How a Senior Operational Executive Strengthened Leadership Presence and Strategic Influence in a Complex Construction Enterprise
Gilbane is a large, fast-moving construction enterprise where senior leaders operate in high complexity, high visibility roles. One of the organization’s senior operational executives was carrying a growing scope of responsibility during a period of rapid organizational change. He was respected for his technical expertise and deep industry knowledge, but the demands of the role required stronger executive presence, greater strategic clarity, and deeper influence across the leadership team. High Bridge Leadership partnered with this leader to strengthen his confidence, elevate his leadership presence, and help him operate with more alignment and impact in a large, matrixed environment.
Key Themes:
Executive PresenceExecutive Presence
Strategic Leadership
Influencing Others
Leadership Team Alignment / Managing Up
Resilience and Sustainable Leadership Routines
What was happening in the organization
Gilbane was experiencing increased pressure as major projects, talent demands, and operational expectations accelerated across the enterprise. Senior leaders were being asked to stabilize teams, improve execution, and demonstrate stronger cross-functional alignment during a period of growth and structural complexity. Expectations from the CEO, COO, and executive sponsors were rising quickly. The role of this senior leader had expanded in scope, visibility, and influence, and the business needed him to lead with clarity, steadiness, and confidence in a demanding environment.
Where the CSO was in his leadership trajectory
The CSO entered coaching as a respected leader with significant capability and future potential. He also felt the pressure that comes with taking on broader responsibility. His pace was high. His workload was heavy. His influence was solid but not yet fully aligned with enterprise expectations. He had goals around developing CEO level skills, clarifying his presence, and improving how others experienced him. He was ready to grow, but he needed structure, clarity, and a safe space to explore how his leadership needed to evolve.
How High Bridge Leadership supported the executive
The engagement focused on building clarity, confidence, and influence. Through executive discovery sessions, Hogan assessments, future-focused 360 feedback, and structured coaching conversations, we identified the behaviors that would help him elevate from technical expert to enterprise-level executive. We worked on communication pacing, meeting preparation, strategic narrative skills, and the presence needed to lead effectively in front of senior peers and stakeholders.
Together, we established leadership routines that helped him move from overwhelm to steadiness, improved his ability to frame decisions and expectations, and strengthened his relationships across the leadership team. He began showing up with more confidence, more clarity, and a stronger ability to guide others through operational complexity.
What results came out of this work
The leader demonstrated measurable improvement in executive presence, confidence, and strategic communication. He strengthened trust with senior leaders by showing up with greater clarity and steadiness. His team experienced better alignment and clearer expectations. His influence across the leadership group increased, and he became more intentional and more grounded in his decision-making and stakeholder relationships. The business gained a more confident and strategic leader capable of operating at a higher level during a period of organizational demands and change.