Coaching Spotlight : From excitement to overwhelm

I could see the conflicted expression during a coaching conversation with an executive leader. This leader was full of energy for what was possible – A big dream, a futuristic perspective on how the organisation could transform to perform at new heights. With this energy and enthusiasm, the leader showed concern for the sheer magnitude of the opportunity. To dream big and commit to the action, required change and significant commitment. In that split moment, the expression went from excitement to being overwhelmed.

This leader was well-versed in how to lead. They brought vast international leadership experience, several restructurings, and multiple achievements. The conflict wasn’t self-doubt – it wasn’t a fear of where to start. What occurred through our coaching was a personal ah-ha moment in that this leader had changed himself.

There was a conflict regarding what was important and why this opportunity mattered. Through this coaching exploration, we identified that this opportunity would lead to something bigger, a legacy and footprint that would define what his leadership would be remembered by.

We applied The Four Levers of Leadership Impact as a guide to plot the various aspects at play and the options available.

• Individual Impact: – Defining a new voice of wisdom, openness, and conviction for a new horizon.
• Business Impact: Defining the priorities and creating milestones and phases of the transformation was vital, so success criteria were clear.
• Relationship Impact: Outlining who needed to be involved, why and when. A clear influencing strategy combining internal and external sponsors.
• Knowledge Impact: Categorising what would be needed to fully understand the new horizon meant acquiring new knowledge and divesting what was no longer.

It’s therefore critical to remember that leadership changes; how a leader approaches priorities will change as the person evolves and aspires towards something different. Incorporating a roadmap to guide you means you shake off the overwhelm and put the dream into bitesize steps to become the reality.