Unlocking Success
6 Executive Coaching Case Studies and Their Secrets
Three professional coaches draw on decades of experience, sharing insider information on the tools and techniques company executives need to excel, in the leadership guide Unlocking Success.
Paul Delahaie, Anna Gallotti, and Catherine Tanneau’s Unlocking Success is an illuminating guide for business executives. Arguing that psychological hindrances often hold individuals back from being their best selves, the book covers six business scenarios to illustrate handling stress, overcoming imposter syndrome, and “attain[ing] better equilibrium” and confidence.
Each chapter is dedicated to a generalized anecdote, summarized in succinct terms. Though these scenarios cover executive and senior manager roles, their lessons may have wider applicability for others pursuing self-improvement and greater self-awareness in the workplace too. As an example, when covering hidden biases that lead to workplace gender disparities, the book argues that working on a multicultural team can help people recognize “weaknesses and flaws” company-wide and create opportunities for meritocracy. Objective coaching viewpoints follow each example to address frequent management dilemmas and give guidance on topics like inspiring change within a company and creating effective teams. Topics including gender disparity, the roles of women leaders, and avoiding burnout are also covered.
The book’s advice is also made applicable and is opened to individuation by the self-assessment questionnaires that appear after each scenario. Their questions are tailored to each topic, and they include specific response options to prompt guided reflection too. In the chapter on women leaders, for example, a questionnaire asks for a frequency rating in response to questions related to proactive self-promotion and the utility of networking. Based on the number and type of responses, additional coaching feedback is offered. Helping to identify the underlying reasons for self-doubt with rational guidance, these questionnaires are insightful.
The book’s conclusion synthesizes its coaching tips into key competencies and takeaways, many of which highlight familiar business practices including adaptability, sound emotional intelligence, and effective communication skills. The guide takes a simplified approach to these common managerial quandaries across all levels of an organization. Still, it does an able job of showcasing relevant issues that can impact an executive’s success, including poor communication, burnout, and self-doubt. It also addresses critical workplace topics like working on effective teams, recognizing one’s cultural biases, and striving for a continuous growth mindset that make it beneficial.
Filled with commonsense advice, Unlocking Success is a leadership guide that names practical strategies for self-improvement at the management level.
Reviewed by
Katy Keffer
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
