case study
Partner of a Consulting Firm Negotiated Her Role and Reclaimed Her Power
Summary
A highly committed and hardworking parter of a leading consulting company felt taken for granted. She was struggling to navigate politically-charged environment where her boundaries were trespassed. During the coaching she discovered the source of her problem and reclaimed her power and established herself as a credible leader.
Situation
SS joined the company right after its incorporation. Considering her subject matter expertise and commitment towards the organisation she was assigned to lead the content and research function and was designated as Co-founder.
With time the company grew and power dynamics changed with new entrants. Although the CEO admired her conributions but that did not reflect on her pay slip, plus her role was marginalised. Every time she raised the issue, the matter was deferred and she was filled with frustration about her inablity to handle the situation.
Problem
When SS approached us, we sensed that she was filled with self doubt, lacked conviction and objectivity and was unable to express herself confidently.
As a result she was taken for granted by the seniors and co-workers. Although, she was admired by her reportees, her work area was trespassed by peers frequently. SS’s compensation was lower than peers with justification that she served in support services. The sales was the highly valued and when she expressed her desire to get into sales, she was sidelined.
Intervention
We began with Presence and Communication Assessment, where SS realised the factors coming in the way to her positioning and growth. She acknowledged the need to work on her communication and executive presence. To address these gaps, we implemented a multi-faceted intervention plan that included:
- Mental fitness training
- Support group sessions
- One-on-one coaching
- Visual and Vocal Communication Development
Through mental fitness training, we helped SS identify and intercept disempowering thoughts, replacing them with an empowering mindset. A safe group environment allowed him to candidly discuss his challenges and receive ongoing support from a coach.
We monitored SS’ mental fitness journey closely, providing additional assistance whenever she faced setbacks. Gradually she mastered her emotional intelligence and got the frameworks to lead difficult conversations.
She was taken through the journey or rigorous contextual listening skills, and leading with questions. She learnt how to frame the questions based on timing, context and superiority. Later she was coached on the frameworks for delegation, negotiation, creating space for vulnerability and leading with courage.
Breakthrough
As she practised the new way of operating at work, she noticed her perception changing. Now, she proactively started contributing beyond her area of work including sales. Her perception about selling changed and she adapted the approach based on her values and closed a few sales deals. The CEO was awestruck with her shift and her role expanded beyond research. SS had a candid conversation about how she felt about compensation and she managed to negotiate her compensation to suit her contribution.
SS continues be a star performer in the company and her chemistry with the CEO is better than ever.