By: Patty Prosser
As a long-time Executive Coach, there have been many case studies that reflect how coaching can dramatically improve an individual’s performance. However, often the key to real success is the individual’s openness to accepting help, and the organization’s belief that the individual can learn and grow from the coaching process. The following situation exemplifies what I am talking about.
The Challenge:
Monica, a seasoned VP of Sales at a global media company, built her career on face-to-face relationship management. She thrived on in-person meetings, trade shows, and direct negotiations. However, when the company shifted to a digital-first strategy, Monica struggled. She had built her reputation, and that of the station, by capitalizing on her ability to build strong relationships with the station’s clients. Virtual meetings felt impersonal, her team became disengaged, and as a result, sales numbers began to drop.
Monica resisted the change, believing that the “real sales happen in person.” Her frustration grew, and so did her Regional Executive’s concerns. She needed to learn to adapt – or risk becoming obsolete in the company’s new direction.
Enter Coaching:
The company hired us to work with Monica to help her learn to embrace change and lead in a digital-first environment. While resistant in the beginning, we took the time to build trust with Monica, assuring her that we would be there to support her every step of the way. Through coaching, we build a compelling case for her to make this much-needed transition.
What she was able to learn included:
✅ Shift Her Mindset – Instead of resisting, we helped her reframe digital sales as an “opportunity” to scale her influence beyond geographic limits.
✅Develop New Skills – Coaching helped her master virtual communication, including storytelling in webinars, video call engagement, and digital networking.
✅Empower Her Team – Instead of micromanaging, she learned to encourage her sales team to experiment with digital strategies, share their successes, and learn from their failures.
✅Leverage Data – She made the effort to learn and embrace CRM analytics to help her make better strategic decisions, instead of relying solely on her intuition.
The Transformation:
Six months into the Coaching Process, Monica was able to lead her team to record-breaking sales by applying a mix of digital and hybrid sales strategies. She hosted virtual client roundtables, implemented AI-driven customer insights, and became a champion of change within the company!
Her biggest win? She didn’t just adapt – she supported and inspired others to do the same!
This is just one example of how Executive Coaching can help leaders learn to embrace change and produce even greater results. In this case, by establishing a strong relationship with Monica on the front end, and taking the time to build trust and demonstrate belief in her ability to grow into an even better Sales Leader, we were able to salvage a great employee.
To learn more about The Center for Leadership Excellence’s Coaching Programs, please visit our website at www.cleindy.com.
Patty Prosser is Co-Founder and Coaching Practice Leader at The Center for Leadership Excellence. For more information, contact Patty at 317-727-6464 or pprosser@cciindy.com