Case study · Defence & Military
Helping a Senior Officer Lead Civilian Staff
A senior officer transitioning into a staff role with significant civilian leadership felt the gap between operational command habits and the new context, and suspected the gap was costing them credibility.
The challenge
- Decision velocity that worked in the field landed as steam-rolling in policy meetings.
- Civilian staff had stopped offering the disagreement the officer actually wanted.
- Cross-functional collaboration was suffering in ways the officer couldn't quite see.
Our approach
- Six-month executive coaching engagement with monthly 360 check-ins from staff peers.
- Translation work between operational leadership habits and the policy environment.
- Coaching the officer's chief of staff to provide higher-resolution feedback in real time.
Outcomes
- Staff peers reported sharper, more honest collaboration within four months.
- Officer rebuilt the trust they didn't realize they'd thinned.
- The role became a foundation for a senior leadership trajectory rather than a transition struggle.
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