At 42 this client held a senior position in a Multinational company. He was offered a position on the Board. This was a major promotion and meant a large increase in salary. On reading his CV this client seemed the perfect person for the job; he was an expert in his area with excellent experience and qualifications.

So what was the problem? Why was he here?

“I don’t know. I don’t know why I am just not going for this.”

His career interest inventory displayed a real passion for the area he was in. The personality profile outlined the strong social skills which made him excellent as a manager. One factor which was totally surprising was a low score in self confidence. He explored this in depth with the Career Counsellor. Why, with so much success, would his confidence have been low?

He explained that he had started off a very small arm of this large multi-national. In a small space of time, this small business grew exponentially. With a minimum staff and little advertising, this team had done so well.

“Yet now it is all falling apart. We started off so well, but now I am loosing a grip on things” the client explained.

His team had been promised promotion and high salary increases if this venture took off. However, the team did not get anything like the salary increases they were promised and the promotion was only nominal. This client saw this as his failing. He had promised the rewards to his team and then he had to tell them they were not getting them. He had argued their case with Senior Management but had not succeeded. It was now his job to break the bad news. He felt that he had asked his team to do something, they did this, and more, and now they were not getting the reward that he promised them.

Suddenly, and not surprisingly, the morale in his team plummeted. This client felt that he had lost his Management skills. So what was in his power to do? He decided that he would make a presentation to the Board. He did not have the power of decision but he did have the possibility of making a presentation. The client was well aware that, if the Board did not like this move, he was risking all future promotion.

A decision was not given straight away. The client experienced anxiety in the intervening days, but also said that he felt relief that he had “done the right thing”. The Board appreciated his commitment and his thoroughness. The small Department did not get all they were looking for, but their situation was greatly improved over a phased period.

This client’s promotion took a little longer than originally planned, but when he did accept it, he did it with confidence and a clear heart.