Peeling off the boundaries of executive careers

Sandy Kuohn has been an executive leader of human resources for over 23 years.  Eleven years ago, she switched industries and moved from automotive consulting to banking and became CHRO and member of the executive team for a small, de novo mid-west bank.  They had approximately 500 employees at the time.  Fast forward 10 years, they had closed 7 mergers or acquisitions, doubled in size about every 12 to 18 months, and were a regional bank with 20,000 employees.

After providing ICEO services to her leaders for many years, Sandy had the opportunity to experience LHH’s ICEO program for her own personal transition after the firm was successfully sold and was able to understand first-hand what it's like to be the participant. This is her reflection on that experience.

How I experienced ICEO

The ICEO program surprised me, exceeding my expectations in so many ways.

The level of professional and executive advice that I received from my ICEO Advisor – and from every ICEO expert I interacted with – was outstanding.  They provided valuable insights that I would not have seen myself. They shared experiences and learnings from their work with other executives.  And – most importantly – they challenged me to push myself to be all that I could be.

I had a wonderful thought partner and sounding board in my Advisor who asked me thought-provoking questions, provided critical guidance, and helped me reposition my career path in a much more powerful way. I could not have done that by myself.  She was experienced, thoughtful, and compassionately direct. 

I was particularly impressed with the breadth and depth of services offered in the ICEO program.  It started with a series of assessments that provided tremendous insights into my priorities and preferences that were then used as an anchor throughout the process.  The team was exceptional in getting me to think about my career differently, refining my narrative in an altogether compelling way that highlighted my unique talents and distinguished and differentiated me.  In addition, ICEO brought in a variety of resources that helped me open doors, expand my relationships and uncover hidden opportunities.

Unexpected Outcomes

One of the truly unexpected outcomes from my work with ICEO is that it put me into a deeply reflective place where I grew to see things in a completely new light.  It’s like this switch turned on that opened my mind to a whole array of possibilities I had never previously considered.  Not only did it help me land a great new role, but as a C-suite leader ICEO strengthened and elevated my professional foundation. As a result, I can stand taller, see wider and be more effective. 

My Advisor had a great balance of informing, teaching, coaching and being a tough counselor when needed. There were times when she would tell me, “Sandy, you're playing small – don't play small. This is not the time of your life to play small. You need to play big.”  And I knew she was absolutely right.  “What am I doing? Why am I playing small?” She would push me out of my comfort zone to get me into a more creative place that generated new ideas and gave me the confidence to stretch myself.

“Don't play small, you need to play big” will be a lifelong motto for me.   It will guide me when I hesitate or question my abilities.  It will be the perfect reminder that there is virtually nothing I can’t tackle.  I have the confidence to step beyond my current boundaries and tap into my full potential. 

Through my ICEO experience, I also learned to recognize when I can be more patient in managing through change in a more productive way – to know with confidence when time is on my side. 

I will be a more effective and visionary leader because of my experience with ICEO, and it will impact all domains of my life.  This is the passion I want to bring to my new role and my new company. 

At a more strategic level, as leaders most of us consciously or unconsciously impose glass ceilings on our individual potential and on the potential we see in others. Extending my learnings around “you need to play big” to a broader organizational context, I see how ICEO’s peer advisory model can be applied in the corporate setting to help an executive team tap into its full potential.

If we tap into our full capabilities and re-ignite the passion for what we can do, it will provide us the confidence to move beyond our individual comfort zones and creatively confront the challenges we face.  ICEO literally peeled off those boundaries for me and said, “Why not?”  Individually – or as an executive team – this is a great formula for elevating and unlocking executive talent.

How I would describe ICEO to an executive or HR leader today

I can recall during the many mergers and acquisitions I went through saying to individual leaders, “This program has a lot to offer, and it could be really good for you to take advantage of it.”  Yet, many of these executives would tell me they already had a strong network and say no thank you because they were confident they could do it on their own.

The way in which I described the ICEO experience back then was completely inadequate.  I simply had no idea how transformational the offering is until I had the opportunity to experience for myself the framework and wealth of resources that are available to help define the next chapter of your career in a purposeful and meaningful way – to reach opportunities and roles you may never have imagined or thought possible. 

The benefits of ICEO are long lasting and significant.  Treating executives with this level of respect and consideration generates amazing goodwill that lasts a lifetime and provides high ROI for the sponsoring organization. I'm very grateful that my former company made this investment in me.


Learn more about ICEO’s portfolio of support for executives and senior leaders www.lhh.com/iceo