Wound-up exec

Phone call yesterday, senior software exec who just got a promotion and pay raise to run an AP sales division, doing what he likes to do..The promotion came from his old boss in the US, new boss in Asia doesn’t seem as keen in letting him run the division, wants to get more involved with the day-to-day than this exec wants.

But my friend the exec does not know how to work his relationship with his new boss, and every time I ask him what he’s going to do to build his rapport and credibility, he chuckles. Every time, and always responds that he has been so busy he has not had time to think about what he’s going to actually say or present to him. And his backup plan? Looks through the industry ads, sends his CV back to places in the US, and has telephone calls with them..

My exec friend is on the edge of having a latent crisis in work, but doesn’t see it—how could he? I suggested he use his old boss as his strategically before he makes his case to his new boss. He said that sounded like a good idea, and was thinking about doing just that.. And chuckled again, thanking me for confirming what he thought he should be doing.

He could use some 1:1 coaching now—two years ago, but he will soldier on, and may do so for a while, but is so tightly wound.. and has no idea how wound up he is..

Coaching can peel back the feelings, and no one in a company cares about his feelings—that is not what you’re paid for.. But that is precisely the moment a coach can help.. If they understand.