The Multi-Disciplinary Leader: A CEO’s Test Drive

“Managing and leading multi-disciplinary stakeholders is a test drive to become a CEO.”

Atip Muangsuwan
CEO Coach and Coach Supervisor

Every aspiring CEO knows the feeling. You’re performing well in your current role. The numbers are strong. Your team respects you. The board has noticed. And then comes the conversation that changes everything: “We’re considering you for the APAC CEO role. But there’s something we need to see first.”

For Tony, a senior executive at a global conglomerate, that “something” wasn’t about hitting targets. It wasn’t about working harder. It was about something far more nuanced—and far more critical.

He needed to learn how to lead and influence multi-disciplinary stakeholders.

The Man in the Mirror

Tony had spent twenty years climbing the corporate ladder. He could read a P&L statement in his sleep. He could rally a sales team with a single memo. He could negotiate supply chain contracts that saved millions.

But when his mentor—the outgoing APAC CEO—sat him down and said, “Tony, you’re brilliant at what you do. But being CEO means you’re no longer just the expert in your domain. You’re the bridge between Finance, HR, Engineering, Planning, and Supply Chain. You need to understand what keeps each of them up at night—and speak in a way that makes them trust you,”—Tony realized he had a blind spot.

He knew his own world intimately. But he didn’t truly know theirs.

And that, he discovered, was the difference between being a great functional leader and becoming a great CEO.

The Strategy That Changed Everything

Tony came to me with a clear goal: “I want to learn how to influence different stakeholders—Finance, HR, Planning, Engineering, Supply Chain and others—as I prepare for the APAC CEO role.”

What unfolded over our coaching sessions became a masterclass in what I call “The Stakeholder Influencing Framework.” And it’s simpler than you might think.

1. Speak Their Language—Literally

Tony’s first breakthrough came when he realized that stakeholder management isn’t about managing people. It’s about understanding their worlds.

Finance professionals think in terms of ROI, NPV, and working capital. HR speaks in talent pipelines, engagement scores, and organizational development. Engineering lives in timelines, technical debt, and system architecture.

Tony’s homework? Engage with them more. Not in formal meetings, but in casual conversations. Ask questions. Listen. Take short courses—Finance for Non-Finance Managers, HR for Non-HR Managers. Even use AI like ChatGPT to get up to speed on key principles of each discipline.

The result? Within weeks, Tony could sit in a Finance review and ask intelligent questions about capital allocation. He could join an HR strategy session and understand the nuances of succession planning. He wasn’t just present in these meetings anymore. He was contributing.

2. Create Your Own Stage

Here’s the second insight that transformed Tony’s trajectory: Don’t wait for visibility. Create it.

Tony identified a critical organizational challenge—a supply chain bottleneck that was affecting multiple regions. Instead of waiting to be asked, he proposed an initiative that required collaboration across Finance, Engineering, and Supply Chain.

He didn’t just propose it. He volunteered to lead it.

This is what I call the VVI+ Model: Value, Visibility, Influence, +C: Connections.

• Value: Solve real organizational problems. Achieve goals that matter.
• Visibility: Showcase your work in 360 degrees—up, down, and across the organization.
• Influence: When you create value and make it become visible, you’ll automatically increase your influence.
• + C– Connections: Connect with your stakeholders frequently and regularly so that you can influence them naturally.

Tony’s initiative didn’t just solve a problem. It put him on a stage where every major stakeholder could see him leading. Not as a functional expert. As a generalist who could bring diverse teams together.

3. Build Your Multi-Disciplinary Team

The third piece of the puzzle? Invite multi-disciplinary team leaders to join your initiative and volunteer as the project leader.

This is where the magic happens. By leading a team that spans functions, you learn:

• What each discipline actually does day-to-day
• The pressures and constraints they face
• The language, terms, and jargon they use
• How to align competing priorities toward a common goal

Tony’s initiative project brought together head of engineering, head of finance, and head of supply chain. He learned more about their worlds in three months than he had in twenty years of working alongside them.

The Transformation

Six months into our coaching engagement, something shifted.

Tony walked into a regional leadership meeting. The agenda included a contentious budget reallocation. In the past, Tony would have stayed quiet, deferring to the Finance head. This time, he spoke up—not to challenge, but to bridge.

“I understand the Finance team’s concern about ROI,” he said. “And I also see the Engineering team’s need for this investment to reduce technical debt. What if we phased the allocation to address both?”

The room went quiet. Not because Tony had said something controversial. But because he had said something unexpected. He had spoken the language of two different stakeholders—and found common ground.

That’s when his mentor knew: Tony was ready.

The One-Sentence Summary

At the end of our coaching session, I asked Tony to summarize what he had learned in one sentence.

He smiled and said: “Create initiatives to create more value and become more visible.”

I added: “Create your initiative projects and involve multi-disciplinary leaders.”

What This Means for You

Tony’s story isn’t unique. Every aspiring leader faces the same challenge: how do you prepare for a role that requires you to be fluent in multiple worlds?

The answer isn’t to become an expert in everything. It’s to become curious about everything. To engage. To learn. To lead initiatives that force you out of your comfort zone.

If you’re an executive eyeing the next level—whether it’s CEO, President, or any role that requires cross-functional leadership—the same principles apply.

Speak their language. Create your stage. Build your multi-disciplinary team.

And if you’re wondering where to start, I’d like to invite you to explore your story and journey with me.

The Final Word

Tony got the promotion. But more importantly, he became a leader who could sit in any room, with any stakeholder, and make them feel heard. Not because he knew everything. But because he had learned their worlds and asked the right questions.

That’s the secret to stakeholder management. And that’s the secret to becoming the leader everyone wants to follow.

About Atip Muangsuwan: Atip is an executive leadership coach who specializes in helping high-achieving leaders overcome internal barriers to unlock their full potential and drive organizational success. Through a blend of strategic frameworks and profound personal insights, he empowers leaders in transforming their mindsets, emotional states, and behaviors for lasting impact.