1-1 Coaching Case Study - The Purpose Driven CPO
From Seasoned Leader to Sector-Shaping Voice
Background
A Chief People Officer, newly arrived in a much larger, globally respected consulting firm, found themselves at a pivotal moment. With deep personal and professional convictions around climate and the long-term societal role of organisations, they were determined to have an external and sector-wide voice - while also integrating fully into a new organisational culture and proving themselves to a senior board.
They were already respected internally for their capability, integrity, and experience, but needed to align their ambition for wider impact with the organisational realities: juggling day-to-day delivery, managing colleagues’ discomfort at their external profile, and winning over a CEO keen to maintain control over messaging. Their long-term aim was to shape the role of people leaders - and their organisations - in responding to climate and emerging challenges like AI, while also advancing their own leadership trajectory and sector influence.
Objectives
The leader came to coaching with clarity about their purpose but sought support to:
Grow influence and credibility across internal and external stakeholders.
Strategically integrate climate, AI, and people leadership agendas without alienating colleagues.
Navigate complex board dynamics and scepticism from peers.
Build a leadership brand aligned with their values yet attuned to organisational politics.
Step into sector-level conversations and advocacy without losing organisational alignment or credibility.
Coaching Approach - A Three-Phase 1-1 Journey
Over 10 -12 sessions, we structured the work into a progressive arc: from personal clarity, to organisational influence, to sector-level leadership. The programme drew on the Performance Circle, identity and values work, and strategic influence techniques, with monthly sessions complemented by ongoing reflection and action.
The central insight early on was simple yet profound: to advance the climate and AI agenda, they would need to find a path that amplified their purpose while keeping stakeholders engaged - a tightrope of influence, visibility, and alignment.
If you’d like to read more about my 1-1 approach, in general, you can do sp here HERE and theres more on my team coaching Here:
In this programme…
The leader was bold, values-driven, and experienced at operating across complex organisational landscapes. They needed to balance the expectations of peers, a cautious CEO, and an emerging external profile - yet often found themselves negotiating how to be both authentically purpose-led and strategically credible. Our work called for a realignment of internal dialogue: from “how do I fit in?” to “how can I shape influence in a way that serves both the organisation and the sector?”
We developed a medium-to-long-term leadership strategy that combined delivery, stakeholder alignment, and organisational impact, alongside a near-term focus on visibility and credibility. The approach was designed to create a sustainable platform for both internal integration and external thought leadership, while protecting energy and integrity.
The shift in identity and influence enabled not only career progression but also cultural and sector-wide impact.
Using the 1-1 coaching approach, we centred the work around these five areas:
1. Identity & Values Alignment
Early sessions explored their leadership identity. Capable, experienced, and purposeful - but often “respected but not fully seen.” The coaching work helped them articulate the leadership stance they wanted to take: bold, values-aligned, politically savvy, and sector-influencing. This reframing allowed her to move from careful contributor to strategic conscience, balancing advocacy with organisational stewardship.
2. Emotional Groundwork
Beneath the ambition lay personal questions: “Am I good enough? Will people listen? Who am I allowed to be?”
We worked on energy management, managing internal doubts, and reconciling humility with visibility. By addressing these emotional tensions, she built the grounded confidence necessary to lead without compromise.
3. Relational Influence
Key breakthroughs came from deliberately nurturing relationships that mattered most. The coachee navigated sceptical peers, cautious senior colleagues, and a CEO sensitive to dissent. One pivotal moment was when they began publicly elevating others in conversations, social media, and meetings - genuinely, yet strategically - to advance a broader agenda. This approach shifted perceptions, built allies, and reinforced credibility.
4. Leadership in Action
In the coaching programme, the coachee mapped stakeholders, aligned agendas, and embedded cultural and strategic shifts. This included:
Negotiating the organisational stance on climate and AI with internal leaders.
Securing opportunities to speak externally and convene sector-level discussions.
Balancing advocacy with organisational messaging to ensure alignment and credibility.
A defining moment was a direct, values-driven conversation with the CEO about advancing climate initiatives without seeking prior approval, creating reassurance while asserting independent strategic judgment.
5. Brave Decisions
Courage manifested in everyday choices: choosing visibility over comfort, advocacy over silence, and collaboration over self-interest. By giving others the limelight while maintaining strategic intent, the coachee won trust and influence - growing their external and internal profile simultaneously.
Results
Strategic Advancement: They fully integrated into the new organisation, winning over peers and the board, and securing freedom to advocate for climate and AI initiatives across the firm.
Sector Influence: They became a trusted voice in the CPO community on climate and long-term organisational sustainability, and began convening events, talks, and podcasts that shaped sector conversations.
Board Appointment: Their reputation and external visibility led to an invitation - and successful appointment - to the board of an international charity, supported by coaching on interview preparation and informal discussions.
Cultural and Organisational Impact: The firm embraced a more visible climate agenda, with tangible activities and advocacy for climate and sustainable and future focused transformation.
Reflections: to paraphrase their own words: ‘Thank you - it’s made a real difference - I’m delighted’. The journey was not just about external influence but about leading from a place of integrity and alignment.
Transformation in Leadership Identity
Before coaching: Capable, experienced, purposeful.
After coaching: Bold, aligned, politically savvy at the next level.
Through the coaching journey, the coachee moved from being respected yet cautious to becoming a confident, sector-shaping leader - someone able to advance high-impact agendas while navigating complex organisational dynamics.
Final Word
This case study is about more than career progression or visibility. It’s about creating the space to lead authentically, with courage, and with impact - internally, across the sector, and beyond. It demonstrates how strategic coaching can align identity, values, and influence to deliver tangible outcomes for the leader, the organisation, and wider society.
Let’s Talk
If this case study resonates with you - whether you’re looking to clarify your purpose, navigate complex dynamics, or step into your next leadership chapter - I can provide:
A free inquisitive session
A tailored coaching proposal
Or simply a conversation to explore what’s needed now
Because your next chapter deserves space, support, and clarity. And every leader deserves a moment to realign — before leading forward.
Helping good people lead great things
If this resonated with you…
If this message resonates with you, and you’re one of the good people leading great things, let’s talk.
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I am…
…an executive coach who specialises in helping good people lead great things.
Good people care about others, our planet and beauty. Great things are changes for the betterment of society and all that lives within an around it.
It sounds big and fun - it is.
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