Our dreams demand the best of us, but effectively prioritizing your life to accomplish these dreams is a daunting challenge. With leadership advisory, Siegfried has a proven process to help interested people clarify and simplify their priorities to enhance focus, organization, communication, execution, and innovation around key initiatives.
For one of our clients, Justine[1], a Chief Accounting Officer of a large medical device company, the transformative power of leadership advisory has spanned far beyond what she could’ve expected. Through intense collaboration with a trusted partner at Siegfried, this client found a renewed sense of energy and success around her personal and professional goals, exponentially improving her life and the lives of those around her.
“I cannot share enough positive thoughts on what leadership advisory has meant for me,” shared Justine. “I’m better equipped to adapt to and navigate change, and having someone by my side to provide me their thoughts, give me feedback, and most importantly, ask me tough questions brings out the best of me — for me, my team, and my family.”
A committed confidant
Understanding your top priorities is the only true way to strategically progress toward your larger goals. But often, with the breakneck speed of business, carving out the time to prioritize effectively is eschewed for more pressing concerns. This results in a lack of focus on and commitment to what is most important, leading to stress, both at work and at home.
“As an organization, we’re constantly transforming the way we do things. I also have two young children at home, so I’m finding myself taxed in both places,” explained Justine. “But I wasn’t understanding where my priorities were, and my work was taking center stage in a way I hadn’t experienced before. It wasn’t until I was talking with my leadership advisor that I realized what I was doing wasn’t in line with my values and goals.”
Leadership advisors dig deep, helping you navigate critical initiatives for not just your organization, but your entire life. Specifically, by building long-term, trusting connections with those interested in transformation, leadership advisors help you find the time to think about your most important needs, and then support you in taking action toward those meaningful, big-picture goals.
“It’s really great to have a fresh perspective from someone outside of your organization or outside of your home to weigh in and give you a different way to think about and approach things,” offered Justine. “It truly transcends work to help with all of life’s challenges.”
Outsized impact
Though leadership advisory focuses on the growth of the individual, the impact of that growth permeates throughout their life, inspiring stronger relationships with those around them. In the office, that means more open and honest communication for improved collective development.
“Siegfried is making us better leaders for ourselves, but it’s a great benefit to our teams and the entirety of the organization. Improving the way we interact with each other is the difference in having a good day or a bad day.”
This ripple effect doesn’t stop at day-to-day interactions. It also inspires a shift in approach and thinking that leads to collaborative growth and improvement. “Leadership advisory has changed the way that I lead and helped me pass on the tools that my teams need to redefine their own leadership styles and navigate their careers. Just bringing this awareness to how we respond, show up, and interact impacts everyone you meet and build relationships with, at work and at home.”
Responding to challenges
Leadership advisory creates the space necessary to best think about and respond to challenges. When stressful situations arise, our first reaction might not be appropriate. Taking the time to think things over and consider the bigger picture before responding emotionally leads to a more beneficial and positive outcome for all involved.
“Whenever we get into a tough situation, my natural reaction is often dictated by emotion. But in working with my Leadership Advisor, I’ve learned to stop and ask questions. I can hear her voice in my head highlighting good moments to ask questions instead of reacting. It’s like having a little coach inside of me that’s always there.”
By owning the development of individual leadership, through leadership advisory or other means, leaders drive better outcomes for everyone. “People are the most important thing at the end of the day. With everything we’re working through, it all starts and ends with the people. Taking the time to truly, truly understand people on a more personal level has been an amazing benefit to me and in all facets of my life.”
Explore how our unique approach to individual leadership has helped everyone we work with, from our clients to our employees, become better leaders to exponentially improve their lives in other stories on the Siegfried Blog. You can also visit our website to learn more about our strategic service offering.
[1] Justine is a pseudonym for our client, which is used to protect confidentiality.
