Reignited Passion & an Exit Strategy

Client Background

D, a high-achieving professional, had an illustrious career in a global multinational hospitality chain. Following a period of burnout, she decided to take a career break to explore her passions, values, and strengths to understand her true self and chart a more fulfilling career path.

Challenge

D took a Vice President role in a global multinational hospitality chain, running a regional team across Asia Pacific. Additionally, she wanted to support her team’s growth, align them with the organisation’s goals, and address any performance issues within her team.

Coaching Intervention

To address her challenges, D enrolled in an executive coaching programme with Suzanne to receive personalised support and guidance. The coaching process helped her delve deep into her personal values and motivational drivers, enabling her to identify her strengths and understand what made her thrive. D gained self-awareness of when she felt happiest and most effective, which laid the foundation for her future growth.

Phase 1: Team Development and Strategy

As D grew her regional team, she recognised the need for team development and shaping the regional strategy. D collaborated with Polaris, to facilitate 7 team development sessions over 4 years. These sessions focused on building strong relationships, defining the team’s vision, mission, and values while aligning them with the organisation’s objectives. The team also learned to set priorities, build relationships, and foster a cohesive and productive work environment.

Phase 2: Developing Future Leaders

D was keen on nurturing her team leads for their next career progression, using succession planning as part of her exit strategy. To facilitate this growth, she engaged Polaris to provide personalised leadership coaching programmes for three of her leaders. The coaching intervention aimed to empower these leaders with a step-change in their leadership abilities, enabling them to meet their career aspirations and contribute effectively to the organisation.

Phase 3: Addressing Performance Issues

In the course of her leadership journey, D encountered a director in her team who was not performing as expected. Recognizing the potential in the individual and acknowledging the need for improvement, D sought Polaris’ expertise to support this director’s growth.

The director underwent a process that included a profiling assessment tool, a 360-degree feedback process, and individual coaching. This approach aimed to identify areas of improvement and foster professional growth through a personalised personal development plan.

Phase 4: Transition and Personal Growth

After shaping her regional team and strategy and successfully developing her team leads to position them for succession, D made the decision to leave her role. During her exit, she facilitated the promotion of one of her direct reports as her replacement, while the other two were promoted to lead the sub-regions. To navigate her new chapter in life, D sought personal coaching to empower her growth and ensure a smooth transition.

Outcome

Through the coaching interventions and personal and professional development initiatives, D experienced significant growth and transformation. She regained her confidence and navigated her role as Vice President with ease, fostering a strong and cohesive regional team.

D’s commitment to developing her team’s leadership skills led to the promotion of her team members, highlighting her impact as a leader. Additionally, the support provided by Polaris in addressing the performance issues of a director demonstrated the efficacy of targeted coaching interventions.

“My partnership with Suzanne has been one of the most valuable investments I have made in my career – both personally and for the larger organization. I highly recommend her as a personal executive coach as well as a business partner and trusted advisor in leadership and team training and development.”

D.