The Opportunity
John Azar (fictional name used due to VIM’s adherence to strict confidentiality), a 39-year-old senior director at a prestigious technology company came to VIM, feeling stuck in his role and undervalued for his skills and contributions. John wanted to advance into a higher leadership position where his work would be recognized, his compensation aligned with his impact, and his opportunities to collaborate expanded. At the same time, maintaining a healthy work–life balance and prioritizing his family remained a high priority. More than just a new role, John was seeking clarity—where he was in his career, where he wanted to go, and how to chart a path forward. That’s where our work together began.
The Challenge
Our VIM confidential assessment process, including our in-depth assessment interviews, confirmed that John had an exceptionally high IQ and technical expertise. However, his emotional intelligence (EQ) lagged well behind his intellectual strengths. This imbalance was limiting his ability to advance, as his identity had become closely tied to being an exceptional engineer, rather than an expansive leader. As a result, John felt stuck in his career path.
The Process
We recognized that John’s challenge was complex and required a dual focus: strengthening his emotional intelligence (EQ) and nurturing his curiosity about new opportunities. We began by building clarity and self-awareness. The more John understood himself, the more choices he would see available to him. Through weekly coaching sessions, supported by targeted VIM exercises, John worked to deepen his self-awareness and reflect on how his emotions influenced both his work and how others perceived him.
In short order, John began developing a stronger connection to his authentic self, and his perspectives began to shift. With his growing foundation of clarity and confidence, we decided that he was ready to begin exploring new possibilities for his career path. We introduced John to our VIM Mind Mapping process that was specifically designed for his needs. Our strategy was to integrate Mind Mapping with the self-awareness exercises.
The Transformation
As we continued our work on the self-awareness exercises and Mind Mapping, John’s self-awareness grew exponentially. He began to understand how to better navigate his communications and relationships with far greater effectiveness — not only with his CEO, but also with peers and team members throughout the organization.
What Changed Everything
As John began to recognize that his leadership team and colleagues were seeing him in a new light, his confidence grew. With this renewed perspective, he realized there were meaningful and attainable opportunities for growth within his current company. Rather than seeking a new role elsewhere, he made the decision to commit and persevere with his current endeavor, and to pause the idea of moving on to a different company.
The Result
“With VIM coaching I gained self-awareness, which helped me see how I was being perceived by others, especially the leadership of my company. It also gave me clarity of what I truly value. Mind mapping helped me see beyond the confines of my linear thinking to create a vision for both my career and personal life. I now see my opportunities within my firm in ways I hadn’t before.”
— John Azar