Leadership Acceleration: From Dreaming to Promotion in Record Time

Leadership Acceleration: From Dreaming to Promotion in Record Time

“My dream is to move from my role as Director to that of Vice President,” Justin told me when we first met. Our journey actually began because his company contacted me to assist Justin in elevating his executive presence. As is the case with many of my clients he wasn’t exactly sure what that meant.

“What is executive presence and how do I get it?” he wanted to know. “I want to prepare myself and be ready to step up my leadership and hit the ground running when the opportunity presents itself.”

Doors Open to Those Who 1st Unlock Them

I emphasized that he’d have to make a full commitment to the process, and be willing to dig deep and face some of his biggest fears. But he was fully invested and rolled up his sleeves to get to work. We got busy with our private sessions and I kept him occupied with plenty of take-home exercises.

I evaluated his strengths, critiqued his weaknesses, and designed a personalized and rather intense one-on-one coaching and executive presence program for him. He knew it would not be easy, but Jason is determined, ambitious, and sets his goals high.

Applying My Coaching in the Real World

Within just two or three sessions he was already feeling the difference, and the decision makers at his company were noticing the positive change. He began to strategically alter his communication style, for example, based on his audience.

He tailored his messages with greater clarity and persuasion when communicating with senior level executives and they listened more intently to his ideas.

Change Triggers Success

With Jason’s heightened confidence came increased productivity and performance. I knew that as soon as he started hitting those tangible benchmarks greater responsibility would come his way.

Sure enough, just a few months into our collaboration, Jason called to say that his company had made him the new VP of Operations & Client Services. He told me that the months of strong commitment, heavy lifting, and putting all of the principles I taught him into practice were well worth it. “My dream has become a reality,” he said, “which I am now living every day.”

Live Your Passion

Life-changing moments like that remind me why I got into this profession in the first place. My passion is helping others stretch themselves beyond their own perceived limits.

I love to push people out of their comfort zone and support them as they transition into their zone of accelerated growth, achievement, and fabulous success.

How many degrees of separation are between your dreams and your new reality? Close your eyes and imagine closing the distance in a year or less, and then open them knowing it is definitely possible and that we need to talk!


As a pioneering and visionary innovator, Sarah is a certified professional image consultant and brand strategist, speaker, trainer and author. Her company, Illustra Consulting, provides leading-edge image and brand management strategies for top leaders and high achievers who wish to take their career to the next level. She also delivers innovative and inspiring corporate workshops to assist large organizations in strengthening their corporate brand.

Illustra Consulting
Copyright © 2014, Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS

1-800-267-3245, [email protected]
This article may be reproduced only in it’s entirety, including the above bio.


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