Independent judgment, in practice.
SELECTED WORK
For more than 25 years, I have worked alongside founders, CEOs and senior leaders facing important decisions.
Four examples of how independent strategic advice can help leaders navigate difficult choices.
Four situations. Four different decisions.
01 / GROUP & PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP
One group. Different mandates.
Advising CEOs within a larger group on their mandate, autonomy and strategic priorities, while helping them navigate expectations from group leadership.
02 / FOUNDER & STRATEGY
Commit fully or stay put?
Helping a founder weigh the risks of leaving a successful career, then translating his international ambition into a clear strategy backed by long-term investment.
03 / COMPLEX STAKEHOLDER ENVIRONMENT
Where the three questions came from
Three years advising a CEO and management team in a complex environment shaped by board expectations, political interests and public scrutiny. This experience informed my approach to perception, momentum and autonomy.
04/ LEADERSHIP & ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE
A mandate without sufficient backing
Advising a senior leader on negotiation boundaries, fallback scenarios and difficult choices during a cultural transformation that ultimately failed to secure sufficient support.
One group. Different mandates.
A large business group initially approached me for advice on positioning and reputation management.
Conversations with the group's vice president revealed a more valuable role: advising the CEOs of individual businesses while understanding the strategic direction of the group.
I helped CEOs prepare for discussions with group leadership by examining their position, mandate and autonomy. We considered what they wanted to achieve, where they needed support and which decisions should remain within their own authority.
01 / Group & Portfolio Leadership
The conversations also worked in the other direction. When initiatives came from group level, we assessed them against each CEO's strategy, responsibilities and leadership position.
Working across several businesses allowed me to recognise recurring tensions and opportunities. Each CEO remained free to decide which advice to follow.
Several strategic initiatives emerged from these discussions. Some are still in place more than five years later.
Commit fully or stay put?
A founder was considering leaving a successful career to pursue an ambitious international venture.
He faced three options: remain in his existing role, develop the venture alongside his career or commit fully, provided a major investor would offer at least three years of backing.
Through private conversations, workshops and discussions with key stakeholders, we examined the options, the financial risks, the implications for his family and the concerns raised by people he trusted.
02 / Founder & Strategy
Once the direction became clear, I translated his vision into a focused strategy. We defined what the organisation must do, what it could do and what it should avoid. I presented that framework to the founder and chairman, together with clear priorities, responsibilities and the resources required.
The founder decided to commit. Investor backing was secured and later extended for another three years.
I continued as his independent adviser as the organisation expanded internationally, advising on leadership decisions, strategic priorities, setbacks and new opportunities. When specialist expertise was needed, I introduced the right people.
Where the three questions came from
For three years, I worked as an embedded external adviser on a major infrastructure programme.
I advised the CEO and management team as they navigated relationships with the board, public authorities, the media and other stakeholders with different priorities.
The work required a continuous assessment of three questions.
03 / Complex Stakeholder Environment
Perception: How would a decision affect the credibility and standing of the leadership?
Momentum: Which actions would help the organisation make progress?
Autonomy: How much room did the CEO have to act independently?
These questions were closely connected. A decision could strengthen momentum while weakening stakeholder confidence. An agreement could improve relationships while limiting the CEO's freedom to act.
That experience shaped the three perspectives I continue to use when advising leaders today.
A mandate without sufficient backing
A senior leader entered a complex organisation with a mandate to introduce a different leadership culture.
I was initially engaged to help articulate the strategic direction and prepare leadership communication. As resistance emerged, my role developed into that of an independent sounding board.
We examined fallback scenarios, discussed how to approach difficult conversations and determined where negotiation could help. We also established the boundaries beyond which compromise would undermine the original ambition.
04 / Leadership & Organisational Change
Despite these efforts, the support required to continue the transformation did not materialise. The intended change was not achieved.
The experience reinforced something I had encountered in other leadership situations: a formal mandate does not automatically provide the autonomy or support required to deliver change.
THE FIRST STEP
Everything starts with a decision.
Whether you face one important question or a series of strategic decisions, we can start with a confidential conversation.
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Steven Piessens
Independent strategic adviser to CEOs, founders and investors.