With yearly revenues of $1.9 billion, Applied Biosystems (AB) is the world’s largest developer of “tools” for the life sciences industry. In a recent interview with GDS Insights, Catherine Burzik discussed the situation at AB when she became president two years ago.

It’s day one on the job as president of AB. What challenges did you face?

Top-line revenue had been flat, and stock price had been depressed for several years. R&D productivity was low and few new products were being introduced. The most significant challenge was the fact that the market and the employees had lost confidence in the company.

Executive coaching was once viewed as a last-ditch effort to rescue an executive with some fatal flaw. No longer. Coaching is fast becoming a way for executives on the rise to add extra oomph to their repertoire and gain an edge to more quickly advance their career. A good coach can help an executive jack up performance; a bad one can keep him or her stuck in the status quo. This makes selecting the right coach a career expanding—or limiting—decision.

Many executives instinctively know what to look for in a coach: the right chemistry, experience, skills, and an ability to command a client’s respect without commanding. But much less obvious is being sure that the coach understands the role he or she is to play.

Here's how GDS consultant Robert De Simone helped a star performer live up to his reputation.

Presenting Situation: A star-quality SVP of marketing was hired to revitalize a consumer products company . . . great business acumen but alienated peers and reports with condescending attitude and sarcasm . . . impatient with slower-moving, consensus-oriented culture of new company . . . wasn’t available, didn’t attend meetings, had own agenda . . . shook things up, let employees go . . . focused on results, ignored relationships . . . colleagues’ distress led HR to call for help.

Top 100 Leadership Development Programs Named

Leadership Excellence magazine has named this year's Top 100 Leadership Development Programs in the U.S. Guttman Development Strategies, Inc. was selected as one of the top 15 independent consulting firms.