The Situation: Hindered by Communication Problems

The CIO of a global retailer demonstrated great technical proficiency, but was experiencing issues in his team regarding communication and retention. When a major strategic technology initiative was launched, the team's persistent vulnerabilities limited the effectiveness of the change process. The organization decided to invest in an executive coach to improve the CIO's leadership effectiveness of both his immediate team and among the global divisional leaders.

Our Approach: The Four Stage AIIR Process

AIIR’s comprehensive assessment phase gave the CIO insight into his managerial and communication habits that needed improvement. He also became aware of some unique cultural differences between his own cultural background and his parent company’s predominant culture. Deep insight into these areas enabled the CIO and his coach to create a Strategic Development Plan that reflected the organization’s business priorities. Over the course of six months, the CTO received one-to-one executive coaching to help implement the Strategic Development Plan.

Results Achieved: Leadership Effectiveness and Record Performance

Throughout coaching, the leader was able to reconcile the cultural differences surfaced during the assessment phase. He also worked to improve his communication style to be more clear and culturally sensitive. At the conclusion of the engagement, stakeholders and members of the CIO's team unanimously agreed that the CIO made substantial improvements in his leadership style, leading to:

  • Increased engagement
  • Higher team retention
  • More agile decision making