References

It´s not easy (but you knew that already). Evidence from research* for example published in diverse HBR articles indicates two primary reasons why those who have achieved a senior leadership role may fail to realise their full potential. Those deductible reasons are the isolation which can be inherent in a leadership role and the fact that senior leaders have fewer opportunities to continue to learn and to develop themselves compared to the earlier stages of their corporate career. Sounds familiar? Let´s quickly examine the facts:

A degree of detachment from direct contact with customers and what is happening on the ground is a typical problem in complex organizations and makes it increasingly difficult to access important information and insights. You have to rely on your reports, but to what extent can you trust them to do what you need them to do? Do you really know what they think and say about you? In the end, leaders of complex organisations are at risk of becoming detached from the teams they serve and may find themselves having to do much of their most important thinking in isolation. This degree of detachment eventually becomes troublesome when it eventually starts impacting their ability to filter, reflect and prioritize information and make the right decisions.

As an experienced leader you have dealt with complex problems like this in the past, so naturally you rely on yourself and feel confident that you can overcome detachment or other leadership problems. Yet, the powerful personal traits which have enabled high flyers like you to get to the top may need to be modified in a leadership role. Put differently, “what brought you here doesn´t always get you there”. This realization often leads to a loss of direction and a sense of frustration or a limited sense of fulfilment from the success achieved and the goals that you have accomplished already.

So what is the answer to these challenges?
We believe that it is essential for leaders to have the opportunity to engage in critical reflection and genuinely collaborative conversation at this stage of their career. In fact, our clients often tell us that through our executive coaching they have experienced the most significant conversations they have ever had about themselves.

Here is why:
First, we make it our business to acquire an intimate understanding of the specific character of your organisation and the issues which are unique to you and to your situation.

Then, our team of executive coaches deploy a range of effective and proven coaching tools, offer incisive questioning and, where appropriate, constructive and considered challenges.

During this process we fully acknowledge the need for confidentiality and careful boundary-setting which comes with leadership and it is an essential feature of our executive coaching.

In the end, we offer you as a leader your own personal reflective space in which you can safely explore the roots of your own thinking and perceptions, thus enabling you to unfold and surface your own solutions.

Executive coaching is growing rapidly because it is desperately needed. As qualified and accredited executive coaches we are committed to supporting high flyers, working always with unconditional positive regard and adhering to the highest ethical standards. You may be an entrepreneur, a professional at the top, a Board member, a partner in a firm, an executive leading change and organisational renewal or a high net worth family member facing succession issues. You may be facing complex professional and/or personal issues or challenges. Regardless of your exact background there is one thing that you have in common: You are ready to turn a chapter and unlock your full potential.

Please contact us to speak to one of our team of executive coaches to find out how we can help you and your organisation. We believe that it is essential that you have complete confidence in the executive support you choose, so would always wish to have an exploratory conversation with you, entirely without obligation. We want you to be quite sure before you start working with us that this will be the right move for you.

We look forward to the conversation.

*See for example: Ron Ashkenas in the Harvard Business Review Article “The problem with executive isolation” or Harvard Business School Working Paper: “The Effectiveness of Management-By-Walking-Around: A Randomized Field Study” published by Anita L. Tucker and Sara J. Singer