Whether you’re new to the C-suite or established in your role, there will be times when you will benefit from a trusted partner to develop ideas with, in a collaborative exchange.
For those who have recently made that exciting next step on their career trajectory, there might be a need to level up in terms of leadership contribution. For example, you could be navigating new stakeholder relationships, while trying to establish your credentials leading teams who, until recently, were your peers.
More experienced leaders will face crossroads when they come up against particularly challenging situations and talking things through and getting a second opinion from a trusted confidante helps provide clarity regarding their strategic choices.
In both cases, a supportive and candid conversation with an experienced partner who has a clear understanding of the financial services industry allows the leader to step back from the day-to-day and do some deep thinking. This results in more incisive and effective decision-making, greater personal assurance and the potential to transform business performance.
Confidence and clarity
Conversations of this sort can help clarify what is going on for your business, for your team and (most importantly) for you and support you work towards finding more confidence in a well-thought course of action.
Of course, this type of relationship has existed in some form for millenia. The word mentor comes (quite literally) from Greek mythology when Odysseus appointed an old friend, Mentor, to watch over his son Telemachus. Some would consider Queen Elizabeth II to be the ultimate mentor as she held weekly meetings with every UK prime minister throughout her monarchy, offering an experienced ear, context and (very occasionally) a comment.
In a similar vein but with some obvious distinctions, the leadership advisory relationship performs the same function for modern day senior executives at the helm of their enterprises. A trusted sounding board offering a fresh perspective and informed insights can help solve complicated problems. In some ways, there are similarities with the sporting arena where elite performers have a number of specialist coaches focusing on different aspects of their endeavours to achieve peak performance when it matters.
Regular discussion with an expert can help develop self-awareness. We become able to more clearly identify our strengths and also the areas we can improve upon. The learning edge will differ between every leader but the next steps remain the same – now we know where there is room to grow, what will we do about it?
A worthwhile investment
The sporting similarities only stretch so far though. In business, we have to learn and perform simultaneously. We don’t have an off-season to prepare for the what is to come. So just the act of taking the time out within a tailored and sometimes robust conversational framework can help provide the breathing space that helps see old problems with new eyes. Taking this time to invest in your leadership skillset and decision making reaps rewards for the whole business now and into the future.
One client says partnering with a Goldcrest Partners leadership advisor “motivates me to implement impactful business outcomes. They ask provocative questions that guide me towards solutions that balance the needs of my business with those of my team.”
The client had confidence that our advisor “has a deep understanding of the obstacles faced by a leader and is able to share their past relevant experiences as they have worked in the same industry as me.
“They genuinely care about my success and the success of my team.”
While sharing your professional hopes and fears may seem daunting at first, there’s really nothing to lose and much to gain. Maybe now is the moment to take that next step.