Curtis Fine Papers aligns strategy and leadership style with business priorities : Three pillars of development for top executives

Purpose – Describes how people‐development consultancy Brathay helped UK manufacturer Curtis Fine Papers to bring its strategic and organizational goals into line. Design/methodology/approach – Contains information from an interview with Godfrey Owen, Brathay deputy chief executive. Findings – Presents four key competencies of strategic leadership (intellect and confidence, empathy, energy and humility) and three pillars of development (technical competence, agility and confidence, and wisdom and experience). Explains the importance of coaching in imparting these skills and qualities. Practical implications – Contains plenty to interest anyone involved in management development or consultancy. Originality/value – Highlights the value of one‐to‐one meetings in getting to the root of an organization's needs, and helping to meet them.