A New Frontier

Over my time as an executive coach to founders, CEOs, and c-suite executives, I have found that one of most momentous and challenging evolutions for organizations is a liquidity event, whether in the form of an IPO or acquisition. During these transitions, executives face the intersection of opportunity and ambiguity. Learning from and alongside them over the course of these events has further solidified the immense respect I have for these leaders and the responsibilities (and burdens) that they carry as they navigate the transition, wrestle with uncertainty, and continue to push the frontier of potential for their organizations.

For the sake of anonymity and simplicity, this story draws on experiences from a collection of clients across multiple teams. The character, CJ, represents lessons learned and observed across a number of clients, and distilled into the following narrative:

Brought to life

As the organization grew from an idea into reality, CJ experienced excitement and also uncertainty by relinquishing some control in exchange for increased potential. She was energized as she coalesced her team around shared goals and values and invested a lot in maintaining the ability to stay close with senior leaders and colleagues. The organization was something that never existed before, its values embodied CJ and those alongside her. Overtime, goals were accomplished and the vision was increasingly brought to life, but the most significant step to date still laid ahead.

Embracing uncertainty

In the lead-up to the IPO, CJ embraced the role of leading others through uncertainty. Sure, the administrative processes and audits were tiring and laborious. Yes, there were months working through log jams and dealing with unexpected hurdles. Yet, there was also increased excitement and meaning that accompanied the process. CJ doubled down on her role of ensuring the team had clarity, enabling them to navigate the emotional and practical uncertainty of the impending context shift.

Gaining self-awareness

The current organizational context was going to shift at a clearly marked moment in time, and it was going to happen rapidly. We spoke about combined excitement and fears when asking “How will this thing I love change?” Like other moments in personal and professional life, a new context brings anxieties but also possibilities. That day visibly marked the transition between existing in a context that she knew and loved and an unknown but promising new chapter. Salient for her was gaining self-awareness into how she was responding to and engaging with her shifting context. Her actions, whether intentional or unintentional, would stand to have a significant impact across the organization. Research shows that leadership is highly correlated to self-awareness and authenticity. Understanding her own reactions to the shift at a very basic personal level, would undoubtedly affect the trust and confidence of her team, which she would come to rely on heavily in the weeks ahead.

Embracing reality

In parallel to her own journey, CJ recognized each colleague was also trying to find their own meaning in the process and understand the change in relation to their own journey. It seemed like many days she straddled the line between leader, coach, and friend focused on turning ambiguity and fear into clarity. Teams are a product of individual people and it was critical to help others make sense of their rapidly changing world. As a leader, CJ clarified reality, showed compassion, and demonstrated a desire to understand what her team was experiencing. She took on the responsibility of helping each person openly embrace the dichotomy of the experience. This degree of care promoted shared understanding for the team members, minimized risk, and resulted in sustained productivity and resilience during a consequential window of time.

Accelerating the transition

CJ constantly returned to foundational strategies she had been using, and with hyper-awareness for the experiences of other team members. As done throughout the lifetime of the company, it meant centering the team around shared vision and culture that provided everyone, including herself, a needed sense of security and meaning. As a leader, CJ was able to rely on these actions and behaviors to not only accelerate the transition into the new context, but also to build a foundation that would help set the conditions for future success.

Living the milestone

When the day arrived, I was fortunate to be there virtually alongside CJ, texting and trading quick notes. While she had worked for years building the company and transitioning towards this day, the senior team’s stability showed in their ability to be present and enjoy the day for what it was. Not getting wrapped up in uncertainty for the future, CJ embraced the celebration of the present. When we spoke, I could almost hear the smile and I knew a few tears were present as well.

Clarity is the constant

In a coaching session a few weeks after, CJ highlighted and reflected on her new role, the new pressures, the expected design changes that would be required, and, importantly, her continued responsibilities for guiding and enabling others. The company was not restarting, but entering a new stage in which she would need to find new ways to be present for the team, to be a coach, a leader, and a person helping them make sense of their context and reactions to it: to achieve and maintain clarity.

Leading into the new frontier

These events are in many ways the ultimate moment where one aspect of an organizations’ potential is achieved and yet the frontier of what is possible is pushed out further, and a new definition of potential is created. CJ now has new goals, new timelines, new trajectories and a larger pool of people staring at her through the magnifying glass. Many challenges lie ahead, and the learning curve only continues to steepen. For all of the change that occured, the leadership and management fundamentals remain the same: helping teams see the vision, understand the goals, and identify the path forward via an alignment of values in pursuit of potential. Due to her clarity based leadership, the company rests on solid footing as it embarks on a new chapter of its journey.