Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of executive

coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want

to be perceived. I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach, and today

we're talking about the High Maintenance Executive.

Melissa got stuff done. No one disputed that. She had risen through the ranks by

shouldering enormous amounts of work without complaint. Now a vice president for

many years, she seemed to have stalled.

Well, I know they're happy with my work, she told me, when we discussed her goals for the

coaching.

They keep giving me bigger and bigger projects.

I've been doing the work of a senior vice president for a while now but I can't seem to get the title.

I said about collecting feedback for Melissa and I heard almost immediately that people experienced her as high maintenance.

Thinking about my own limited time with Melissa, no alarm bells went off around the words high maintenance at first.

And then I remembered my initial time in her office. around the words high maintenance at first.

And then I remembered my initial time in her office.

I'd placed myself in front of a chair that seemed positioned for visitors.

Very politely, and with genuine warmth, Melissa asked if I minded if she take that chair.

Naturally, I said, sure, and I hadn't thought about it for another second, until right then.

Had that been a high maintenance moment, it didn't really feel like it, but I wondered

if maybe it was the tip of an iceberg. I assembled Melissa's feedback report.

Needless to say the words high maintenance showed up frequently.

Wait a second, Tom, she said when she read the feedback, I know executives who are high maintenance

...