The Business Objective:

To better utilize the experience and talents of a star VP by strengthening her strategic leadership skills without diminishing her critical executive management role. (A secondary objective: to demonstrate that the VP is on track for her next promotion.)

The Story:

A VP at a major IT organization was previously a senior consultant for one of the Big Three. She had to adapt her style from proving to clients how good she was at solving their problems to a style which would help her subordinates to develop their own skills while making meaningful contributions.

Achieving this shift was easier said than done because the VP operated in a very hi-tech, volatile environment bridging the gap between IT experts and demanding users in big financial institutions. (In these circumstance, many executives fall into the micro-managing trap – because it delivers results in the short-term.)

The Outcome:

With guidance from James, the VP clarified her five key measures of success. These helped her to distance herself from operational issues and to shift from ‘problem-solver-managing-consultant’ mode to strategic thinker able to develop, grow and mentor smart people.