The VP role is not a bigger Director job. It is a different job entirely.
When you step into the VP seat, the scope expands, the stakeholders multiply, and the skills that earned your promotion stop working. We coach VPs through the altitude shift from functional leader to enterprise executive.
The VP role demands a specific set of skills that are rarely taught and almost never coached. We focus on the four areas where VPs most consistently struggle.
Leadership transition coaching is executive coaching designed specifically for leaders navigating critical career transitions — from director to VP, VP to SVP, or into the C-suite. It addresses expanded scope, stakeholder complexity, ELT communication, political navigation, and the shift from managing teams to leading organizations.
The biggest challenges include the altitude shift from operational to strategic thinking, managing a dramatically larger stakeholder map, communicating effectively with the executive leadership team, navigating organizational politics, and learning to lead through other leaders rather than doing the work yourself.
A new VP should spend the early transition period conducting a structured listening tour, mapping the political landscape, building relationships with key stakeholders and peers, and identifying the three priorities that will define the first year. The biggest mistake is coming in too fast and trying to prove yourself before you understand the terrain.
At Director level, success is defined by delivering results through your team within your function. At VP level, success is defined by your ability to influence enterprise outcomes across functions, navigate politics, communicate at the ELT level, and think strategically about the business. The skills that make a great Director often work against you at VP.
Leadership transition coaching at Stratos ranges from $2,995 for a focused 5-session engagement to $5,999 for a full 12-session engagement. Ongoing advisory retainers are available at $3,500 per month. The investment reflects the seniority of the engagement and the experience of our coaches. For a detailed breakdown of market pricing across providers, see our complete guide to executive coaching costs.
Perspectives on altitude transitions, executive skills, and what it actually takes to lead at the next level. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
