It worked because she realized it was not all about her – it was about everyone else whom she had to lead and she worked at listening, developing her emotional intelligence and letting go.

• VP, largest division of a major public company
• Seven direct reports and with numerous external customers
• Highly successful female executive with liberal arts background, working in a culture of male engineers

1. Coaching Focus:

• Develop more strategic thinking, transitioning from a tactical, project management frame of reference to developing high potential as a leader
• Delegate effectively, including decision-making and avoiding tendency to micro-manage
• Improve staff meeting procedures
• Gather the facts and respond in a balanced, well-prepared manner, demonstrating leadership
• Manage time more effectively with less activity and more focus on strategic issues
• Develop an effective approach to managing up

2. Coachee’s Perceptions of the Outcomes:

• She worked more effectively with her direct reports, addressing the criticisms raised:
  • Rush to make decisions
  • Unwillingness to listen
  • Lack of self-awareness, self-regulation and empathy
  • Disorganization and poor meeting management (meetings became regularly scheduled and held, far more information sharing. more healthy debate of the issues)
  • Micro-management (a challenge in the culture of exceptional focus on detail, starting with the CEO)
  • Need to become more strategic and focused on leadership behaviors.
• She significantly improved her ability to manage up effectively to a demanding and imperious division president, who praised her progress, acknowledging the challenge of managing up to him.
• She disciplined herself not to respond too quickly to situations, focusing on:
  • Utilizing her specialists (rather than herself) to gather the data
  • Sensible push-back on requests for immediate information and details;
  • Care in communicating responses to situations.
• She extricated herself from operating detail, was able to develop strategic relationships across divisions and became involved in industry-wide issues.
• She rebuilt relationships with direct reports.

3. Coachee’s Focus Going Forward:

• Self-awareness and raising level of EI
• Industry awareness, identifying and working on strategic issues
• Promoting visibility and relationships at highest levels in the company
• Slowing down and focusing on priorities
• Fully delegating, balanced with ongoing accountability from direct reports