COO coaching to aid role transition and fuel professional growth

The individual was a highly regarded and valued member of the organisation with strong support for their promotion to COO. It was recognised that the new role came with expanded authority and responsibilities which would require new leadership capabilities to execute well. Subject matter expertise and personal leadership style were strengths. However, senior executive presence and a more developed strategic perspective were the areas of COO coaching development.

A Goldcrest coach with considerable experience working with COOs engaged with the client. The engagement was for a 6-month term to support the individual with their transition. Initially, the assignment began with an alignment meeting with the CEO and outgoing-COO. The meeting helped understand the organisational context, individual development areas and desired outcomes. The Hogan personality psychometric was then used to generate self-awareness and combined with an extensive round of 360 feedback. As a result, it was possible to identify strengths and development areas. These insights were the foundation for a leadership development plan. The plan was presented to the organisational sponsors and put into practice by the coachee.

Following our engagement, the individual has successfully transitioned into the COO role, achieved SMCR approval and continues to develop the senior leadership skills and strategic perspective of an Executive Committee member.