We’re Not in Kansas Anymore

October 30, 2024

By Dave Bushy, PCC

You’ve finally made it to the C-Suite.  You now run a major division of the company and routinely meet with the other leaders of their respective areas.

You’ve arrived.  You are now part of the “Exec Crew,” “ExCom,” or whatever heady title might fit.

But wait –  something is changed on this team versus any others of which you’ve been a part.  Something you can’t quite name.  A role that is markedly different.  Interactions between each C-level leader seem more nuanced and, oddly, perhaps a bit guarded.  An atmosphere and culture that makes you feel out of place even while sitting in the room.

You begin to realize that you now reside amongst all the senior leaders of the company and this is where the big decisions get kicked upstairs to be made.  Your deliberations have more weight and even the small moves you and your colleagues make can have a hugely disproportionate effect than they have had in previous roles. 

Headiness gives way to discomfort and then some real concern.  You feel squeamish and maybe real fear. The buck has stopped with you and you feel like squirming in your expensive office chair and even tapping your fingers nervously on the mahogany table.  To be honest with yourself, you realize that no one could have prepared you for this step. 

As you take a gulp of water from the bottle of water so graciously provided by the admin who set up the conference room for the C-Suite Meeting, the only metaphor you can think of is when Dorothy said, “We’re not in Kansas anymore.”   

Now what do you do?

Do you fake it until you make it?  Do you just follow the lead of the CEO, who might also be new to that role?  Or do you just screw up your courage and boldly go forward?  In other words, do you just gut it out?

Before answering those questions, let me provide some perspective.  As an executive coach and a former C-Suite member (I was a COO), I routinely work with men and women who are selected for C-level jobs in all types of organizations.  Almost all of them experience similar emotions and thoughts.  I know I did.  It’s healthy to feel discomfort and begin to name some of the thoughts and feelings you might have.  Those who are completely comfortable are a smaller subset of leaders and their journey deserves a future blog.

What can you do?  I’d suggest working with an executive coach in a confidential engagement where you can take the time to make meaning of your new role and begin the transition from newbie C-Leader to a member of a high-functioning C-Suite.

Your coach can be the safe container where you can lay out your concerns and your interactions with the other members of the C-Suite.  With your coach you can decide if you need to modify your behavior or add new tools to your leadership toolbox. 

I don’t give advice to my clients, but my experience as a senior leader in large public companies and privately-held ones can help inform my inquiry for the benefit of each client. 

I’ve been there and I know those feelings and I invite you to explore them with me.  As you build awareness, action plans will emerge for you. And you will see your own range expand.

I’ve seen that happen so many times and when it happens, it is perhaps one of the most meaningful parts of my coaching career.

Dave Bushy of Boston Executive Coaches – bostonexecutivecoaches.com – is a an ICF-certified coach who was trained at the Gestalt International Study Center (GISC).  Dave is a former U.S. Army officer and senior airline executive who works with leaders throughout the world.

Image by Benjamin White from Pixabay

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