Another outstanding result of my coaching includes a successful corporate restructuring that one of my clients was leading. I helped him to focus on the company’s purpose and figure out a way to support the restructure with a communication strategy that aligned with the organization’s vision and culture.
Another wonderful example I remember is a strategic solution a CEO was able to build by working with me. He created a new vision for his company and aligned it with a strategic roadmap. As a result, the global company went from being completely sales-channel oriented to something far more customer-centric, where consumer experience encompasses every aspect of the company’s offering.
What would be your biggest piece of advice for readers who want to achieve the same?
Always remind yourself to maintain a positive outlook and look for solutions. And, if you’re already a leader, don’t strive solely to make plans and solve problems. Instead, focus on creating opportunities for your teams to develop and thrive by hiring exciting new talent and exercising your leadership influence.
Also, find a business mentor in the early stages of your career and then, as you become a leader, work with a coach. This will help you to grow both personally and professionally, all the while proactively investing in your own learning and development.
Remember that it can be lonely at the top. And, if you’re anything like my clients, you have everyone’s back. But who’s got yours?
What are the biggest mistakes you see people make and how can they be avoided?
Usually, in the early stages of leadership, career professionals are prevented from making the sort of impact they would like to because of their limiting beliefs. I’ve worked with a lot of clients who are new to CEO and executive roles to help them overcome this challenge, and I’ve found that they have to understand two crucial things to avoid stress.
One: they don’t need to change everything at once, and two: to change anything at all, they need to build trust with their (executive) teams. They can do so by being attentive and showing appreciation and humanity at all times.
Then, at the senior stage of a leader’s career, high-powered and successful clients often don’t realize that what got them to where they are now will not necessarily get them to the next stage. They need to do things differently, and this can require a huge change in their life or leadership style.
How do you plan on further growing your business?
I grow with my clients. The more successful they are, the more I grow in terms of what I learn and what I can offer to others. I also find that I need to do two things to continue growing at the rate that I currently am:
- Always find time to learn, from colleagues, competitors, friends, and children, and;
- To never forget to manage my energy and not my time. This can be done by implementing helpful daily routines and paying attention to activities that create stress or discomfort.
I remind myself of these two pieces of advice often, and I share them with everyone who reaches out to work with me, too.
So, what this all adds up to is the fact that, first and foremost, I feel I need to grow individually, as a person, an entrepreneur, and a coach. That’s why I surround myself with people who can challenge my business ideas, help me learn new things, and create new habits.
It’s also important to mention that the people I have around me are not just my colleagues and other successful entrepreneurs, but my own coach, too. I truly believe that having a coach in my line of work is a necessity, because if I don’t invest in my own development and growth, why should you invest in working with me?
Where can the readers find you?
You can reach out to me on my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonaspilak/, or learn more about me on my website: www.simonaspilak.com.
