CASE STUDY - Redefining “Courage” to Unlock C-Suite Readiness

When a top performer was told to “be more courageous,” the Nexus Coaching Approach revealed what was truly blocking their* succession path.

The Situation

A senior executive at a global insurance company had long been identified as the likely successor to the COO. With a history of decisive leadership and high-impact results, their career trajectory appeared clear.

Then came unexpected feedback from the COO: they needed to “be more courageous.”

To the executive, this was confusing— their track record showed bold decision-making and action-oriented leadership. The feedback left them frustrated, unsure of where they stood, and questioning whether their succession pathway was at risk.

The Real Challenge

This was not a performance issue—it was a misalignment of leadership expectations.The executive believed courage meant taking ownership and stepping in. The COO, however, had evolved his expectations: courage now meant stepping back, empowering the team, and operating from a higher strategic level.

The problem wasn’t capability—it was a gap in definition and direction.

The Nexus Coaching Approach

Through the Nexus Coaching process, we focused on uncovering the true source of the disconnect and reframing leadership expectations.

Using our structured approach, we guided the executive through:

✔ A review of their leadership behaviors through the lens of evolving organizational needs ✔ Identification of legacy strengths that were now unintentionally limiting growth ✔ A facilitated three-way alignment session between the executive, COO, and Nexus coach

In that session, we used a signature Nexus technique—asking clarifying questions that surface the specific behaviors expected behind vague feedback.

A pivotal moment came when we asked: “When you say ‘courage,’ what does that look like in action?”

That question unlocked the breakthrough.

The Transformation

Once the COO clarified that courage meant strategic elevation, delegation, and trust-building—not constant operational involvement—the executive was able to realign quickly.

With Nexus guidance, they:

✔ Stepped into a true second-in-command mindset ✔ Empowered their team to lead operationally ✔ Focused on strategic decision-making and future planning ✔ Reduced hands-on control to build broader leadership capacity

The Outcome (Qualitative)

• Re-established trust and clarity between COO and the executive

• Strengthened his positioning as the COO’s successor

• Reduced tension, friction, and uncertainty in the working relationship

• Improved team ownership and engagement

• Increased executive focus on enterprise-level leadership vs. task execution

Client Reflection

“When my coach asked what ‘courage’ really meant and encouraged the COO to define it with actual examples, everything became clear. It was such a simple question—but it changed everything. Our working relationship is now focused, aligned, and far less stressful.”

The Nexus Insight

Even top-tier executives can stall when unclear feedback masks evolving expectations. The Nexus Coaching Approach turns vague guidance into actionable clarity—transforming misalignment into leadership acceleration.

* The pronouns they/their/them were used to preserve the executive’s identity