Here is a case study of how Leading Minds had a positive impact on the life of an executive working in the healthcare industry.
Case Study: Healthcare Industry
A C-suite leader in a large healthcare organization was increasingly fearful about the incoming CEO, who had a reputation for being an intimidating taskmaster and micromanager.
This leader, whom I had been coaching for a few months, kept saying nervously, “I don’t know what it’s going to be like to work for this new CEO.” Despite being a high-performing executive who thought logically and strategically about key challenges, her thinking fragmented around the stress of this new CEO. She was preoccupied and distracted throughout the day.
In the middle of a session where she was struggling mightily with this issue and expressing the same worry, I suggested we both write down and read her repetitive statement: “I don’t know what it’s going to be like to work for this new CEO.” I noticed and pointed out to her that there was one word in this sentence that might be the root of her difficulty. She read the sentence carefully and wasn’t sure what I meant at first. I told her that the word I had in mind was a preposition.
She reread the sentence carefully and I saw a lightbulb go off in her. She knowingly smiled and said that she would need to get rid of the word “for” and replace it with something more productive. Chuckling now, she said, “How about work around him?!” We both laughed, and then she moved on to say, “I get it — I need to work with him.”
Her insight led to a cascade of changes. The stress lightened, and her shoulders relaxed. She noted that he’s new to the organization, and it must be overwhelming to assume the CEO role as an outsider. Upon my asking what she can do based on this insight, she decided to email him a welcome note and offer to meet for coffee to understand how she could support his entry as CEO. He responded positively. This led to a productive series of weekly one-to-one discussions, in which they strategized effectively about the organization’s growth opportunities.
The cognitive shift that my client experienced — merely a one-word change from “for” to “with” — came to define the resounding success of her six-month coaching engagement. It revealed how a seemingly small mindset shift can empower major leaps forward in leadership capacity, influence, and collaboration.
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