earned him a standing ovation! Surprisingly, he also enjoyed it and developed public speaking into a strength.
- Stand his ground calmly and assertively when publicly challenged by a colleague in front of the Board
- Develop his own more open and authentic leadership style that earned him the respect of his team and
- Constantly challenge himself to embrace what initially and previously seemed uncomfortable.
I gained so much more from coaching than I though possible! Perhaps the thing I'm most grateful for is that I am now far better able to model positive, confident ways of being a father. I never wanted my son to grow up with the same crushing self doubt I'd always suffered but didn't know how to be different. I can already see my son's confidence growing and for that I'll be forever grateful.
Richard - Assistant Commissioner, Federal Government Department
Actionable Advice:
The longer we hold on to unhelpful, entrenched patterns and stories, the greater the cost. Many of these are habitual and we aren't necessarily consciously aware of them - we just know they cause us grief! Notice the beliefs you're carrying that no longer serve, support, nurture or challenge you in a good way.
Once you've recognised them, set about reframing the meaning to a more constructive truth.
Do you have old stories that are holding you back?
P2R Client Experiences
Highly skilled at coaching through a variety of complex scenarios that senior executives encounter
Caroline is a life-changing executive coach. She has challenged me to think more laterally about my career through in-depth identification of my skill set and potential. She is highly skilled at coaching through a variety of complex scenarios that senior executives encounter. Be prepared to be challenged, step well outside of your comfort zone and to learn not to settle for anything less than what you are truly capable of.
Caroline gave me the skills and confidence I needed to clarify the type of leader I want to be and successfully navigate a team restructure
Moving from middle management to a senior leadership role I knew I would have to take a different approach. Coaching with Caroline gave me the skills and confidence I needed to clarify the type of leader I want to be and successfully navigate a team restructure. Challenging me to step outside my comfort zone, Caroline armed me with the beliefs, techniques and approaches I needed to step out of the detail; see the bigger picture and work strategically to achieve it. She has a great way of drawing on your past experience, developing your strengths and helping you convert your ideas into outcomes and I recommend her to anyone who is ready to take the next step in their career.
Ability to understand our desired outcomes and then create a program which had a clear journey for the team to achieve the set objectives was superior to other facilitators I have worked with
We recently engaged Caroline on very short notice (less than 2 weeks) to facilitate a coming together of a new Top 25 leadership team as a result of the merger of an external acquisition with an existing internal operating business.
Caroline took our brief and desired outcomes and crafted a thoroughly engaging and rewarding 2 day workshop which was about aligning culture and creating a consistent vision and set of tangible business objectives for a large business unit (greater than 500 people). All the requirements of our brief were achieved without question.
A post workshop survey conducted with the team gave Caroline a 100% score for exceeding expectations as the facilitator.
I found her ability to understand our desired outcomes and then create a program which had a clear journey for the team to achieve the set objectives was superior to other facilitators I have worked with in the past. I would thoroughly recommend Caroline to anyone looking for a facilitator who can ensure your objectives are met and exceeded, who is consistently engaging and who can work the group and their individual characteristics for maximum team and business outcomes.
Helps me to look at situations differently now
Coaching with Caroline, I have learnt how to better manage difficult situations. There were times that I would come to a coaching session thinking there was no possible way out of a situation I was in, but Caroline helped me work through the issues and identify my options. I really liked that. It helps me to look at situations differently now. She also helped me recognise that I have good skills and experience that is transferable and that I can achieve anything if I want to.
Nails what's needed in a second - just 'gets' people and organisations!
Caroline is an incredible consultant who can nail what's needed in a second and plan an amazing intervention just as fast. She just 'gets' people and organisations. An inspiration!
I was somewhat skeptical about the full value of executive coaching until I met and worked with Caroline who is absolutely brilliant!
I was somewhat skeptical about the full value of executive coaching until I met and worked with Caroline who is absolutely brilliant. She has a wonderful way of stretching and challenging you to go further and critically evaluate yourself but also enables you to walk out of any coaching session feeling absolutely inspired about next steps. I would recommend Caroline's coaching to anyone who is looking for that next competitive edge but remains uncertain whether coaching can work. She is one of the best.
