The Importance of Having a Confidante.

How do you set the scene for your new C-suite role?

How do leaders know how they're tracking against their job objectives and the aims they have for themselves?

One of my clients, a talented executive, had recently taken on a new C-suite role.

Despite her impressive track record, she faced unexpected challenges. She felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to navigate her new responsibilities.

She asked me if we could spend an entire day together, dedicating time to uncovering her areas for growth.

She wanted to have deep conversations about her vision and create a strategic action plan, interspersed with creative activities and time out for thinking.

I suggested we add some great food to the mix and take a long walk.

By the end of that day, she felt clear on her path forward. She had a comprehensive action plan, a renewed vigour, and actionable strategies to tackle the year ahead.

A month later, during our follow-up session, she shared how that newfound clarity and focus had significantly improved her leadership and team dynamics.

Her description? "It was like bundling your six months of mentoring into a single day - and it's been the best boost."

When you work at the top of your organisation, you need to make time for yourself - to immerse yourself in the process of accelerating your progress.

It’s about leadership with intention.

When C-suite leaders have access to their own confidante, with a personalised approach, they can amplify their attributes, and fine-tune their vision.

Kerry J. Silkowicz, psychiatrist, founder of the Boswell Group and senior fellow at Katzenbach Partners in New York, says in Harvard Business Review,

"The CEO is often the most isolated and protected employee in the organisation. Few leaders, even veteran CEOs, can do the job without talking to someone about their experiences, which is why most develop a close relationship with a trusted colleague, a confidante to whom they can tell their thoughts and fears."

I concur - and I'd add that there are several times in a leader's tenure when this is crucial:

• at some point in the first 100 days of a new C-suite role,

• when a contract is due for renewal, new objectives are required, or

• when it feels like you're at a career crossroads and the next step isn't yet visible.

These are the times in my working life when I have called on my mentors and coaches to assist me in clarifying and deciding what I need most.

Sometimes, like my client, I've done this with a day program; other times, I have engaged in a more extended process.

Either way, I have been intentional, committed to seeking someone to challenge and strengthen me, and I have invested in doing the work.

If the idea of this unsettles or scares you slightly, that's a sign that it might be the right time to jump in.

Who do you talk to about what keeps you awake at night?

Who are you testing your ideas with, in safety and in confidence?

Every C-suite leader needs an independent, external confidante to help them reflect on their practice and think deeply.

Who's got your back?

Want to talk? I'm all ears.