Case History: Executive Coaching
INDUSTRY: Health Care - Regional System
SIZE: 15,000 Employees
CLIENT: Senior Executive - Reports to CEO
ISSUE: Senior level executive is overly involved in tactical initiatives, not getting traction on strategic issues and experiencing breakdowns with boss, peers, and direct reports.
SOLUTION: 1:1 coaching with executive to help him clearly identify the issues, locate the causes, and bring about needed changes. Clear goals and outcomes were identified; mutual expectations and ground rules were established for the engagement. Background data was gathered from a cross-section of co-workers using a 360 ° leadership style assessment and in-depth interviews. Information was collected on the environment in which the client was working, expectations of others (met and unmet), and the issues and problems the client was facing. By seeing the feedback from co-workers, the client began to understand how his own thinking and behaviors were the source of the problems he was experiencing. The client began to make connections between how he approaches a situation and the options available based on that approach. More profoundly, he began to recognize how, if attention were paid, he could adjust his approach and have more productive options available to him. A behavioral change plan was created, which significantly increased the client's ability to manage himself and his work. The plan was designed to bring about more of the results desired and less of the counter-productive behaviors of the past. Implementation of the plan is monitored with the coach who insures ongoing feedback and reinforcement of practices leading to increased effectiveness.
RESULTS: The executive has learned how to achieve greater results through more conscious and effective self-management. He has gained insights and learned new techniques for taking control of his behavior and is making choices that better serve both him and his organization. He has also learned how to reshape his thinking and resultant behavior to be more effective in everything he does. The executive has learned how practices that made him successful earlier in his career are inhibiting current success. Newly identified behaviors, reinforced through feedback and coaching, are replacing older, less productive habits. The client is now more effectively sorting the strategic from the tactical and delegating most of the latter to direct reports. Increased awareness and self-management have allowed more focus on strategic issues. Simultaneously, the increased delegation has created the opportunity for increased empowerment and development of the next level management. Relationships and results with boss, peers, and direct reports have improved dramatically. The client is significantly more energized about his work, due to the results he now achieves. Successful outcomes have resulted in coaching requests from several other executives in the organization.
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