From Chief of Staff to CEO
SITUATION
MISSION
A large, highly successful family-owned company with a CEO with a great deal of experience in the industry who is not a member of the family, and a chairman of the supervisory board who, as the grandson of the company’s founder, is a major shareholder but has significantly less operational experience in the industry.
The top executive we accompany (then Chief of Staff) must manage the challenging balance between the ideas and approaches of these two key people. In this role, he is unable to discuss significant issues that concern him in shaping his role with other individuals on the Executive Committee or Supervisory Board. This is where an Executive Advisor comes in, to be a trusted partner for this top executive.
IMPACT
The top executive performs his assigned tasks effectively, despite significant pitfalls and demanding challenges. Two years later, following a change in the strategic direction of the company and the separation from the previous CEO, he is appointed as the new CEO by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
APPROACH
After a few face-to-face meetings, the decision is made to collect feedback from various key people about the top executive, his actions and his impact. Confidential conversations are organized, guided by a semi-structured set of questions, leaving room to set individual accents in the conversation. The confidential report of these interviews is discussed in order to determine focal points for further work, which takes place regularly in face-to-face or virtual meetings and is accompanied by our usual quality assurance. During this process, one of our Managing Partners speaks with the top executive about the impact of our work and provides detailed feedback to the Executive Advisor working on the mandate, which is incorporated into his work with the top Executive.
New external CEO for global financial services firm
SITUATION
MISSION
Global financial services firm opts for external CEO candidate from abroad. The new CEO is taking on a global CEO role for the first time and has never worked in the country of the financial services firm’s headquarters.
Preparation for ‘First Time CEO’ role as well as specifics of the organization and the culture and characteristics of the main location.
IMPACT
Quick efficient onboarding into new role, accelerated top team alignment, timely personnel decisions, positive feedback on direction and energy of CEO and top team from all stakeholders, positive feedback from investor community.
APPROACH
Discussion of ‘BIG 6’ issues for new CEOs (including local specifics / culture / legal specifics, strategy, top team, stakeholders, etc.). Development Plan 1-30-90-180 days, planning first board offsite / top team alignment.
Human resources manager promoted to CHRO
SITUATION
MISSION
In a global media group, one of the HR executives is promoted to the position of Chief Human Resources Officer. The ‘Human Resources’ department now becomes a separate board area.
Fast track into new global leadership role, defining duties and role as ‘First Time ExCo Member/CHRO’.
IMPACT
Quick assessment of new role, efficiently and effectively developing HR centrally and globally, developing a powerful HR team.
APPROACH
Discussion of top topics for new ExCo members from role to team to HR strategy and HR IT/digitization. Preparation for first 6 months with action plan and milestones. Meeting and role discussion as ‘ExCo member’ and as ‘supervisor’ of previous peers; stakeholder management; defining mission, focus, basics and beacons.
Implementation of Group strategy
SITUATION
MISSION
A leader in its industry appoints a new, carefully selected, and consciously groo- med CEO from within. His predecessor as CEO keeps the role of Chair of the Supervisory Board, and the executive committee remains largely unchanged. The new CEO wants to set the tone and get his CEO – ship off to a flying start.
The new CEO has asked us to prepare a facilitated two-day offsite for the entire executive committee (10+ members). He wants the executive committee to rally behind him, and he wants for every individual member to build their awareness of their impact and how they can best contribute to the success of the group – in their own areas of responsibility, and also as a member of the executive committee.
IMPACT
The executive committee rally behind the new CEO and collectively set the tone for how they are going to implement the strategy for their group. The long-standing members of the executive committee develop an even deeper appreciation for one another, while the more recent members commented that “this was the best onboarding into the executive committee that we could have hoped for”. It was the first face to face executive committee meeting for three of them, due to the global pandemic. The feedback from the CEO on the next day was this: On my way back from our offsite, I want to send you my greatest appreciation for preparing and supporting the 2-day seminar we just had. Please extend my thanks to your colleague who also did a great job. Your “duet” worked perfectly! I was impressed by how smooth was (apparently) the journey during the 2 days. Clearly, all your work behind the scenes and your “finesse” in adapting the agenda and setting the tempo were instrumental. It was a success and you made it possible!
APPROACH
Based on a curated set of questions, we have interviewed each member of the executive committee and have created a confidential report for the CEO and the CHRO – to develop the agenda for the two- day offsite. This same report is later shared with the entire executive committee. Every member is asked to come to the workshop with their own analysis of this report. In addition, every member completes the “Five dysfunctions of a team” survey and a Hogan assessment, which is debriefed individually by a qualified executive coach not present at the workshop. The first workshop day is started by an activity to set the tone and the energy for the conversation. Then the findings from the pre-workshop interviews are discussed, and initial conclusions are drawn. These findings are then compared to the results of the “Five dysfunctions of a team” survey, and implications are discussed. An activity break follows for a game of pétanque before dinner is served. The second workshop day starts with a reflection on day one and is followed by a discussion of the impressions gleaned from the individual Hogan assessment debrief conversations. The CEO goes first and sets the very open tone for the conversation that includes several powerful a-ha moments. The day continues with a series of 1:1 conversations and a discussion of the main priorities for the executive committee going forward. Agreements are made for how members of the executive committee are going to interact and work with each other going forward. After an in-the- moment feedback session, the executive committee adjourn before gathering for a farewell dinner for the previous CEO.
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