Smooth leadership transitions are critical to a company’s success. Unfortunately, only 12% of top companies report having a strong bench of candidates to fill leadership roles. Worse yet, data shows there is a nearly 50% failure rate for executive transitions within the first two years.
With the success or failure of an organization often dependent on effective leadership transitions, here are some tips to help new leaders succeed.
Given the impact of business on people and on the planet, organizations need leaders with a clear sustainability leadership commitment. These leaders must be able to effectively integrate sustainability into organizational strategy and operations, leveraging a sustainable mindset with the skills and initiative to drive the transformation needed to achieve sustainability and commercial profitability.
Adopting A Sustainable Mindset
To implement meaningful sustainable transformation, leaders must develop a sustainable mindset. Plainly stated, a sustainable leader puts sustainability at the core of the business model and is committed to the belief that the commercial success and performance of a business is directly linked with the social and environmental framework in which it operates. A leader with this mindset recognizes sustainability as a source of competitive advantage and is driven by implementing and incorporating changes with the greatest ecological and social impact—for both the short and long term. (This sometimes means taking actions at some short-term cost to profit margins, or operating in a more logistically complex way to keep sustainability at the forefront, understanding the long-term effects will result in environmental, social and economic profitability.) Read Claire Simier’s Forbes Coaches Council article.
The practice does not have to be an exercise in platitudes
In a documentary from 2004, “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster”, members of the titular heavy-metal band hire a “performance-enhancement coach” to help them resolve their disagreements. The musicians cannot stand him and end up bonding over their decision to get rid of him. When an ex-banker, after years of working at Lehman Brothers and ubs, hired a coach to discuss his next steps, the nugget of wisdom he acquired in the course of half a dozen 40-minute sessions setting him back almost $8,000 was that he should seek a role where he would be “paid for his experience”.It is tempting to paint executive coaching as one more status symbol inflating a sense of high-powered managers’ already-ample sense of self-importance. Yet the practice—which combines management advice with therapy—does not have to be an expensive exercise in platitudes. Few executives remain static in their careers, and many need guidance at moments of transition, when relying on an internal monologue is not enough. The covid-19 pandemic, which heightened the anxiety felt by high-performers, increased the need for skilled coaching. A study from 2019 by Angel Advisors, a professional training service, found that coaching in America is now a $2bn industry—large for what might seem like a niche business. The existence of such demand strongly suggests that professional grooming has its uses. Read entire Economist article.
Claire Simier will serve as Strategic Advisor to the Women Initiative Foundation (WIF), along with Venture Capital and Investment Advisor, Julie Drapier. In this role, they will co-manage WIF initiatives and programs for the east coast chapter’s upcoming calendar year. WIF is an international nonprofit organization with a presence in Paris, New York, San Francisco, Montreal, and Singapore. Their mission is to promote the advancement of women in the workplace and in the economy. WIF’s bespoke offerings include innovative executive programs designed in conjunction with universities including Stanford, McGill, Berkeley Haas, and Scripps College; an inter-company mentorship program allowing a privileged relationship between professionals in different companies with varying seniority; and numerous events encouraging networking. Companies participating in WIF programs include BNP Paribas, EY, AXA, Engie, L’Oreal, Salesforce, United Nations, Groupe Germain, among many others. Learn more.
Mentoring is a cornerstone of every great leader’s career and is a skill that can aid teams in navigating transitions during a crisis – whether specific to an organization or applicable on a global scale. The demand for this skill is growing now more than ever because mentors can play a crucial role in retaining talent, maintaining an inclusive workforce and building organizational commitment amid crises. In her latest Forbes article, Claire Simier shares tips for executives to effectively mentor others through climates of change and stand out as an executive leader. Learn more.
“Now more than ever, with people working from home and social distancing in full force, you need to be prepared to present your best self through a small screen. But the rules of engagement are slightly different and you might need to establish your own rules for meeting online.” In this engaging piece Simier Partners Consultant and Media Trainer, Lee Woodruff, shares tips and techniques for meeting protocol during COVID-19. Learn more.
We are pleased to announce Mark Roy has joined the Simier Partners team of Executive Coaches and Consultants. Previously, Mark held leadership roles within five Am Law 100 firms, including two of the ten largest firms in the world, as well as with Fortune 250-sized global public company Thomson Reuters. Mark received executive coaching training at Columbia University, and is certified by Rutgers University in partnership with global executive search and consulting firm Heidrick & Struggles in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance. Learn more.
An executive’s career path is rarely linear in today’s rapidly shifting workplace and economy. A certain level of reinvention may be required once or many times over the course of their professional lives. Navigating these transitions can be challenging, but they can also offer exciting opportunities to explore new skills and interests. Simier Partners colleague, Lee Woodruff, calls attention to the complexities of professional reinvention and offers inspiring insights in her essay “The Secret to Relevance” featured in Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper. Learn more.
Claire Simier was featured in an article by CoveyClub paying tribute to Martine Liautaud, founder of the Women Initiative Foundation (WIF), a professional organization promoting women’s executive leadership in the global workplace and economy. Claire serves as Executive Mentor for several of WIF’s Mentorship Programs, which help international women executives succeed throughout each stage of their careers. Claire regularly speaks at WIF programs and events, including at the launch of the U.S. Intercompany Mentorship Program and 5th Annual Women Entrepreneur’s Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Learn more.
Executive communication is a hallmark of a great business leader and a critical differentiator when evaluating high-performing teams which depend on strong communication to effectively work across geographies, cultures and generations in today’s business environment. Conducting routine training programs is one way organizations can help individuals and teams refine these skills. In her latest Forbes article, Claire Simier shares insights on how executive communication programs can help accelerate performance at every level of an enterprise. Learn more.
On September 20, 2019, Claire Simier presented at the U.S. launch of the Women Initiative Foundation (WIF) Intercompany Mentorship Program, including participants from organizations such as Amazon, Salesforce, AXA US, BNP Paribas, and United Nations. The presentation included a discussion on the ways both coaches and mentors play critical, yet distinct roles, in women’s professional success. Claire serves as an executive mentor for several of WIF’s mentorship programs. The Intercompany Program focuses on helping women reach their leadership potential and succeed in executive roles at global organizations. Learn more.
Simier Partners is delighted to announce a new program offered by colleague, Jay Harrington, designed to equip young lawyers with the professional tools necessary to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. The Essential Associate Training Program is practical, results-oriented, and specific to the needs of young lawyers at sophisticated mid-sized and large law firms. Jay Harrington is an attorney, author, business coach, and consultant who will lead your associates through an immersive and interactive 90-day training and coaching program focusing on the essential building blocks of associate success. Learn more.
Claire Simier participated in the 5th Annual Women Entrepreneurs Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business July 7 – 12, 2019, hosted in collaboration with BNP Paribas and the Women Initiative Foundation (WIF). The week-long program is customized for a group of handpicked women entrepreneurs from around the globe and aims to help them accelerate their business ventures within a diverse and competitive global economy. During the program, Claire spoke on a panel regarding her involvement in WIF’s Transatlantic Mentorship Program and the positive impact mentorship has on women’s professional development at all stages of their career, whether starting a new venture or running an established organization. Learn more.
Simier Partners works alongside executive leadership and boards to create custom talent development programs in support of organizational vision and strategy. These programs include executive communications trainings, women’s executive leadership programs, and cross-cultural leadership coaching. They create lasting impact by springboarding growth in individuals, teams, and organizations. Learn more.
Collaborating with colleague, Lee Woodruff, we provide custom tailored executive communications trainings to help professionals and executives hone their presentation skills and learn delivery tactics to convey a compelling and effective message across mediums. The training can be combined with individual or team coaching led by a Simier Partners coach that may include professional assessments, team workshops, and a personalized strategic plan to reach professional goals. Learn more.
As a woman rising in today’s executive workforce, you need every edge you can get. While studies continue to underscore positive correlations between companies with gender diverse leadership teams and profitability, women executives are still far scarcer than their male counterparts.
In her latest Forbes article, Claire Simier shares insights on how women executives can create a clear and compelling professional road map to increase visibility and pave the way for future growth in executive roles. Learn more.
On February 20, 2019, Claire Simier spoke to the American Chamber of Commerce France Women’s Committee about critical areas of women’s professional development in an ever-evolving global economy, including effectively communicating with superiors and key stakeholders and managing cross-cultural, generational, and gender challenges. Drawing from her experience coaching women to successfully assume leadership roles in the c-suite and boardroom, she discussed common challenges women face in advancing to executive positions and practical strategies they can use to increase their visibility and professional profile to position themselves for success. Learn more.
On February 12, 2019, Claire Simier spoke at The Women Initiative Foundation’s “Benefits of Mentoring” breakfast. Claire shared insights alongside Patrizia Paterlini Bréchot, founder of Rarecells Group, about their experience working together within the mentorship program. Additional speakers included Amanda Rajkumar, Head of Human Resources for BNP Paribas USA and Corporate and Institutional Banking Americas, and Marine de Boucaud, Chief Human Resources Officer, AXA US.
The WIF mentorship program establishes customized mentoring relationships aimed at helping women executives and entrepreneurs successfully navigate the transatlantic economy. Learn more.
Simier Partners is excited to announce new design and brand services offered by our colleagues Karin Loglisci and Tim Eng. Karin and Tim are strategic partners with a combined 30+ years of experience and a vast amount of resources across digital, print, and content development. They are dedicated to creating innovative and memorable brand experiences to help clients meet clear business objectives. Learn more about their offerings here. See all of our trusted resources and colleagues here.
Cultural awareness is part of the skill set that enables business leaders to address challenges multinational organizations face every day. Success in today’s global economy requires executives to lead cross-cultural teams comprised of individuals with different working styles, personalities and perspectives.
While every case is unique, there are four core competencies global leaders must develop to hone their cultural awareness. Learn more about how these competencies can help global leaders build successful culturally diverse teams here.
Simier Partners is pleased to announce that our trusted colleague and esteemed voice in the industry, Jay Harrington, has a new monthly column on law.com entitled “The Talent Trainer.” Jay will be providing valuable content regarding professional development issues for law firm associates. Read his first column here.
Jay’s background as both an attorney and a marketing consultant for some of the world’s top law firms allows him to understand the challenges, demands, and objectives of lawyers and law firms in this unique industry. Jay coaches and consults with lawyers and law firms on a number of issues, including personal brand development, building niche practice/industry specialties, and growing networks and generating business on LinkedIn. Learn more about Jay’s services here.
It may not be easy, but giving your people more responsibility than you’re comfortable with leads to creative, cohesive teams. Leaders and managers must resist the urge to micromanage in order to see their teams flourish. My fellow Forbes Coaches Council members and I share our best tips on how to do so here.
The experience age imposes pressures on both companies and individuals to manage their brands according to a new set of competitive criteria that includes an online presence. As an executive coach, I am often asked: “How can I develop a personal brand that will improve my chances for success?” For many professionals, the idea of cultivating a personal brand can be daunting.
To glean fresh insights to share with my clients, I recently gathered a small group of professionals for an intimate dinner to discuss the topic. Read more for our keenest insights here.
The legal industry increasingly views coaching as a critical component of their recruitment, retention and talent management strategy. An experienced coach can facilitate a dialogue among stakeholders about objectives and expectations, and can help identify opportunities for mutually beneficial solutions to competing objectives. A coach, whether retained by an executive or their firm, ensures that people are talking.
The legal industry is just one example of the ways corporations and their executives have been well-served by the function of the executive coach as of late. Simier Partners Managing Principal, Claire Simier, recently spoke with Bloomberg Law reporter, Stephanie Russell-Kraft, about the ways coaches are being utilized by Big Law. Read the article here.
Claire Simier, Managing Principal of Simier Partners, joins Forbes Coaches Council members who are hand-selected, to become part of a curated network of successful peers. The Council provides a platform for the exchange of insights and research touching a broad range of industries, offering council members access to a knowledge-base that ultimately elevates the client experience.
Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, says, “We are honored to welcome Claire into the community. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to curate successful professionals from every industry, creating a vetted, social capital-driven network that helps every member make an even greater impact on the business world.”
For more information about Forbes Coaches Council, visit forbescoachescouncil.com. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.
We are very excited to announce that Dr. Tanya Faude-Koivisto joined our team of consultants at Simier Partners. Tanya is an international executive coach, consultant, and educator with over two decades of experience. A high-energy individual, she supports leaders and executive teams to stretch beyond their habitual thinking, relating, and problem solving patterns by providing a mix of theoretical knowledge, pragmatism, openness and a good sense of humor. Her approach emphasizes intercultural dynamics, systemic thinking and the application of the newest findings in psychology and neuroscience to the field of organizational and individual development. I am very excited to announce that Dr. Tanya Faude-Koivisto joined our team of consultants at Simier Partners. Tanya is an international executive coach, consultant, and educator with over two decades of experience. A high-energy individual, she supports leaders and executive teams to stretch beyond their habitual thinking, relating, and problem solving patterns by providing a mix of theoretical knowledge, pragmatism, openness and a good sense of humor. Her approach emphasizes intercultural dynamics, systemic thinking and the application of the newest findings in psychology and neuroscience to the field of organizational and individual development. Read more about Tanya.
We are very excited to announce that Hayato Yasuzawa will join our team of consultants at Simier Partners. Hayato specializes in cross-cultural executive training and development, particularly the challenges of executives working abroad. Read more about Hayato.