The Opportunity
Sam Whittaker, a veteran dealmaker and CEO, had recently been cautioned by the Board of his company following a series of questionable decisions that cost the company significant sums and opportunities. Since this was out of character for Sam, the Board prudently decided to recommend that Sam consider executive coaching support through VIM.
The Challenge
From our initial meetings it became clear that Sam had become a victim of his own serial successes, having relied (and perhaps rested) too heavily upon an impressive toolkit and approach that had generally worked well for him in his prior roles as a producer and dealmaker. Those tools and outdated methodologies, however, were insufficient to meet Sam’s current and more expansive responsibilities as CEO. Something had to transform quickly, and that something was Sam. Fortunately, Sam was a mature leader who accepted ultimate responsibility for his company’s success, and he approached VIM’s process of self-discovery as an opportunity for valuable learning and growth.
The Process
Given that Sam was a smart, seasoned executive who was willing to study his patterns and engage in self-reflection, we agreed to meet weekly for several months, work the VIM process, study which of his habits and tools were still working for him and which were getting in his way, and to assess the results together. We agreed to dive right in to VIM’s core exercises on Honesty, Self-Worth, Fear, Emotional Boundaries, and Accessibility. We also wove in the supplementary exercises on the influences of positive and negative Energy and how we can harness, direct and, when necessary, insulate ourselves from those powerful forces which can greatly affect our clarity, focus, creativity, and attitude. As Sam’s coach, I assured him that while we were going to do a lot of self-examination, the goal wasn’t to change Sam but simply to awaken his self-awareness to invoke the best version of himself, one he could admire, value, and personify for the rest of his life. That internal shift would be the catalyst for success not only in Sam’s business, but also in his professional and personal relationships, including the essential relationship Sam had with himself. Sam was thrilled that the work we would be doing would yield results holistically in his business and his personal life.
The Transformation
Right from the start, Sam began to notice positive changes in himself and his demeanor. He experienced more patience and calm, and he felt less reactive. Sam’s signature clarity, sharp and sustained focus, and compassion for himself and his teams also promptly returned. Sam’s confidence increased, and he felt more engaged and was enjoying his work and his life again. Those gains naturally boosted Sam’s energy, and his trust in our work deepened.
What Changed Everything
Through our work together, Sam and I were able to identify patterns and habits that Sam had adopted throughout his career, some of which had enhanced him and some clearly had held him back. For example, as a type-A high achiever, Sam had learned to become self-reliant, but he realized that not all top performers develop and mature this way. Sam could see how some individuals on his leadership team needed more personal support and mentoring, and how he could supply that for them, each at a pace that was uniquely comfortable for them. Through completing the VIM exercise on Control, Sam also saw the limitations around his style of control, which had him taking on too much responsibility himself, both to shield others and to achieve results more quickly but which had the corollary effect of enabling his people and depriving them of the essential opportunity for growth, accountability, self-confidence, and development of one’s own style. In the process, Sam found a new appreciation for his key people, how their minds worked, and even how their way up the mountain sometimes proved more efficient than his own. Mainly what Sam has derived from the process and our work together (we are still meeting weekly after several years), is a more effective embodiment of his role as CEO—as a high level mentor, supporter, and coach rather than a principal player—which frees him up to be more strategic and to conduct key top-to-top meetings with essential stakeholders and prospects, qualities that have always served Sam and his success.
“This work changed my life and restored my approach to life. I remembered what I truly care about, and everything that I like about myself and the people I work with”
—Sam Whittaker, CEO