Jill was a successful portfolio manager ($3.5 mil base), based in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area. Her clients were in agribusiness, and her image and mannerisms were an excellent fit for inspiring trust in these clients. Her office was being moved into the city, which inserted Jill into an entirely new and different environment.
The transition was disastrous at first. The image and persona that had worked so well with Jill’s suburban clients simply didn’t appeal to her city clients. Rather than transform Jill from a country mouse to a city gal, Anna worked on building Jill’s confidence and self-presentation skills. Jill continued to be true to herself, with an added boost of self-confidence that inspired the confidence of her leadership team. The coaching worked. Jill became successful with the city clients and eventually was offered the biggest account in the company.