Leading effectively in a new culture

I was hired as the sales manager of a small but rapidly growing software company. Although I’d held the same role in another organization, the challenges I was facing in this lean, competitive, highly entrepreneurial culture were new. I was charged with building a sales team from scratch and was given both more flexibility and accountability than I was accustomed to. The expectations about what I could accomplish were high and, while the opportunity excited me, I also felt daunted by the responsibility.

After gaining a thorough understanding of my mandate and the dynamics of the broader organization, Eden undertook a realistic assessment of my strengths and weaknesses as a manager. She was able to help me see how my management style and personality were impacting my relationships at work and, ultimately, my effectiveness. Together, we developed a plan to leverage my best assets, which included creativity, big-picture thinking and a highly collaborative work style. We also pinpointed skills and qualities I would benefit from developing further, including specific behaviors that allowed others to see me as a leader rather than a player/coach, as well as better time-management practices. As a final project, we developed a one-year plan with concrete steps.

OUTCOMES

My work with Eden gave me a clearer understanding of my personal and professional priorities. I also felt more confident about my ability to lead. Several months later, our company closed the books on one of its best years yet – nearly doubling our annual revenue — and my team and I were recognized for our significant contribution to that achievement. I feel very fortunate to have had Eden as my coach through a challenging career transition.

– Sales manager, portfolio management software company