Grooming the
Next CIO
Bret Anderson had worked in almost every area of the information systems
division. He was highly regarded for his knowledge and talent for conceptualizing
the situation and solving problems.
He was fully committed to getting things done on time. He was very good
at communicating to others about what needed to be done on a project. If
he felt someone was not pulling his or her weight he could be harsh. There
were those on the business side that wanted Bret on their projects and
those that did not. Bret would speak fast and use jargon that most business
partners found difficult to follow.
In
building the succession plan for the CIO position, there was a question
about Bret’s ability
to think strategically and to communicate effectively to the executive
committee. Ironically, those closest to Bret deeply respected
his strategic capabilities.
Bret enrolled in ILD to help him learn how to be a better translator when
communicating with business partners. He also needed to be seen as a more
seasoned leader.
Some
of Bret’s comments a year after starting the ILD included, “Change
Masters has a way of getting right to the issues! The process is very candid.
When we cut the sound on playback I just watched the video, and I realized
I looked and sounded the same on three very different types of messages.
I
know I can be a ‘tough nut,’ so I couldn’t believe
the Change Masters coach’s unique talent and skill at getting through
to people.
Before ILD, I got side-tracked by the corporate myth that successful corporate
executives show no emotion. My goal now is to let people see my passion
so I can motivate them through excitement rather than fear.
Seeing
myself on tape made me realize that I needed to increase my physical
fitness as well.
Now
that I’m working out, the energy is jumping
out of me, so there is energy for cheerfulness.
Because
I’m so relaxed now, others around me are more able to relax.
I’m getting that feedback unilaterally from my co-workers, my wife,
and even people who haven’t seen me for a while. People now seem
willing to come up to me and engage in casual conversation.
The
feedback on my new behaviors has been very positive, and the behaviors
are already more
habitual after
only a few weeks.”
Bret
now has the support of the executive team as the successor to the CIO
and is seen as a much
stronger partner to the business … and
he still gets the results on time.
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