January is generally a time for me to spend time relaxing and catching up with family and friends… but it is also a time when I like to do some planning for the next 12 months. This January I took the opportunity to spend some time focussing on my coaching and mentoring practice, something that is proving very rewarding for me in addition to my work as a CEO and Non-Executive Director.
Out of the one-on-one coaching work I do each year, I have now developed a more structured framework called the 3 P’s approach to planning the C-Suite journey. This focuses on the key areas of PLANNING, PREPARATION and PERFORMANCE.
For aspiring executives, the focus is on exploring the potential for a C-Suite career. A structured approach to planning that takes into account the various considerations for embarking on a C-Suite career can help you to answer the question: ‘Do I have what it takes?’
For example, you’ll want to consider your areas of education and experience and whether more knowledge-gathering is required, and how much time this will take. You may also need to think about updating your CV and what’s required in a C-Suite job application in the planning stage.
Your first 90 days in a C-Suite role is a crucial time for setting up expectations and goals for what you want to achieve and how, so the focus should be on developing and executing a well thought out 90 day plan. Once you are there, it’s about what do you need to do to make the transition successful?
Some of your planning points may include strengthening professional skills or building self-confidence.
To accelerate your performance in the C-Suite, the focus should be on developing and working with a trusted adviser. How do you improve your performance and keep performing at your best?
Important areas C-Suite executives need to continuously monitor and work on include building high performance teams and working with culture and politics.