The Evolution®
EXECUTIVE TRANSITION AND CEO ONBOARDING FOR SENIOR WOMEN LEADERS
Welcome to Your New Challenge! Identify Your Blind Spots, Focus on What Matters Most, Communicate Strategically, and Set Yourself Up for Lasting Success in Your New CEO Role.
Program in a Snapshot:
For Whom:
First-time / new-market CEOs
Duration:
6 months
Includes:
2h strategy + 12 coaching sessions + tools
Investment:
€15–50k (company-sponsored)
Goal:
Successful executive onboarding with less stress and more impact
SUCCEED WITH LESS STRESS!
Imagine your board applauding you 18 months from now. What needs to happen for you to get there?
Becoming the next CEO is like embracing the ocean with your bare chest. Each wave tests your skills and ability to swim. The Evolution® gives you those skills – and critical distance – to say the right thing at the right time and to make the right decisions that will keep you at the top.
Why You Need Executive Onboarding Today
DON’T FACE YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE ALONE
Few things cost companies – and your career – more than the mistakes made when hiring the wrong CEO.
Research shows that failed executive transitions cost companies anything between 2.5 to 20 times the executive leader’s yearly compensation (Nawaz 2017, Paese 2021).
At the same time, between 30% to 50% of all executive transitions fail during the first eighteen months to two years (Masters 2009; Keller and Meaney 2018). The cost of replacing an executive can be anywhere between ten to thirty times their yearly salary (Fatemi 2016) (quote: Navid Nazemian, Mastering Executive Transitions).
To add insult to injury, the volume of demands from new CEOs has increased significantly over the last decade, which results in faster CEO turnover. New CEOs replace previous matadors faster and they are expected to deliver outstanding results equally fast.
Are you ready for these strong headwinds?
Be wise. Don’t face your greatest challenge alone. De-risk your CEO promotion and protect yourself, the future of your company, and your career by hiring an executive transition coach to guide you through your executive onboarding process. Say the right thing at the right time and make the right decisions at the right moment to make sure you are one of those CEOs who don’t disappoint – on the contrary, they soar and take their board and companies with them to new highs.
You got promoted into top leadership. I am here to show you how to turn this major milestone into an outstanding success.
Is the Evolution® the Right Program For You?
GIVE YOURSELF A QUICK READINESS CHECK
You have just gotten promoted into top leadership and you know your new role will be a major challenge. You feel that this is your “make it or break it” moment. At the same time, you are wise enough to know that some battles are not worth fighting alone.
Are you a senior woman leader who has just gotten promoted into top leadership? If yes, seek no more.
The Evolution® is ideal for:
- First-time CEOs. You have just been promoted from the C-Suite into CEO. This is your first time holding the reins of the entire organization. You feel the weight of the new responsibility on your shoulders. This is the right program for you.
- Serial CEOs. You have been promoted into a new CEO role for the second / third time. You remember your first appointment and you wish you had known better back then. Today, you are wise enough to understand that your new company and market are also different. You don’t want ego and hubris to get the best of you and endanger your future. This is the right program for you.
- From local to regional CEO. Instead of one market, you now carry the responsibility for several markets with different nationalities, cultures, budgets, and economic models. You report higher in your organization and the expectations from your vision and strategic thinking are also higher. This is the right program for you.
- From regional to global CEO. This is your Everest. No other place in your company is higher, windier, or lonelier than this one. This is the right program for you.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
This program is for women CEOs who:
- Are emotionally mature and wise enough to understand they need support when they grow to the top and lead from the top.
- Don’t hesitate to admit they need support – on the contrary, they role model listening and learning for others.
- Ask for money and make executive onboarding an undeniable part of their CEO promotion package.
- Value critical distance, patience, and long-term sustainable decision-making.
- Think strategically, play the long game, and want to succeed AND have a good career and reputation after this role, too.
This program is NOT for women CEOs who:
- Are set to prove everyone – including themselves – they can do it alone.
- Alleviate their insecurities by self-isolating or by reverting to power-and-control mechanisms when confronted by the challenges of the new role.
- Don’t value learning, thought partnership, and executive development.
- Don’t know how to ask for help – or money to buy the help they need.
- Can’t think beyond next week, stay buried in operations, avoid long-term strategic thinking, and shrink from responsibility and making big moves.
See What’s Possible Through the Success Stories of My Clients
Companies I Serve
WHERE DO MY CLIENTS WORK?
Over the Last 15 Years I Served…
Let the Numbers Speak
- 0+
Companies
- 0+
Individual leaders
- 0+
Group clients
- 0%
Success rate within 3 years from program end
Your Success Is My Success!
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Learn how I partner with top executives and their companies to drive success during executive transitions, onboarding, and strategic communications for new CEOs.
My mantra is: “Once a client, always a client.”
Read what my clients and lifelong business partners have to say about my work.
If you are looking for a mentor/coach to guide you through the journey of finding your true vision and navigate smartly in this complex world, Cristina is definitely the right choice. Cristina is a natural coach and facilitator. She is patient, intuitive, and wise beyond her years. And she has a masterful knack for knowing when to invoke these various skills to bring out a clarity of purpose and desire that is often hard to pinpoint on your own. She has a way of repackaging your own, sometimes confusing, thoughts in a way that adds meaningful direction. I’m very grateful to have worked with her during a challenging period professionally throughout 2019 and the result is remarkable. Thank you Cristina for joining me into my “big leap”!
I started working with Cristina in a period of multiple changes in my work and private life. I needed to identify my values and key priorities. With Cristina I was visiting different areas of my work and private life step by step. During our sessions we discussed topics ranging from business, philanthropy, and my personal life. I was able to name and describe the challenges and consequently decide for my concrete steps and actions. Cristina is able to help with a wide scope of questions starting with personal daily routines to hiring strategies, PR and communication, target setting, embracing diversity etc. With her great questions she helped me find my own answers. Cristina is more than a coach; she is a psychologist, a communication specialist, a lifestyle advisor, and a friend.
Cristina had a great impact on my communication style and my emotional intelligence during an important development time in my life. She helped me get to the next, higher level in my professional and personal life. She was extremely patient and flexible while serving my needs. Cristina opened my “analytical mind” and broadened my perspective to include the importance of seeking to understand. Cristina can point very sensitively to all the aspects that need improvement or focus in your communications and she can fully respect your personal needs at the same time. Emotional intelligence and psychology is a very abstract science to me, yet Cristina managed to change my perspective on the importance of improving these skills.
It takes a rare gift, outstanding knowledge of the media world, and the skill of a coach to teach a person to craft a message both interesting to journalists and memorable to the reader. Cristina Muntean does an outstanding job of teaching you to be a media-savvy CEO while still being yourself.
Just have to rave about The Elevator coaching program with Cristina! The way it started was a pure accident (read: luck)☺️ As part of an Accelerator that I joined the Vornica – The CEO Elevation Circle community and thanks to my active participation I won an exclusive 6 week coaching program with her. And I’m really glad I did it, because least to say, it came at the right moment😉
The established safety made me feel I can talk about anything, without judgement. The best part – Cristina is this amazing mix of being totally honest, pushing you to think outside the box, asking all the right questions (to many I had no freaking clue!) and giving exact, practical tips (differentiating her from others, really☝️). Plus, she is fantastic listener. She helped me improve my “growth mindset” (which in other way just means, feeling pumped to tackle anything).
My favorite quotes I took from it:
- “Realize your own size in the system…”
- “Nurture your energy and direct it where it serves.”
- “Be patient, this is part of their development, not yours…”
I can only but recommend this program, even if you think you’ve got it!😎 Thank you, Cristina🌸
Cristina has the talent to tune in to a specific group or individual and to design a program according to very specific needs. She creates relationships based on trust that are a good basis for the development of individuals or groups. Her language skills and multicultural experience are also an added value. Cooperation with Cristina is very rewarding and at the same time very pleasant. Cristina will not push anyone to achieve their goal; everyone must find the will to develop within themselves. Yet she will gently accompany and support you in this whole process.
Cristina demonstrated a wide experience leading communications during our common projects. She supported the generation of creative ideas and concepts that contributed to our success. Cristina also managed and maximized the company’s social media presence by facilitating interviews and providing regularly published content on select media outlets. Above all, it was a pleasure working with her.
Book a Short & Sweet 15-Minute Call to Map Your Needs
READY TO TALK?
Take a quick peek at my calendar and choose a time that makes the most sense for you.
To get the most out of our free conversation, I invite you to come prepared. Here is a list of questions I recommend you reflect upon in advance:
- What is my greatest challenge right now?
- What is my key objective from a potential executive transition / onboarding / development program?
- How will I know I succeeded?
I look forward to talking to you. BTW, book this call even if you work in HR and you want to discuss the executive onboarding for your next CEO.
Program Content
How Will We Work Together?
When you decide to join The Evolution®, here is what you should expect.
- A hands-on, extremely involved, mentally and emotionally challenging yet supportive executive coaching & mentoring experience. “The kind of program that makes you want to go home and scream: Why didn’t I do this years ago?,” a client said.
- A white-glove onboarding experience. As soon as our contract is signed and your invoice paid, we can move on to set you up for success.
- A 2-hour CEO onboarding strategy session. During this intense meeting we will identify your greatest challenges, needs, concerns, risks, and opportunities right now. Based on the outcome of this session, we will set up your strategic objectives and goals for the next month, 3 months, 6 months and the rest of our collaboration, and we will craft a tailor-made strategic plan for your executive transition.
- A total of 12 1-1 60-minute executive mentoring and coaching sessions. The sessions are paced in a way that will generate most momentum for your transition (ex.: you can use 4 sessions one month and 1 session next month – up to you).
- Regular feedback via quarterly and mid-program check-ins.
- Rich support under the form of online chat with me directly, strategic material reviews, and frameworks and tools to nurture your decision-making process.
The Evolution® provides an intentional framework to drive fast momentum in your executive onboarding. It also leaves room for tailor-made topics and interventions based on your specific context and needs. Ultimately, this is your program, so it will be crafted to help you reach your goals as quickly and effectively as possible.
Optional program add-ons:
- Extra sessions that you can dedicate to training high-stakes communication interventions, board and investor meetings, preparing for impactful presentations, podcasts, or media interviews, or receiving feedback to specific matters relevant to your next steps etc.
- A 360° stakeholder assessment, including live interviews with your key stakeholders.
- A detailed emotional intelligence and personal communications profile with the Enneagram.
- In-person strategy sessions depending on your location.
- Program extensions (grace periods of up to 6 months for finalizing your program).
The Evolution® is provided primarily in English. Yet, should you so choose, we can conduct the individual sessions in Czech or Romanian as well.
Here is an example of the topics we may choose to cover together:
Session 1:
My new reality – embracing the true dimension of my new CEO role. Uncovering the skeletons in the closet and their risk to your plans. Urgent needs of the role and how to tackle them strategically.
Session 2:
My key stakeholders – from owners to investors, the board, executive team, employees, clients and the media - and their expectations from me.
Session 3:
My new CEO communications strategy during my first day / month / quarter in the role.
Session 4:
My greatest weaknesses – and strengths – in communications. Empathic stakeholder communications.
Session 5:
My decision-making and leadership style and its fit with the new company culture.
Session 6:
My greatest weaknesses – and strengths – in executive leadership. Stretches towards different leadership styles that are more adapted to my new reality.
Session 7:
My health and well-being as the CEO. How to build my own physical, mental, and emotional resilience for the long-term.
Session 8:
My executive team architecture and its potential upgrade.
Session 9:
High-stakes communications. Interview preparation with key stakeholders – the board, shareholders, investors, the media.
Session 10:
Crisis communications. Emotional self-mastery during crises.
Session 11:
AI, tech transformation, and mastering the journey of your company from now into the future.
Session 12:
Your next steps - concrete action plan for the next 6 months of your CEO experience.
Want Something on Top?
Exclusive Perks
When you decide to join The Evolution®, on top of the program you also get:
- Up to 6h of emergency access and consulting via text, audio, and video messaging with me personally via WhatsApp.
- Lifetime access to the entire VORNICA® on-demand video course library.
- 3 e-books on executive team coaching, personal branding, and strategic media relations I published over the last 10 years.
- Access to 3 exclusive VIP Q&As with Cristina that you can place in your agenda. These Q&As are small, intimate, and dedicated only to the participants in my executive coaching & mentoring programs.
- And much more.
As a woman CEO, all eyes are now on you – and you WILL be judged harsher than your male counterparts.
Learn how to walk the tight rope between being powerful and likeable. Succeed in your new CEO role without losing yourself, your health, your family, or your sanity.
Before / After
Let’s take a look at how you will experience your CEO role before and after The Evolution®.
IMAGINE HOW YOUR LIFE COULD FEEL 6 TO 12 MONTHS FROM NOW…
Before The Evolution®:
- 1.Excitement feels a lot like anxiety right now. You are thrilled that you made it through your succession process – but you also understand that this is just the beginning of your next journey.
- 2.You may face your inner imposter showing up to question whether your board and company made the right choice. You wonder if you have what it takes to be a good CEO.
- 3.You question what to say, to whom, and when. You know you need to communicate wisely – you just don’t have a clear strategy for it.
- 4.You know you must be prepared, but you are not sure what plan to follow to get ready for the Day D when you take over your new role and all eyes will be on you.
- 5.The previous CEO might not be thrilled you replaced them, so they may not be in your corner to support your onboarding. Equally, you may be facing a ghost – a former CEOs whose shoes are so big, it feels impossible to fill them.
- 6.Your new company is in trouble – you just don’t know how big that trouble is.
- 7.You don’t know whether you can rely on your new executive team – or whom you will need to replace in it to make it work.
- 8.You are not sure how to show up to your board to make a great first impression.
- 9.You don’t know how to introduce yourself powerfully so employees, clients, and investors trust you instantly.
- 10.You don’t know what to do first, then next.
- 11.You are concerned that if you blow this opportunity, your career might never recover.
After The Evolution®:
- 1.You feel grounded and in charge. You know you’ve got this. Bring it on!
- 2.You know exactly who your stakeholders are – and what they want from you.
- 3.You have a clear communications plan and a CEO Q&A that helps you navigate your first months, quarters, and year in the new role.
- 4.You have a plan to master your own health and personal relationships – and you act on it confidently.
- 5.You have made peace with the reality of the business and the legacy of the previous CEO, and you have introduced yourself and your vision powerfully to all your stakeholders.
- 6.You trust your vision and your plan.
- 7.You trust the architecture of your new executive team.
- 8.You are surrounded by people who get your vision and leadership style.
- 9.You have enough support from your board, executive team, and tribe of mentors.
- 10.You remain vigilant to the reality on the market, but you know you can overcome challenges and help your company grow.
- 11.The market starts to notice you. You receive more invitations to speak in public. You select your CEO communication opportunities with discernment and impact.
- 12.You experience a strong sense of purpose. Your initiatives start to show results.
- 13.You feel ready, robust, real, and in the right place.
- 14.You can breathe again. You’ve made it on the other side – and your stakeholders, company, family and bank account thank you for it.
Let’s Talk Money
Your Return on Investment
The Evolution® is priced to reflect my 15+ years of executive coaching and mentoring experience supporting senior leaders to master leadership and strategic communications and to succeed in their new roles. The pricing also reflects the level of seniority of my clients and the expected return on investment following your success in your new CEO role.
The price of the program starts at 15,000 EUR for the most fundamental basic version and it can grow beyond 50,000 EUR when you choose extra services such as 360° assessment, in-person strategy sessions, emotional intelligence profiling, extra sessions, executive team support, and more.
This program is not a cost – it’s an investment. My clients who succeed in their new CEO roles receive bigger bonuses and stakes in their company, establish a reputation that acts like a magnet for stellar opportunities, and avoid mistakes that could cost them their careers and financial security in the future.
Here is what you gain when you embrace The Evolution® and choose to walk into your new CEO role shoulder to shoulder with an empathic and experienced executive transition coach:
- 1.Critical distance and sound decision-making. You make it a habit to stop, reflect, and allow your intuition and wisdom to inform your next decisions.
- 2.Clarity. You take the pulse of your reality regularly, and you know exactly what to say and what to do next.
- 3.Context. By speaking regularly with a third-party you can trust, you will expand your own perspective and understanding of your CEO context.
- 4.Challenge. A trusted partner who is not afraid to challenge you or tell you the truth. This is how you fix one of the greatest challenges of CEOs – the loneliness at the top and the sycophantic attitude of those who depend on you for their salaries.
- 5.Confidence. By knowing what to say and do when, you quiet your impostor syndrome and learn to trust yourself more.
- 6.Cash. You will earn much more in fixed compensation, bonuses, stock options, and benefits, thus helping secure your financial future.
- 7.Higher authority, reach, and impact. Alignment between your personal values, purpose, and your CEO role.
- 8.A magnet for positive opportunities to catapult your work, career, and life to the next level.
The Difference Between The Evolution® and Other Options
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING?
Here is what happens when you choose The Evolution® versus other generic coaching programs and versus doing nothing (on a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 is the maximum):
| IMPACT | DOING NOTHING / TRYING IT YOURSELF | GENERIC COACHING PROGRAM | THE EVOLUTION® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional executive transition and CEO onboarding support | 0 | 1-2 | 10 |
| Support to ground yourself in your new CEO reality mentally and emotionally | 0 | 3-4 | 10 |
| Support to map your new business realities | 0 | 1-2 | 10 |
| Support to map and understand your new stakeholders | 0 | 1-2 | 10 |
| Support to craft an astute new CEO communication strategy that will set you up for success | 0 | 1-2 | 10 |
| Advice from a former business journalist with 12 years of media experience | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Advice from someone who built a global business through the power of her personal brand | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Higher self-confidence that you know what you’re doing in your new CEO communications | 0-1 | 4-5 | 10 |
| Higher authority, reach, and impact | 0-1 | 4-5 | 10 |
| Higher readiness for high-stakes interviews | 0-1 | 3-4 | 10 |
| Higher readiness for board, shareholder, and investor communications | 0-1 | 3-4 | 10 |
| Higher readiness for crisis communications | 0-1 | 3-4 | 9-10 |
| Higher readiness to speak to any politician diplomatically and influentially | 0-1 | 3-4 | 9-10 |
| Feeling supported, challenged, and validated | 0 | 6-8 | 10 |
| Possibility to become a role model for other women leaders | 0-1 | 6-8 | 10 |
| TOTAL | 0-7 | 39 - 54 | 158 - 160 |
With Whom Will You Work?
Hi, Cristina Here!
Hi! Cristina here 😊. I am a multiple certified senior executive mentor and coach specialized in executive transitions, strategic communications, personal branding, and career acceleration for senior women leaders. If you want to learn more about me, my specific qualifications, and my personal story, please visit the page MY STORY.
During our program, we will work together – no exceptions. This is how you can tap into my 12+ years of business journalism experience and my 15+ years of executive coaching and mentoring wisdom I acquired developing over 500 senior women leaders just like you.
The program you are considering, the Evolution®, is a work of love and the embodiment of my own purpose and positive contribution to our world. This is why I am honored that you consider choosing me to be your executive coach and guide through your executive transition.
Book a Short & Sweet 15-Minute Call to Map Your Needs
READY TO TALK?
Take a quick peek at my calendar and choose a time that makes the most sense for you.
To get the most out of our free conversation, I invite you to come prepared. Here is a list of questions I recommend you reflect upon in advance:
- What is my greatest challenge right now?
- What is my key objective from a potential executive transition / onboarding / development program?
- How will I know I succeeded?
I look forward to talking to you. BTW, book this call even if you work in HR and you want to discuss the executive onboarding for your next CEO.
You Work in HR? Do This
If you work in HR / L&D / talent development and you consider purchasing The Evolution® for your new CEO, please book a 15-minute SHARED VISION call with me to tell me more about your needs.
When we have vision alignment, we can proceed to holding a more in-depth call with you, your internal client, and anyone else you consider appropriate for being part of this need mapping session. I will be privileged to facilitate our encounter and map how I can support you and your outstanding leaders and organization.
Why CHROS love The Evolution®:
- Increased CEO success rate
- Better culture fit and executive integration
- Higher board confidence and team stability
- Measurable ROI on onboarding support
- Building a solid partnership with the new CEO from the very beginning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the questions I receive regularly from potential clients. Take a look, clarify your next steps, and let’s talk.
When can I join The Evolution® ?
The Evolution® is a tailor-made individual executive coaching and mentoring program that you can join anytime you choose. However, I highly recommend enrolling by July 1, or by January 1 so you can receive the best targeted support and be ready for the key moments when companies make most hiring, promotion, and strategic communication decisions.
How much exactly does the program cost?
The Evolution® is priced to reflect Cristina’s 15+ years of experience supporting senior women leaders to grow in their careers, the level of seniority of our clients, and the expected return on investment following your increased visibility and higher career promotability.
The price starts at 15,000 EUR for the most fundamental basic version of the program and it can grow beyond 50,000 EUR when you choose to add extra services such as 360° assessment, in-person strategy sessions, emotional intelligence profiling, extra sessions, and more.
You will receive your detailed price, ROI, and payment options during the direct proposal presentation call with Cristina so you can make an informed decision.
Should my company sponsor my development?
Absolutely – in fact, for this program, 99.9% of my clients are company-sponsored. Feel free to take this page to your CHRO and clarify the options and budget to invest in your executive onboarding and CEO transition before the end of this year.
NOTE: If you need a letter of recommendation or program brochure for your HR, please send me an email at Cristina.muntean@vornica.com and I will gladly create it for you.How exactly does the program unfold once I join?
After our 30-minute onboarding call we will schedule your strategy call. After this session you receive your tailor-made development plan that you need to approve. Once we have it, we can schedule your 1-1 calls that will take place 2x-3x / month. After using your 12 sessions we will wrap up the program with a next steps call.
How much time do I need to allocate to the program per week / per month?
During the first month, expect to spend a minimum of 3.5 hours on onboarding, the strategy session, and the first executive development session. Afterwards, our direct interactions will be limited to 2–3 hours / month depending on your degree of intensity and specific needs.
Will I interact with peers during the program?
The Evolution® is a top-of-the-shelf individual executive transition and CEO onboarding program. Therefore, for the majority of time during the program you will interact exclusively with Cristina, your coach. However, you will also receive invitations to VIP events and Q&As for Cristina’s clients and alumni. During these encounters you will have a chance to interact with your peers and leverage the power of community for your utmost benefit.
Is the program online or in-person?
The Evolution® takes place exclusively online. This way we can record our sessions, take AI-generated notes, and derive a maximum of value from our work together. Equally, this is how Cristina can serve a variety of clients from all over the world.
Our sessions take place exclusively on Zoom, so you will need to have this app installed on your device (ideally a personal notebook). NOTE: We will not use Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or a different online meeting platform during our work together because The Evolution® program settings are designed around Zoom as the core program app. Please bear this in mind when joining our live online sessions.
Is my information and data safe?
Absolutely. All tools and platforms are set up to protect the privacy and confidentiality of my clients under all circumstances.
What happens if I can’t make a session?
During the 12-session program you can postpone up to 4 times without repercussions. Postponements must be made a minimum of 72 hours prior to the session taking place; in the opposite case, the session is considered used and is written off.
Equally, if you need to postpone more than 4 times, further requests for postponement will be considered written off sessions that will be deducted from your overall plan. This is why we recommend you to prioritize this program and to schedule our sessions during a time when you can expect minimal interruptions.
Does the program guarantee that I will succeed in my new CEO role?
No. Nailing your new CEO role is a complex endeavor that takes time, skill, and mastery. What I can guarantee is that you will receive all the support you need so you can communicate mindfully, act decisively, and understand how you can lead better. I simply support you in doing your best and showing up at your best – the rest of your success will be influenced by your specific circumstances.