Navigating uncertainty is a team sport

Niel Golightly is no stranger to crises. He spent his 30-year corporate career leading Communications functions in four global companies, shaping their public perception on some of the most challenging issues.

Niel started his career in the US Navy—first as a fighter pilot, then as an Olmsted Scholar for graduate studies in Germany, and ultimately as a speechwriter for the Joint Chiefs Chairman, General Colin Powell.

After he left the Navy, Niel continued to seek out challenging roles. At a time when companies were seeing intense public scrutiny on fossil fuels, Niel took roles at Ford, Shell, and Fiat Chrysler, helping those companies adopt industry-leading sustainability practices. At other points in his career, he aided the City of Houston with its recovery from Hurricane Harvey, and he took the top communications job at Boeing in the wake of the 737 Max crisis.

“I’ve been drawn to the opportunity to do hard things in my career—to be part of the solution to big problems. I still am.” - Niel Golightly

But after decades of leading organizations from the inside, Niel now contributes by helping others lead. He spends his days serving as a Peer Advisor to executives in LHH’s ICEO leadership practice and as a Partner at the strategic communications firm, FGS Global.

An unexpected transition

During the pandemic, Niel’s career hit an inflection point. He had just left his role at Boeing. He hadn’t planned on leaving, but he grabbed the opportunity to explore a new chapter.

“I found myself unexpectedly outside the corporate world. For the first time in my career, I did not have an obvious answer to the question, “What’s next?” That was pretty scary at first. Then I realized what a gift it was. I had time to think, and I had the chance to choose.”

Niel Golightly
ICEO Executive Advisor

A lot of executives experience similar situations. Talented people who experience a big change late in their careers. They begin to think, “Is that it for me? Do I have anything left to give or is it time to retire?”

Here’s the thing about Niel—he is a thoughtful guy. He’s a lifelong learner with a hunger to pick the world apart until he understands everything about how it works. Niel has four decades of fantastic experience and a ton of value to offer any organization. He just needed to look inside himself to find the right fit.

Assembling ‘Team Niel’

Like many long-time senior executives, Niel felt he needed to have all the answers. People were counting on him to solve problems. In his head, Niel’s role was to give help, not receive it.

After a few weeks of trying to navigate his situation by himself, Niel finally reached out to an acquaintance for advice.

“My ‘aha’ moment was the realization that giving help works both ways. That felt extraordinary—it was liberating to know I didn’t have to go it alone. That experience made me realize how important it is to have a circle of trusted advisors—friends, experts, colleagues—I could count on.”

Niel began to lean on a small network of people with complementary skills, all invested in helping him define the next stage of his career. They included PR, financial and legal advisors—but most importantly an executive career advisor who helped him reflect on his value, define his purpose, and explore options he would never have thought of on his own. That is the beginning of what he’s come to call ‘Team Niel’.

Writing his next chapter

Leadership is a fundamental human practice. As Niel reflected on his next steps, he realized that the driving force in his career wasn’t the commercial side of his role.

Niel realized he is motivated by helping others lead with a sense of integrity and purpose to achieve their full potential. This is what drew Niel to join the ICEO team—an opportunity to exchange wisdom and experience with other leaders.

“We connect leaders with the right people with the right experience to help them navigate the next steps in their careers. There is so much value in the reflection and self-exploration that can flow from thought-provoking questions facilitated with a personal touch by someone who has ‘been there’.”

By leaning into those principles and embracing human-to-human connection, an executive can unlock truly meaningful insights. That was the case for Niel—his reflection helped him reframe the experience he had been through in a surprising way that opened altogether new possibilities.

“It didn’t feel like it at the time, but that career shake-up was the best thing that ever happened to me. By connecting with ICEO, I was able to do things that I wouldn’t have done otherwise.”

After 40 years of doing his job from the inside of organizations, Niel is loving the opportunity to master his new roles. More importantly, he loves that he gets to be a part of the support network for other executives, helping them navigate the options they have in front of them.

Reuben Cohen is the North American Managing Director for LHH's International Center for Executive Options (ICEO). He and his team serve as trusted advisors to CEOs and other top-of-the-house leaders, guiding them through career inflection points to a variety of new paths.