CEO National Coaching Register  - Case Histories - Blindspots

These are abbreviated conversations - from some hours of discussion - to illustrate key decision moments. Based on real cases with changed detail to preserve confidentiality

'A  Narrow Boat business is my only choice'

 The 42-year old MD came in head down, dejected and miserable. 

 “I have been fired by the Group CEO who has beaten me up emotionally for three years.  I will never get another job and have decided the only thing I can do is to buy a business so I don’t have any bosses to answer to again.” I have been looking at a narrow boat business in Shropshire. Its my only choice.  I can buy it for £60k and it has an income of £20k pa, which I would try and build up.

The coach uses carefully sculptured words here in a format that is known as an 'intervention'  Frequently it is just a one sentence question

MD, nearly in tears:  I was earning £120k a year including full bonus.  My wife is refusing to move from Essex and is going to go back to work because we need £50k pa and I would run the narrow boat business from Shropshire.  It’s all I can think of to do now.  I know my professional career is ruined.

Coach intervention

MD:  I took the division from £20m pa turnover to £35m pa, which was just ahead of targets for the three years.  I took it from £1m loss to £2m profit, which was also ahead of targets, so I got maximum bonuses.  But the CEO said that I had completely under-performed and for three years he was telling me that.  He was just driven to over-achieve and I am the last of the divisional MDs of five to survive.  All the rest have been fired like me now. 

 Coach intervention

MD, looks puzzled:  Well, no I suppose not ..........  I have been so beaten up by my CEO I can’t be objective any more.

 Coach intervention

The MD smiled and then suddenly brightened noticeably.  His body shot erect.  'I would have said how well I was doing and how pleased I was with me.  I would have been really delighted to have had me as a divisional MD being so successful!

He looked at the coach in amazement.  “Actually, what he was saying about me was not the truth at all, was it?  It was merely his jaundiced over-driven behaviour.  But three years of it got me down. Actually I was a success in every way wasn’t I?

Coach intervention

 MD:  I know I have got a good name but I just believed the CEO and knew I would let myself down in interview worrying what they would think about someone who had been fired  I don’t feel like that at all now.  I did not dare to try for any jobs but I am going to now. 

Four months later the MD reported that he had a new job as MD  in the same sector with £45m turnover, a higher basic of £105k and a potential bonus of £50k. 2 years later he reported that he had increased sales to £63m and doubled profit.

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