Breaking down the complex world of IT is no small feat.
That’s where Dardis Communications comes in.
Jeremy Kauten is the Chief Information Officer at the VGM Group, Inc., a leader in the post-acute healthcare industry based in Waterloo, Iowa. The sophisticated work he does directing the IT team includes regular meetings with the board of directors.
“Imagine explaining to senior leadership in 5 minutes why I spent a million dollars on a new security tool,” Jeremy said. “Or maybe it’s an investment in AI. These are topics you need a master’s degree for! It’s sort of like trying to explain Uber to your grandma.”
Jeremy received executive coaching from Dardis Senior Vice President Angie Bennett over the course of six months, with a mix of in-person meetings and virtual training to accommodate his schedule. He was pleasantly surprised by how useful the coaching proved.
“It exceeded my expectations,” Jeremy said.
He quickly learned a roadmap to brief leadership on complicated matters – and respond to their questions.
“I learned how to hedge, to anticipate their questions,” he said. “She prepared me for the curveball questions that normally would’ve thrown me off.”
Jeremy appreciated how practical the coaching is. “A lot of the lessons were implemented that day – for sure that same week.”
He learned by how masterfully Angie delivers feedback – an approach he plans to emulate with his IT team. “Angie is wonderful. The way she gives constructive criticism is so beneficial. It’s delivered in a way that never offends you.”
Jeremy was impressed by how Dardis tailors its one-on-one coaching. This ensured he could receive exactly the guidance he needed. For instance, Angie helped Jeremy pitch a specific customer – from writing a clear proposal to going through the presentation. He’d record himself, send it back to her and then implement her constructive feedback.
At times, Angie seemed like a mind-reader, preparing him for specific scenarios in high-stake pitches that ended up occurring. “It was exactly what she said!” Jeremy said.
Learning the Dardis roadmap has helped Jeremy think on his feet. When an important meeting was cut in half at the last minute, he immediately grasped how to restructure the pitch.
He’ll be quick to recommend Dardis to others – and he plans to call on Angie in the future.
The new skills have given the CIO a confidence boost. “A leader must have soft skills,” Jeremy said. “Plenty of people who work for me are much better technicians. Communication is really the difference between the boss and the rest of the team.”