The Exit®

STRATEGIC OUTPLACEMENT FOR SENIOR WOMEN LEADERS

Let’s Support Your Departing Senior Women Leaders to Thrive Beyond Your Organization.

DON’T STEP INTO THE WILD ALONE!

UNIQUE SUPPORT FOR SENIOR WOMEN LEADERS ON THEIR WAY OUT
In April 2010, the world as I knew it came to a halt: I got laid off. In a week, I lost not just my job – I lost my entire profession. This is why I know first-hand how it feels to step outside your company walls and into the wild on your own. Now, I am here to support departing women leaders to make sense of their exit and to craft a success journey for themselves following an involuntary layoff.

Losing a job is as traumatic as losing your spouse. You don’t want to be alone – or leave your people alone – in these difficult times.

Involuntary contract terminations are a fact of life. However, what makes the difference is how we treat employees during these challenging times for the people and the company. The Exit® supports senior women leaders in departing with grace – and, perhaps, one day, choose to join your ranks again.

Why You Must Invest in Your Departing Leaders

STRATEGIC, SYSTEMATIC, DIGNIFIED

Unless you’re laying off people for their own mistakes, your employees should never feel the pain of bad decisions made at the top that shatter their careers and their livelihoods. 

And yet, bad things happen. Market transformation, economic conditions, and company restructuring can lead to involuntary layoffs. If you want to live up to your reputation as a good employer, this is the time to invest in your departing leaders. 

Provide your senior women leaders on their way out with a robust outplacement package that can help them transition from your company onto the open market with more ease. This investment helps you protect relationships with your employees, safeguard your reputation, and keep your talent pipeline full in case you may need to reach out and re-hire your departing leaders again. 

Why you need to support your senior leaders on their way out.

Consider The Exit® When …

FOR WHOM IS THIS PROGRAM?

The Exit® is an executive coaching and mentoring program ideal for:

  1. Senior Women Leaders on Their Way Out: You have just been informed your contract will be terminated because of causes you could not influence. This is the best moment to ask for robust support with your outplacement. 
  2. CHROs Who Strive to Support Their Departing Leaders: You need to lay off good people and you want to make sure you do right by them so they are well resourced for the way ahead. 
Would you like to gain solid support before leaving your company for reasons you could not influence?

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

This program is for senior women leaders who:

  • Were laid off for reasons they could not influence: corporate restructuring, M&A, poor economic results etc.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask for support during their departure and make executive outplacement an undeniable part of their exit package.
  • Are emotionally mature and wise enough to understand that every big challenge can be turned into an opportunity with the right approach.
  • Value dignity, critical distance, and long-term sustainable decision-making.
  • Think strategically, play the long game, and want to overcome their exit gracefully and craft a solid path for their future.

This program is NOT for senior women leaders who:

  • Are being laid off because of their own mistakes or depart corporate voluntarily.
  • Choose to take their current employer to court for their layoff.
  • Are currently too overwhelmed to engage in supported reflection and insist on going it alone.
  • Are not yet ready to see that, no matter how much it hurts, it’s better to leave doors open than burn bridges.
  • Don’t know how to ask for help – or money to buy the help they need.
  • Don’t value critical distance, learning, thought partnership, and executive development in their process of crafting a new career and life for themselves.

See What’s Possible Through the Success Stories of My Clients 

What Clients Say About My Work?

Companies I Serve

WHERE DO MY CLIENTS WORK?

Over the Last 15 Years I Served…

Let the Numbers Speak

Your Success Is My Success!

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

Learn how I partner with top executives and their companies to help them navigate all major milestones during a senior executive’s employee experience. 

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”!

    Ling Hong

    Executive Director, Goldman Sachs Asset and Wealth Management Netherlands

  • 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.

    Kateřina Zapletalová

    Board Member, MOSER a.s. Czech Republic

  • 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.

    Miroslava Stodolicová

    Director Future Finance Fit, AbbVie Global

  • 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.

    Ivana Goossen

    Ex-CEO, University of Pittsburgh - Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business Europe

  • 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🌸

    Emel Idriz

    Business Strategy and Operations, PriceFX Czech Republic

  • 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.

    Ivana Martiňaková

    CEO, dm-drogerie markt Romania

  • 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.

    Beatrice Radu

    Ex-CEO, Avon Cosmetics Czech Republic and Slovakia

Program Content

HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER

When you decide to join The Exit®, here is what you should expect. 

  1. A hands-on, extremely involved, mentally and emotionally supportive executive coaching & mentoring experience.  
  2. 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. 
  3. A 2-hour strategy session. During this intense meeting we will identify your current situation and your greatest concerns, needs, risks, and opportunities right now. Based on the outcome of this session, we will set up your strategic objectives and goals for the next 6 months and we will craft a tailor-made strategic plan for your exit. 
  4. 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 out of your current company (ex.: you can use 4 sessions one month and 1 session next month – up to you). 
  5. Regular feedback via quarterly and mid-program check-ins. 
  6. Rich support under the form of online chat with me directly, strategic material reviews, and frameworks and tools to nurture your communications and decision-making process.  

The Exit® provides an intentional framework to bring you support and help you craft a new path for yourself after your layoff. 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 designed to help you reach your goals with clarity, confidence, and momentum. 

Optional program add-ons:  

  1. Extra sessions that you can dedicate to training exit and new hiring interviews, media interviews, or to receiving feedback to specific matters relevant to your next steps etc. 
  2. A detailed emotional intelligence and personal communications profile with the Enneagram.
  3. Program extensions (grace periods of up to 3 months for finalizing your program).

The Exit® 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:

  1. Session 1:

    Grounding and critical distance. My new reality and my healthy ways of coping with it mentally and emotionally.

  2. Session 2:

    My communication plan around my layoff. Crisis communications and emotional self-mastery during crisis. Wise internal and external communications.

  3. Session 3:

    My real options. What do I need right now and in my next step?

  4. Session 4:

    AI apps and new hardware and software tech usage to achieve my objectives on my own.

  5. Session 5:

    LinkedIn profile revamp. Craft your new description to reflect your new reality and objectives for the future.

  6. Session 6:

    Network activation. Whom do I need to talk to in order to accelerate positive opportunities?

  7. Session 7:

    Proactive LinkedIn content management. How to generate keyword-rich content that will attract the right kind of attention.

  8. Session 8:

    Proactive LinkedIn network building. How to attract more headhunters and strategic decision-makers into your network.

  9. Session 9:

    How to nurture my mental health and resilience during transition.

  10. Session 10:

    External communications on your own. Public visibility, podcast and media interviews.

  11. Session 11:

    Headhunter and key new hiring decision-maker interview simulations.

  12. Session 12:

    Your next steps – a concrete six-month action plan.

The order of these topics can be shuffled and shifted based on your urgent priorities. The program is extremely adaptable to meet you precisely where you are – and where you want to go.

Want Something on Top?

Exclusive Perks

When you decide to join The Exit®, on top of the program you also get:

  1. Up to 3h of emergency access and consulting via text, audio, and video messaging with me personally via WhatsApp. 
  2. Lifetime access to the entire VORNICA® on-demand video course library. 
  3. 3 e-books on executive team coaching, personal branding, and strategic media relations I published over the last 10 years.
  4. 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. 
  5. And much more.  

You’ve got this. As much as it hurts right now, you can turn your executive exit into a positive opportunity.

Learn how to maintain critical distance, resource yourself, and make the right decisions for your future regardless of your current circumstances.

Before / After

Let’s take a look at how you will experience your career and life before and after The Exit®.

IMAGINE HOW YOUR LIFE COULD FEEL 6 TO 12 MONTHS FROM NOW…

Before The Exit®:

  1. 1.You have just received the news about your layoff and you are in shock. This can manifest as massive anger, disappointment, a sense of injustice and betrayal, or just as a frozen state in which you don’t know what to do.
  2. 2.You have no idea what to do next. You never thought this moment could come – after all, you have been a most loyal, hard-working employee.
  3. 3.You experience massive anxiety about your career and your future.
  4. 4.Your kids ask you how they will finish school or if they need to cancel their holiday plans with their friends.
  5. 5.You are terrified your savings won’t be enough to cover your transition into a new paid job.
  6. 6.You have no idea whether to stay in corporate or start something on your own.
  7. 7.You feel down, really down, and you want to avoid slipping into depression.
  8. 8.You need to talk to someone to gain perspective.
  9. 9.You don’t know how to communicate your exit or position yourself to land a new role in senior leadership.
  10. 10.You don’t know what to do first, then next.

After The Exit®:

  1. 1.Your grief starts to subside. You still hurt, but you are becoming more and more at peace with what happened.
  2. 2.You still experience strong emotions such as anger, frustration, betrayal, or injustice – and you know exactly how to process them so they don’t incapacitate you.
  3. 3.You have healthy coping mechanisms to navigate your transition and retain your mental health.
  4. 4.You know exactly how to turn this bump in the road into a great opportunity for your future.
  5. 5.You have a clear external communications plan. You act decisively and start nurturing your personal brand in a way that will help you land your next job.
  6. 6.You have engaged your family, friends, and external stakeholders and they know exactly how to support you.
  7. 7.You trust your vision and your plan for the future.
  8. 8.Your LinkedIn network is growing and you start attracting new, interesting career and work opportunities.
  9. 9.You can breathe and communicate about your departure with ease.
  10. 10.Your networking and communication efforts become your trampoline to your future success. You feel more grounded, humble, and ready for your next step.
Would you like to explore how to navigate your corporate exit successfully?

Your title may be gone, but your worth is not.

Together, we’ll help you remember who you are – and shape who you want to become next.

Let’s Talk Money

Your Return on Investment

The Exit® is priced to reflect my 15+ years of executive coaching and mentoring experience supporting senior leaders to succeed in and beyond their roles. The pricing also reflects the level of seniority of my clients, the value of your reputation protected, and the expected return on investment following your successful corporate exit.  

The price of the program starts at 10,000 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 exit successfully have real options that protect their reputation, mental health, and savings by helping them land in a new paid role as soon as possible.  

Here is what you gain when you embrace The Exit® and choose to navigate your corporate departure with the support of an empathic and experienced executive transition coach:

  1. 1.Critical distance and sound decision-making. You master your emotions and don’t allow them to make you say or do something you may regret later.
  2. 2.Clarity. You figure out what to do next faster.
  3. 3.Communications. You clarify how to communicate internally and externally with dignity so you can protect your reputation.
  4. 4.Context. You access my market intelligence and network faster, helping you orient yourself more easily in your new landscape.
  5. 5.Confidence. By knowing what to say and do when, you pacify your emotions and learn to trust yourself again.
  6. 6.Cash. You figure out how to earn money again – fast and ethically.
  7. 7.You become a magnet for positive opportunities to catapult your work, career, and life to the next level.
You will receive your tailor-made price, ROI calculation, and payment options during the proposal presentation call so you can make a fully informed decision.

The Difference Between The Exit® and Other Options

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING?

Here is what happens when you choose The Exit® 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 EXIT®
Quick orientation and grounding in your new reality. 0-1 5-6 10
Professional support from a specialized executive transition coach 0 0 10
Empathic support from an executive coach who went through a brutal layoff 0 0-1 10
Robust support to master your emotions 0 1-2 10
Professional support to master your communications from a media and crisis communications pro 0 0 10
Access to specific market intelligence and a solid network of top contacts 0 0 10
Support to craft an astute communication strategy that will set you up for success in your next step 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 to do next 0-1 4-5 10
Higher readiness for high-stakes interviews 0-1 3-4 10
Feeling supported, challenged, and validated 0 6-8 10
TOTAL 0-3 20 - 28 100

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 Exit®, is 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.   

My Story

You Work in HR? Do This

WHAT IF I AM LOOKING FOR THIS PROGRAM FOR OUR EXITING MANAGERS?

If you work in HR and you consider purchasing The Exit® for your departing managers, 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 clients, 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 departing leaders. 

Why CHROS love The Exit®:

  • Robust executive exit support 
  • Increased chances of good leaders returning to the organization later on
  • Corporate reputation and employer brand protection 
  • Avoiding crisis communications 
  • Less effort to navigate survivor guilt with those who remained in the company 
  • A sense of integrity and doing right by those who need to leave
  • Treat others as you would wish to be treated if the tables were turned.   

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 Exit®?

    The Exit® is a tailor-made individual executive coaching and mentoring program that you can join anytime you need it. Ideally, I recommend starting the program as soon as possible after finding out about your layoff.

  • How much exactly does the program cost?

    The Exit® is priced to reflect Cristina’s 15+ years of experience supporting senior women leaders to manage their careers, the level of seniority of our clients, and the expected return on investment following your faster orientation on the market to find a new lucrative role for yourself.

    The price starts at 10,000 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 outplacement.
    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.

    On top of this, a minimum of 1.5 hours / month is recommended for you to engage in self-reflection, homework, and concrete action taking that will advance your career. There is no upper limit to the time you choose to invest in your self-reflection and follow-up exercises: in general, the more time you invest in yourself, the faster you reach your objectives.

  • Will I interact with peers during the program?

    The Exit® is a top-of-the-shelf individual executive outplacement 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 Exit® 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 Exit® 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 finding a new job fast?

    No. Nailing your next job 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 navigate the market better so you can return to senior leadership ASAP. I simply support you in doing your best and showing up at your best – the rest of your success will be influenced by your efforts and your specific circumstances.