Successful leadership in collaborative organizations

How I deliver strong results, master new types of expertise, and recognised that my behaviour counts

Since day one at my previous employer, my supervisor noticed that I consistently and significantly outperformed my peer group…

in a variety of settings and circumstances. While achieving these superior levels of performance, I exhibited behaviours that reflect my previous employer’s culture and values in an exemplary manner. Moreover, I showed a strong capacity to grow and succeed throughout my career. My supervisor said that I always (1) delivered strong results, (2) mastered new types of expertise, and (3) recognised that my behaviour counts.

1. In my customer engagements, I performed with distinction and my results came never at the expense of someone else. I also proved my credibility.

An example of these happened when in addition to me delivering strong results on three C-suite engagements simultaneously, I built trust and confidence among my customers and, thereby, influenced a wide array of senior stakeholders.

When my supervisors offered me three stretch customer assignments at the same time — I accepted it. My supervisors knew that my biggest challenge was to gain credibility. The three teams where accustomed to running their own show, so I figured I would fail if I could not get the global team on my side. I resolved to make helping my new senior stakeholders a priority. In my first three weeks, I focused on achieving small wins on issues that had long been thorns in the senior managers’ sides. As my supervisors had predicted, I gained a reputation as a problem solver. My supervisors knew that I was ready for bigger challenges and double-promoted me.

2. What impressed them about me is how quickly I mastered new types of expertise.

As I progressed, I broadened my expertise by managing larger C-suite teams and complex positions. That required me to exercise influence despite having limited formal authority.

An example of these happened when in addition to me being one exceptionally talented Engagement Manager, my supervisors put me in charge of a 23 persons team to manage the development of the new market entry strategy together with the customer CEO. Despite the challenge to influence the large global virtual team, I managed the complex CDD to go through with the bank’s largest expansions on record.

3. I recognised that behaviour counts.

My supervisor was astonished as I demonstrated a behavioural shift from “fit and affiliation“ to being a role model and teacher.

An example of these happened, when the rise of me to the future partner ranks of my previous employer was due in large part to my role-model qualities. My supervisors placed me in charge of the strategy of the firm’s troubled business unit whose sales were in a multiyear downward slide. Within the first months in my new internal assignment, I led my colleagues team to grow product sales by 15 percent. My supervisor emphasised my ability to win people over. What exited my supervisors was that I helped my peers succeed rather than threatening them. They said that I was a role model for my previous employer.

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