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Case Study

Moving up to enterprise leadership: The Seven Seismic Shifts

By Michael D. Watkins

10 pages

March 2025

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Reference: IMD-2675

This Technical Note explores the significant transition that leaders face when moving from functional to enterprise-level leadership roles. It introduces the “Seven Seismic Shifts” framework, which identifies the fundamental changes in mindset and responsibility required for success at the enterprise level. The note examines each shift in detail: from specialist to generalist, analyst to integrator, tactician to strategist, bricklayer to architect, problem-solver to agenda-setter, warrior to diplomat, and supporting cast to lead role. Using the case example of Johannes Vandervliet, a leader transitioning to general manager at BSC Chemicals, the note illustrates the practical challenges of navigating these shifts and balancing existing skills with new leadership demands. Beyond identifying these transitions, the note provides a comprehensive approach for organizations to assess and develop enterprise leadership talent. This includes rigorous assessment methods, structured developmental experiences, targeted conceptual learning, executive coaching, mentoring and sponsorship programs, and ongoing evaluation systems. The note emphasizes that effective enterprise leadership development requires deliberate effort and organizational support, not just time and experience. It offers valuable insights for both aspiring enterprise leaders seeking to understand their development needs and organizations looking to build robust leadership pipelines to navigate increasingly complex business environments.

Learning Objective

Understand the fundamental mindset and responsibility shifts required for enterprise leadership.
Recognize how to balance existing functional expertise with new enterprise leadership capabilities.
Identify effective methods for assessing and developing enterprise leadership potential.
Apply structured approaches to leadership development including experiential learning and coaching.
Learn strategies for organizations to build sustainable leadership pipelines for enterprise roles.

Keywords

General Management, Leadership, Organizational Design, Leadership Transition, Leadership Development

Type

Generalized Experience

Available Languages

English

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