Case Studies
CEO brings truth to the talk on her team
Challenge:
Tara’s team was doing very well. The business was growing by double digits each year, and she’d brought some great talent into the leadership team. Yet Tara sense that the team could perform even better, given the right leadership and direction. There were tension points among some of the individuals on the leadership team. Some of them were hungry for growth and development that could potentially outpace the company’s growth. Tara wanted support to take the group to the next level.
Evolution:
We kicked off the group coaching engagement with Tara’s team by spending a day together offsite, learning about the teams’ strengths. Gallup’s Strengths Assessment provided each member of the team insights about their top strengths— the way they naturally think, feel, and behave. A series of group exercises helped the team learn more about each other’s strengths, so they could more effectively leverage the team’s collective talents. It was a great day together, and people walked away saying things like, “It was so much fun getting to hear about everyone’s strengths” and “Now that I know each team member’s strengths, I can look at things from their perspective and help/support them in achieving their goals.” It was a solid starting point for getting the team working more closely together. Over the course of the year, the group met for one hour a month to focus on team strengths. It was important to Tara that people really opened up to one another. She led the way on being vulnerable and open. The group got into very real, very raw discussions about what they needed from teammates, what motivates them, and ways their strengths were often misunderstood. Each of these discussions helped deepen their understanding of one another, and ultimately their trust. Tara saw team members partnering and relying on each other in new ways. She saw an increase in speed of consensus building and decision making. Ultimately, she saw a great team get even better.
CEO moves from motivation by fear to motivation by passion
Challenge:
Tom was under pressure. His company was at a critical phase of growth and could not afford to slip on key deadlines or commitments to investors. His team was missing talent in important roles, and processes weren’t mature enough to provide the governance he needed. Tom responded by just working harder. He would pick up the slack, do it himself, watch things closely. This meant that Tom was working at near burnout, constantly worried about what he was missing, and micromanaging several areas of the organization.
Evolution:
Together, we tackled Tom’s concerns from multiple fronts. We took a hard look at the talent on the team and the gaps, and created a plan for talent acquisition in key areas. We looked at the key metrics, reporting and leadership communications that Tom used in day-to-day governance of the company. Tom looked inward at the messages he was sending himself about his role with the company, how he contributed the most value, and how he viewed the company’s bigger challenges. We also spent time in an area Tom hadn’t considered for many years: what were his own needs, so that he could show up every day as the leader he wanted to be? Tom dug in and reframed many of the messages he was sending himself. Which of his beliefs were really true, and which were purely based in fear of failure? What was the silver lining or opportunity in each bad news item he navigated? Regardless of outcomes, how did he want to show up in these challenging situations? Once we’d cleared the internal clutter, we developed plans and processes. Tom created new operating models and set new expectations. He onboarded new leaders to the team and started to reshape the way he personally worked. In short, Tom became confident in his leadership and oriented to his passion for the company’s mission.
Solopreneur says yes to work that supports her why
Challenge:
Erin had a big problem: she was very successful and earning well beyond her wildest expectations. Why was this a problem? Because Erin felt the pull of her purpose. Sure, her current gig was rewarding in many ways. She had flexibility, financial stability, and independence. Yet it lacked the bigger opportunity to give back and make an impact in the area she felt so passionate about: diversity, equity, and inclusion. She was feeling torn with a big life decision. Play it safe and keep doing what she was doing, or make a big pivot for the chance to feel greater fulfillment in her career?
Evolution:
Erin had a hard choice to make. Pursuing her purpose would mean less money, less flexibility and it would be very different and challenging work. Was it worth it?? We started by looking at Erin’s values. Not what she thought her values “should” be, or what her friends and family valued. What was most important to Erin and why? What did it look like when she was living that value? How did she prioritize each of her values? Next, Erin took a look at her vision. If she achieved everything she wanted in all aspects of her life, what would that look like? Once Erin had a clear sense of what was important, and what her ideal life looked like, she had a better framework for making this big decision. Erin went for it— she made the big pivot and didn’t look back. She did it with the clarity and conviction it takes to successfully and fully step into living your purpose.
Senior executive finds her mojo again
Challenge:
Jill was feeling really low. She had been laid off from the growing tech company she worked for after sharing her trajectory for retirement with the leadership team. With a highly successful track record and steady career growth behind her, she was told that she “wasn’t a good fit” and the team was “moving in a different direction.” Faced with the unexpected challenge of finding a new role just a handful of years before retirement, Jill found that she was doubting herself and feeling a lack of confidence. How would she ever navigate the job search process when she couldn’t even convince herself that she was worth hiring?
Evolution:
Jill needed to get her mojo back. This meant examining how she was feeling and why, and making meaning of her story. Jill explored her strengths and the connection between those strengths and past success. What was she motivated by? Where did she excel? Gradually, she was able to set aside the recent blow to her ego and regain her internal sense of strength. She remembered what made her great, and why any company would be lucky to hire her. Next, we looked at the job search. Jill had never driven her job searches, she’d let them drive her. What did she really want in the next role? What terms were non-negotiable? How could she make sure to stick to the non-negotiables as she went through the search process? Jill ran an efficient and successful job search, landing a role that met each of her criteria: the industry she thrived in, responsibilities she wanted, and remote work arrangement that allowed her to travel far less. Jill successfully advocated for herself because she believed that she deserved it. She owned her next career step because she knew exactly what she wanted. She had found her mojo again.