New Responsibilities at the Second Leadership Level within a DAX 40 company.
The Starting Situation
Mr. Schmitt (name changed) had successfully passed an internal management audit and was promoted to the second leadership level, heading a business unit within a large corporation. However, the audit also brought clear weaknesses to light: he was not sufficiently able to win others over to his ideas. His personal impact suffered because he responded too cautiously and focused too heavily on the content side, leaving little room for genuine enthusiasm. When faced with resistance, he tended to look for a consensus-oriented solution rather than taking a clear stand and fighting appropriately for his own position. Mr. Schmitt was forty years old, married, and the father of three sons. He was decidedly self-critical and shaped by core moral values such as fairness, honesty, and humility.
The Goals
Mr. Schmitt wanted to come across as more assertive and dynamic in order to strengthen his personal impact. In conflict situations, he aimed to show more confidence in his own opinion and to advocate and defend it more clearly.
The Approach
In the very first half-day one-on-one session, it became clear that Mr. Schmitt found it difficult to take pride in his own successes. Out of sheer modesty, he did not allow himself to own his achievements and played them down instead. We worked on concrete topics from his professional context: together we prepared his inaugural speech and its persuasive delivery, prepared for difficult conversations and upcoming negotiations, and repeatedly reflected on Mr. Schmitt’s behaviour and the attitudes and beliefs underlying it. Together we examined what served him well and where he might, in part, be standing in his own way. He was, for instance, perfectly capable of advocating his own point of view energetically and convincingly – but only when it was a top personal priority for him. Through a shift in mindset, he learned to carry this persuasive behavior over into other situations as well.
By applying personality models to key counterparts in his professional context, Mr. Schmitt gained a better understanding of their reactions and learned to adapt to them more effectively – and thus to achieve his own goals more consistently.
Results
Mr. Schmitt gained noticeably in presence and dynamic impact. He reported on the reactions from those around him, which made him very proud.
Even his wife and sons noticed a positive change in him. For him, the sessions themselves remained a valuable opportunity to release current pressures and prepare for challenging situations. He perceptibly strengthened his own confidence by reflecting on his plans, behaviors, and ideas with a neutral partner who brings the relevant experience and expertise. A further outcome: follow-up engagements from the client and Mr. Schmitt’s personal recommendation to others.
Other Occasions for One-on-One Coaching
- Preparing for changed professional demands (e.g., after an organizational change such as a merger or restructuring, a promotion, a transfer, an internal audit or assessment centre) or for upcoming difficult situations, conflicts, power struggles, or negotiations
- Achieving concrete improvements in performance or behaviour, e.g., in conflict management, leadership, negotiation, internal politics, and more
- Taking stock of where you stand, planning your career, or reorienting yourself. Gaining clarity about your own potential and making more deliberate use of your personal strengths and weaknesses
- Navigating the tension between your professional and private life
- Looking for a critical, stimulating source of feedback and a sparring partner to reflect on current concerns and reduce stress
