THE CONTEXT

M had worked at a respected biotech company, reporting to the same leader, for 12 years. When his longtime leader departed the organization, M was promoted into the role, which meant that he would be now leading his former peers while adjusting to a new manager with different expectations and a very different communication style. The company was experiencing considerable growth after going public, and M’s new leader wanted him to expand his focus beyond the scope of manufacturing, find his voice with new VP-level peers, and become a more decisive and influential leader. At the same time, M was feeling pressure from his former peers, who had great respect for him, to advocate for them by addressing issues they felt needed attention.

M’s new manager agreed to help him navigate this significant amount of change by investing in coaching. M interviewed three executive coaches and quickly chose Jennifer Olsen as the ideal fit for him.

“Jennifer has such high emotional intelligence and empathy. We definitely connected on those fronts. I’m an internal processor, and Jennifer had the patience to work with me and let me process things on my own time.”
- M, VP of Manufacturing

CLARIFYING THE VISION

M had a clear leadership style in mind, which he had not always seen modeled. He wanted to be calm, thoughtful, and a good listener, and he wanted to act proactively. He also wanted to balance what his team voiced as their needs with what was good for the company—to stay true to his own values while adjusting to a completely new level of corporate expectations and dynamics.

“For me, a lot of the coaching was about continuing to strengthen my communication skills. I believe that if you’re not a good communicator, you’re not going to be a good leader. You'll have to use authority as opposed to building understanding and trust with your team.“

PERSONALIZING THE PATH

Jennifer used the Integrative Enneagram assessment to help M better understand his communication and working style. The assessment identified M as a Style 5 - Quiet Specialist, who craves deep understanding. Going deeper, the assessment revealed M’s action style as Style 9 (Adaptive Peacemaker), which seeks to bring things into balance, and his feeling center as Style 2 (Considerate Helper). Jennifer drew from her personal experience to help M recognize the pressure he was putting on himself to bring things into balance for his team, and to help him develop new skills and strategies for helping his team thrive even when factors that were out of his control felt uncomfortable.

“The most interesting part of the Integrative Enneagram is when it talks about your weaknesses, and how to fill in the gaps. It’s so complex and detailed. It’s also really helpful because it helps you gain understanding of how other people work as well.”

CATALYZING GROWTH

Jennifer also shared some helpful tools and resources that helped M explore his feelings about “political savviness,” a concept he regarded with apprehension. She worked with him to not make assumptions about others’ intent, to ask more questions, and to approach challenging new situations and dynamics with more openness and less judgment.

“Jennifer's deep understanding of HR gave her valuable insight into how to navigate things institutionally, not just empathetically. That combination really worked for me.”

Over time, M became more skilled at listening, distinguishing perception from reality, and knowing the outcome he wanted from each meeting or interaction while being open to the outcome his colleagues needed. When he experienced conflict, Jennifer helped him cultivate a mindset of growth and possibility.

“Jennifer very nicely challenged me to not just accept that I would never change a person I was struggling to communicate with, but to continue to engage and try to get my points across. She helped me get outside my comfort zone and try.”

M has since moved on to a new executive role with a more entrepreneurial biotech company, and he has been able to draw from his coaching work with Jennifer to successfully adapt to new dynamics and personalities. His ability to more clearly identify his new colleagues’ tendencies and working styles helps him come up with ways to build strong relationships grounded in effective, empathetic communication.

“Jennifer has the ability to listen, empathize, and work with anybody—any type of client. And that’s a superpower. The ability to understand who you’re talking to, who you’re working with, and modify your approach is something I saw in Jennifer that I’m also trying to do.”