Individual Alignment - Case Study

Aligning an Individual for Optimal Performance, Success and Personal Fulfillment

 

As the new Vice-President for worldwide channels and distribution for a publicly traded internet software company, Kristin's virtual team crossed multiple functional and geographic lines - sales, account management, marketing, legal and engineering. She wanted to gain clear understanding of what drove the various individuals within team so that she could support and mentor their individual professional goals, while positioning them to effectively support team.

Challenge:

Many of the individuals who were part of her team, actually reported to other leaders who managed their promotional track, compensation, and ongoing positions within the company. Kristin realized that all successful change (individually or collectively) begins with an individual's choice; and gaining clarity on what an individual needs and wants (short and long term) was the key in supporting and mentoring those choices. However, once discovered, she was operationally limited in what she could provide to certain individuals. The challenge was to continue to stimulate, inspire, motivate and support individuals while they were learning and potentially positioning themselves for transitions within/outside the current environment. One such individual was a high-performing, very astute member of her supporting legal team. This individual had assertive goals to grow and to gain skills which would serve her in the future.

Action steps:

• Creating the opportunity for heavy involvement of all aspects of program development, not just the legal aspects, to gain thorough understanding of the tenants behind channel program development.
• Inclusion in all meetings with other team members to gain visibility and awareness of team dynamics and subsequent leadership opportunities.
• Weekly, and often daily, coaching on issues, resolutions, strategies, and ongoing professional development opportunities.

Results:

The individual left the company after several years of gaining mastery of the legal and operational aspects of implementing a worldwide channels and indirect selling model. This experience positioned her to be recruited as General Counsel for another publicly traded company, which was a promotional step. In addition, her life long dream of living abroad and attaining bi-country legal licensing was achieved. Clarifying her desires and abilities gave her the courage to accept a challenging role, move abroad and realize her professional and personal potential. Her life continues to align in the directions she has chosen to achieve with her goals.