February, 2000

COACH WORKS
Eye on the Prize
To fit into the ranks of upper management, some CIOs need a little help from the sidelines.
By Rochell Garner

Of course, not all CIOs need help juggling their day or sidestepping political land mines. Sometimes they just want an objective outsider to keep them focused on what's important. That's exactly what Joe Fink wanted —and got — from Neal Lenarsky, president of Strategic Transitions in Woodland, Calif.

More than an executive coach, Lenarsky is among the few career agents for high–flying executives. Like an entertainment agent, he "brands" his clients, hooks them up with prospective employers and advises them on various issues, including stock options, bonuses, internal politics and finding good staff. Perhaps most important, he also helps clients chart where they want to take their careers, and keeps them on that course.

That was the case for Fink. Previously CIO at Guess in Los Angeles, Fink had a grander vision for himself: the broad responsibilities of ageneral manager. He almost lost sight of that goal when another company offered him an obscene amount of money to step into its CIO role. With Lenarsky's help, Fink stayed true to his dreams — accepting the position of vice president of operations at Nautica Enterprises in New York City. Today, Nautica's CIO reports to Fink. And while Fink feels he's up to the job, he stays in contact with Lenarsky.

"There's not a month that goes by that I don't speak to him at least once," says Fink. "Generally, it's because I have some political issues to think through, and I find him to be great for working things out. It's not possible to overstate how valuable it is having someone I can talk to. Otherwise you have to wing it or rely strictly on your own judgment, and you worry about that sometimes. Neal can cut immediately to what's at stake."

Without question, Fink already demonstrated many of the strengths needed by executives at the top of an organization. With the encouragement and insight from his coach, he's ready to take his career even further. And in today's quest to conquer e-commerce — with companies placing a premium on technical and business acumen combined — he could rise very high, indeed.

Rochelle Garner is a freelance writer based in San Carlos, Calif. She welcomes your executive coaching comments at rrgarner@pacbell.net.