Leadership

Situation

A new Business Unit Leader in a mid-size consulting firm was a gregarious people-person. He had risen quickly through the ranks due to his skill at landing large clients and expanding these mandates over time. While he knew how to effectively engage a team of employees and produce quality work, he had never led a very senior group of partners. He felt that he had the right instincts but needed a sounding board to sort out and prioritize his plans.

Our approach

• Interviewed his team to assess his strengths and opportunities, and to learn more about the personalities of team members
• Administered a Birkman and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI); and spent time with him to learn more about the business and discuss his strategy.
• Worked with him to establish clear development objectives and a plan for his first 100 days in the role
• Attended a team meeting and provided constructive feedback to him
• Met regularly to discuss progress towards objectives, and remained on call for him to work through issues as needed

Results

• Our client is focused, has a clear plan for his team and business unit, and has earned the trust of his team members.
• He feels supported, calm and confident about his plans.
• He identifies and deals with issues effectively and in a timely fashion.
• He has seen significant improvements in productivity and communication in his business unit.
• He has doubled the size of his business.
• He is in line to be promoted to an even more senior role.