Case Study: new leadership transition

SITUATION

 

Financial Institution had appointed a new President, NewCEO, to lead one of its business units. The leadership team was already well-established, and the company wanted to ensure a smooth transition for the new leader. The goal was to accelerate NewCEO’s integration, align team expectations, and set the foundation for high performance. FinancialInstitution’s HR team had internal resources but wanted an external expert to facilitate this transition while allowing their internal HR leader to fully participate in the process.

 

SOLUTION

 

To support NewCEO’s transition, we designed a tailored coaching and facilitation process:

1. One-on-One Coaching: We provided structured executive coaching to NewCEO, focusing on leadership competencies, team alignment, and business integration.

2. 360 Assessment & Feedback: We conducted an assessment to gather insights on NewCEO’s leadership style and how they could best align with the existing team.

3. New Leader Transition Meeting: We facilitated a full-day session with the executive team to define expectations, address concerns, and establish shared norms for collaboration.

4. Freedom Scale Exercise: We introduced a structured tool to clarify decision-making authority within the team, ensuring alignment on accountability and autonomy.

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Through this structured approach, we created a concrete and actionable roadmap to shorten the learning curve for both NewCEO and the team.

 

RESULT

 

NewCEO successfully navigated their transition into the organization with strong alignment from their team. The facilitated discussions fostered open communication, allowing team members to voice their expectations while NewCEO clarified their leadership vision.

• The executive team felt heard and engaged, strengthening trust and collaboration. They agreed on four areas of focus with the new leader for their high performance efforts over the next two quarters.

• NewCEO gained a clear understanding of team dynamics, enabling them to lead with confidence.

• The Freedom Scale Exercise clarified decision-making, reducing ambiguity in roles and responsibilities.

• The unit’s strategic priorities were aligned, ensuring a unified direction for future growth.

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FOLLOW-UP

 

NewCEO continues to benefit from executive coaching, with ongoing support to refine their leadership approach and address real-time challenges. The leadership team is now more cohesive, with clearer expectations and improved communication. Financial Institution’s investment in this transition process has resulted in a stronger, more engaged executive team, setting the stage for long-term success.