About 9 months ago, a client asked if I’d work with one of their senior leaders who was in a new and bigger role and was struggling.  Execution was slow, chatter in the system was high, and team morale was dwindling.

Having wrapped just recently, I’d like to share some learnings and observations:

• Most situations are not as complex as we make them, nor are their remedies. It’s the proper identification of the problems and the execution of their solutions — doing things differently — that moves the needle.  Which takes energy, stamina, hope, measurement, and accountability.
• Stakeholder management is among the top priorities for senior leaders.   Whether it’s a CEO’s Board or the peers across an executive’s organization, understanding who those people are and how to nourish and manage those relationships is truly crucial.  An inability or lack of awareness of this is lethal.  Relationships matter in business.  A lot.
• Getting out in front, anticipating, does, as well.
• When landing in a new and bigger and more responsible role, the fundamentals don’t change – knowing your greatest value and delivering on it, identifying and managing said stakeholders, building greater and better teams, as examples – but the spotlight and pressure, do.
• Being open to what we don’t know makes us better leaders. The best, actually.
• Telling the truth to a client in a compassionate and helpful way is an art form that is worth every minute practicing it, over and over again. Do it well, and you set someone up for powerful change that has the potential to ripple out everyone and everything.

For more on working with me directly to elevate your performance or your team’s drop me a note: sarah@sarah-levitt.com

Stay tuned for ways of working together, some brand new.  Coming soon.