Yoshita Swarup Sharma (PCC - ICF)’s Post

GETTING PROMOTED TO THE CEO/ C-SUITE LEVEL Do you know which are the 5 critical levers to increase your Promotability? 📍 1. POSITION: *Set clear expectations: What skills/achievements critical excperiences are required to get to the next level? How could you craft a Development Plan with specific goals and deadlines? 🚀 2. PERFORMANCE: * Know your value. What types of problems do people frequently come to you to help solve? Understand and contribute to the bottom line: Turnover, efficiency or innovation are crucial. Have a proven track record of success in previous roles. This includes not only meeting but exceeding performance targets and demonstrating your ability to take on increasing levels of responsibility. 🙋♀️ 3. PRESENCE: *Presence refers to the way you carry yourself, how you communicate, and the confidence you exude. It's about being seen as someone who can command attention and respect in any setting. Show leadership potential by speaking up and contributing meaningfully in discussions. 🌐 4. POLITICS: * Do you spike in the two areas: Functional skill and relationships with the CEO and or the Board? *Collaborate with other key leaders, influence them, and build enduring partnerships across business units and geographies.  * Create a circle of sponsors who can play a vital role in advocating for your career advancement 🔎 5. PERCEPTION: *Craft a compelling narrative about your career journey and the results you have driven *Broaden your visibility and build exposure to key decision makers. Your reputation is built through consistent actions, behaviors, and how you handle challenges. *Get feed-back and feed-forward. Identify your blind spots. *Do you have the trust of the CEO and/ or the Board? *Are you effective at dealing with the cultural/political complexities of your desired role? If you would like to have a conversation about how to strengthen your Promotability or increase your effectiveness in your recent CEO / C-level appointment , DM me. The virtual coffee ☕ is on me!! #CEO #Promotion #Executivecoaching

Time to strengthen your relationship with your CxO? If you’re a senior leader but haven’t felt comfortable asking your CxO for the relationship you need to truly excel, it’s worth exploring why. Asking for a stronger or different dynamic isn’t a sign of weakness - it’s a mark of self-awareness and commitment. Here’s my suggestion for how to get the conversation started: 💫 Schedule dedicated time: Reach out to set up a focused meeting with your CxO, framing it as a discussion to strengthen your collaboration. By prioritizing this, you show it’s essential and not just a “nice-to-have.” 💫 Acknowledge what’s working: Begin by highlighting what you value about the current relationship. This sets a constructive tone and opens the door to discuss what could be even better. 💫 Express your needs honestly: Share openly about the specific support, feedback style, or resources that help you perform at your best. Clear, honest communication is the foundation of a productive partnership. Remember, asking for the right relationship with your CxO is about building strength, not signaling weakness. Investing in that connection benefits you both. … and yes, it’s not necessarily easy to initiate this kind of talk. Have I avoided this myself during my professional career? Yes. But is it worth going outside your comfort zone? Definitely yes! Would love to hear what approaches have helped you foster better dynamics with your CxO? #Leadership #SelfAwareness #EffectiveCommunication

‘ I carry my increment letter in my pocket every day’ stated the CXO angrily. The CXO is very popular in the organization. He is skillful in client relationship manager, has won business deals for our organization, is humble by nature and intelligent. He is a top performer, and to our managing director, he is a friend and an apple of his eye . They share a good professional relationship.   Yet, today, something has angered him. This year the organizations profits have dipped. Like other employees His increment is lesser than expected. He continued .. ‘I have daily meetings with the MD. Today managing directors secretary called me and she handed over my increment letter’  He continued ‘of course, the increment is less. But the managing director could have spoken with me or handed the letter directly to me. I carry this increment letter, with me daily , so one day I can convey this to the MD  Is this Ego?  Is MDs action justified ?  Now the fact is, top performers are aware of the value they bring to the table. They expect extra respect, recognition, visibility and authority from the organization The Managing Director Act. landed as ‘ being taken for granted and disrespectful ‘ to the leader,' There are some actions, or words, that psychologically trigger signals of disrespect to the senior professional in a work environment,   *Micromanaging senior employees / CXOs work  *The MD’s secretary asking the CXO on a work update  *MD secretary Conveying important communication on behalf of the MD, especially one that impacts an employee *Mistakingly missing mentioning of a senior or top professional’s participation in an event.  *Transferring / Relocating cabin / Relieving leader from work without prior notice  *Not involving a leader in major company decisions  *Making functional decisions on behalf of the functional head in his absence  *Directly approaching the CXOs team and delegating work. What are the other psychological triggers to top leaders? #Leadership #SuccessMindset #Divyanagpal #Results #Peoplematters #CreationsUnfathomed #Leader #Leadershipcoach #Intelligentleadership #Founder #Ficci #Efficiency #ROI #Buisnessgrowth #Hiringmanagers #Humanresource #Businessgrowth #Managingdirector #BuisnessOwner

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗤𝟮 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. He was less than 6 months into the company. Just a sales person, Ray hadn't sold anything yet. Why not ask John, the seasoned sales exec who was much more likeable? Less than 6 months later, Ray presented again, this time as an official team lead who made his target twice over. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗼𝗳𝗳. Leadership isn't about making popular decisions; it's about being transparent in the ones you do make. True transparency isn't just about sharing the good news, but allowing your team to see the bigger picture - even if it isn't all that positive. In your role, you're responsible for dealing it straight. Just because you check the boxes, doesn't mean you'll get to the top. Attitude matters. The difference between Ray and John? John is spectacular. He's a star performer, and is rewarded well. ⭐ Ray just has THAT energy. 🔥 He stepped in from day one, and asked the questions. He has an insane curiosity for everything. He asks to be trained, and ignites that same passion for learning among his fellow colleagues. Ray asked if he can present the Q2 pack, and asked for executive presentation training to sharpen his skills. I've seen him paying the knowledge forward. The transparent answer? 𝗥𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. What do you look for in a future leader? ♻️ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝗅 ➕ 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀𝗅 📢 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀𝗅 #leadership #management #career #humanresources #inspiration

"Our leaders are brilliant, but we're losing deals we should be winning." Tanya, the CHRO of a leading consulting company, didn't mince words in our discovery call. She was looking for a training that her senior leaders would truly care about, not just another check-the-box exercise, but something they would apply real-time at the workplace. "Last month, we lost a ₹50 crore contract to a smaller competitor. Our solution was superior, but the client said the competitor's team seemed 'more confident' and 'easier to work with'." This situation led Tanya and her CEO, Rajesh, to a decision: enrolling 15 of their senior leaders in our 3-day Executive Presence workshop. The transformation was measurable and meaningful: For example: 1. Brian, Head of Sales, realized his rapid-fire speaking style, honed in internal meetings, was overwhelming clients. He learned to pause, gauge reactions, and adapt his pace. 2. Deepa, a brilliant and introverted Product Manager, discovered how to command attention in meetings without changing her personality. 3. Karan, Head of a Business unit, known for his deep expertise but criticized for being unapproachable, learned the art of building rapport through simple yet effective small talk. The impact? Three months post-workshop, Tanya shared some exciting news: "We just closed a ₹75 crore deal - our largest ever. The client mentioned how well our team connected with theirs, both professionally and personally." But the real victory was internal. Team morale surged. Cross-departmental collaboration improved. Senior leaders reported feeling more confident in high-stakes situations. Rajesh, the CEO, summed it up: "We've always invested in technical skills. But this focus on presence is transforming how we do business." This experience reinforced a crucial lesson: in today's competitive landscape, technical expertise alone isn't enough. The ability to connect, inspire confidence, and build genuine relationships can be the differentiator that turns potential into success. As leaders, it's worth reflecting: Are we equipping our teams with all the tools they need to excel? Sometimes, the most impactful changes come not from what we know, but how we present it. Has your organization had similar realizations? What steps have you taken to enhance your team's executive presence? #ExecutivePresence #LeadershipGrowth #BusinessSuccess #ContinuousLearning

Want to know who we work with as Executive Assistants? ✅ Accomplished CEOs and Senior Leadership Coaches ✅ Passionate, hardworking professionals at the top of their game ✅ Leaders deeply invested in client relationships and team success You've built success through hard work and hands-on leadership, but as your business grows, so do your responsibilities. The demands on your time from both work and home are immense, often leading you to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of what you have to do. So what are the benefits of working with us?   Personally Crafted Structure: We ensure you are balanced and able to prioritise effectively. This means: • More time for strategic thinking and innovation • Improved work-life harmony • Reduced stress from overcommitment • Increased focus on high-impact activities Team and Client Liaison: We act as a middle person between you and your team, and you and your clients. This results in: • Streamlined communication flows • More efficient decision-making processes • Enhanced team autonomy and confidence • Stronger, more consistent client relationships • Freeing up your time for leadership and mentoring Sustainable Business Growth: We allow you to grow your business sustainably while being able to take time off. This leads to: • Improved business scalability • Reduced risk of burnout • Increased opportunities for personal development • Better long-term client retention through consistent service • Enhanced ability to seize new business opportunities By partnering with The Executives Suite, you maintain your high standards and hands-on approach where it matters most, while gaining the freedom to elevate your leadership and enjoy the success you've worked so hard to achieve. #executiveassistant #executivesupport #ceosupport #executiveassistants

Confessions of a Chief Revenue Officer 👔 I recently hosted a dinner for 20 Revenue Leaders. Here are the main challenges that were discussed: 🟠 Early stage pipeline conversion continues to be a challenge - building it remains difficult for most, and different reasons were hypothesised for causing the fall out from stage 1 - 3 🟠 Lots of candidates are looking for jobs, but it's hard to sift through the noise / find quality sales talent. 🟠 Lack of consistency across hiring processes is causing mis-hires and frustration (specific challenges aligning talent colleagues and sales managers on the profile they are after) 🟠 Scepticism over enablement roles, and difficulty justifying the ROI to the board 🟠 The need for frontline Manager enablement to level up team performance 🟠 Demand for more partnership / ecosystem led growth, but misunderstanding around what the role of Partnerships should be 🟠 The player coach model is breaking down - these 'managers' prohibit reps from improving / building their own confidence. When the player coach burns out they then leave behind an underperforming team In the coming weeks we'll be diving deeper into these topics and more... stay tuned! #leadership #insights #market #performance

From Account Executive to Leadership: key steps and attributes. I went to school to become a psychiatrist and ended up solving problems in a slightly different environment. Enabling GTM individuals with their goals is incredibly rewarding. AE to leadership is one that’s often overlooked. From mastering your current role to embodying key leadership attributes, transitioning from an Account Executive to a leadership position demands dedication and a diverse skill set. Here are the essential steps and attributes to guide your journey: Steps to Move to a Leadership Role: 1. Excel in your current role by surpassing sales targets consistently. I’m also looking for retention and references. 2. Seek regular feedback from your leader for continuous improvement and alignment. 3. Develop leadership skills in communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. Bonus points for strategic thinkers. 4. Take on additional responsibilities like mentoring new hires. You’ll know if you like leadership in this format. 5. Pursue professional development through certifications and industry events. Always be learning and improving. 6. Network at industry events and join professional organizations. Build your brand on LI with valuable insight. Those followers may be your next VP of Sales or AE hire. 7. Show initiative in creating training modules and improving team effectiveness. Share what’s made you successful. 8. Understand the bigger picture through market research and insights sharing. 9. Find your own mentor for career guidance and feedback. 10. Demonstrate results by leading projects that boost sales revenue and operational efficiency. Key Attributes for Leadership: 1. Empathy to listen and collaborate with team members. 2. Resilience to learn from setbacks and stay motivated. 3. Vision to develop strategic plans for growth. 4. Integrity to uphold ethical standards in decision-making. 5. Adaptability to embrace new technologies and adjust strategies. 6. Collaboration by fostering teamwork across departments. 7. Accountability by taking responsibility for outcomes and communicating transparently. Embrace these steps and attributes to position yourself effectively for leadership. #Leadership #CareerGrowth #Networking

“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧? 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦”. It was late 2009 in Mumbai, India. Our brands were not doing too well and we were struggling to meet our targets. My frustrations were boiling over and my conversations with my team members were getting increasingly heated. A senior team member met me and offered to resign. Whenever he spoke to me, he said, he got the feeling that I wasn’t trusting his commitment. He was emotional and did not want to be “𝑎 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚”. A first-time manager in my twenties, I was taken a little aback and told him that I would get back to him on his offer. I consulted with my manager who sat me down for a profound conversation. “𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛’𝑠 𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙. 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠? 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡 𝑢𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚? 𝐼 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑜 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛” This was one of the most useful conversations that I had in my early professional career. I reflected on this and immediately changed my leadership style. Results were almost immediate. The team became more aligned, united and purposeful. Conversations were more positive and the team members began to contribute more. Over a period of time, business results also improved. All that mattered to deliver this change was one word - “𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐘” We often read about the importance of #Empathy as a #leadership value. This experience taught me first hand on how much it mattered. I have had many first time managers and young leaders tell me that one of the biggest challenges they have is that they are not aware if they are being empathetic enough. My simple question to them is – "𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬?" The answer lies in that. Wanna unlock your leadership style and enhance your leadership #effectiveness ? DM me & let’s have a chat. #professionaldevelopment #growth #careers #truths #peoplemanagement #executivecoaching #transitioncoaching PS: That's an old picture of me out in the hills on one of my reflection trips.

“Work Beyond Expectations” Yes, this is the key to reaching the CXO level. Being selected for a CXO role is vastly different from being chosen for a general position. When it comes to CXO selection, companies don’t just consider if you’re hardworking or how quickly you complete tasks. What they’re really looking for is: “What can you contribute to the company?” If you consistently go above and beyond, contributing significantly to the company's growth and success, you’ll soon find yourself on the path to a CXO role. That’s why focusing on “Working Beyond Expectations” is crucial. #WorkBeyondExpectations #LeadershipSkills #RoadToCXO #CXOAcceleratorChallenge