It's lonely at the top, and often leaders or successors benefit from having a confidante and coach with an objective point of view. Leaders may be searching for ways to create more meaning in their lives. Successors may be "diamonds in the rough" who need some guidance and refining.

Every human being has a "bright side" and a "dark side". The bright side of personality gets you what you want, and the dark side gets in the way of what you want. Often the dark side is hidden from view; you don't know what you don't know. A  360 team evaluation utilizing feedback from others allows insight about one's reputation.  Leadership assessments can  be used to identify growth opportunities or areas which are likely to lead to executive derailment. Executive derailers  underlie conflict and executive failure.

Assessment is the first step, coaching the second. With the assessment results, we work together to capitalize on "bright side" characteristics, and mitigate the risk of "dark side" derailers. Assesment results are correlated with leadership competencies needed for high performance for the executive or successor. Over time, some skills are enhanced, some inneffective coping behaviors improved which leads to highler life satisfaction and  better relationships.

Coaching Story

After testing all members of a family it became clear that the culture was one in which people were overly agreeable  on the surface  yet individuals seemed to have  hidden agendas Outwardly everyone looked like they were onboard with decisions and there was little apparent conflict. However, through repeated complaints and eruptions over seemingly insignificant issues, it became clear that people had hidden expectations of future roles and strategy for the company. This was clearly not a sustainable family culture.

Through assessment, honest feedback and coaching, family members came to see the negative potential of these personal agendas and found the courage to speak the truth to each other.. Each individual came to know his/her true gifts and challenges and the implications in their personal and professional life. Some career planning was done, some common goals and strategies for the future articulated, and Thanksgiving dinner became enjoyable again.

After testing all members of a family it became clear that the culture was one of being overly agreeable with each other on the surface, yet having individual hidden agendas. Outwardly everyone looked like they were onboard with decisions and there was little apparent conflict. However, through repeated eruptions of conflict over seemingly insignificant issues, it became clear that people had hidden expectations of future roles and strategy for the company. This wsas a time-bomb waiting to explode 10, 20 or 30 years down the road.

Through assessment, honest feedback and coaching, family members came to see the negative potential of these personal agendas. Each individual came to know their true gifts and true challenges and the implications for them personally, for the leadership team, and for the family. Getting the right people in the right roles was critical for the long-term success of the business.