Iva Buschmann

You're six months into your new role. Things are mostly fine, but certain decisions take longer than they should and the same problems keep coming back, or someone you valued decides to resign. There's usually a reason this happens, and your team knows the "why". Most people don't tell a new boss what isn't working because it is risky.

► WHAT I DO
I work with leadership teams going through change: a new leader, a merger, a restructuring, a team spread across countries. Usually someone in the team already knows what is slowing the team down. I find it, through confidential 1-1 conversations and by watching how the team works in real meetings. Then I put it in front of the team in plain words, and we work out what needs to change and how bad news reaches you before it's too late. What you get is a better working team, and you hear about problems while they're still small.

Some clients keep me on afterwards. I sit in on leadership meetings, stay with the team through a merger, or work one-to-one with the leader.

► WHERE TO START
THE SIX-MONTH READ is a confidential look at your team. I spend about an hour with each person and it ends with you and your team agreeing what to fix first.

► WHO BRINGS ME IN
- A leader who wants a thinking partner outside the company 1-1
- A CEO who wants to hear what the team really thinks before the next big move
- An HR director who can feel something is off but can't name it
- An investor who wants to know if the team behind the numbers will hold
- A headhunter who placed a leader and wants the placement to last

► WHY SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE
Czech business is a small world. Your people will not open up to someone who has lunch with your competitors. I'm not in your circles. What I hear stays with me.

► MY EXPERIENCE
Co-founded Pierstone, a tech law firm serving Microsoft, Vodafone and Silicon Valley VCs. Facilitated boards at D3A Capital & Advisory in London. Lived and worked across 8 countries over 25 years and Japan sharpened the skill I use most: hearing what people mean when they don't say it.

References available on request.

ICF PCC, trained under Philippe Rosinski and Marshall Goldsmith. Also a mother and wife, so I know leadership doesn't stop when you leave the office.

I'm in Prague every quarter. If you're six months in with a new team, message me. If you placed a leader recently and want it to last, I'd like to hear from you too.