case studies

Case study: Case Study 1

Service: Team and Developmental Coaching

Client: Major International Engineering Contractor

Deliverables: Working with the MD and his immediate reports in the Business Leadership Team (BLT), our initial objectives involved; improved team working, resolution of internal conflicts, assessment of BLT competencies and finally management and leadership skills development.

Scenario: This Scandinavian owned engineering contractor, with a European business and over 2,600 UK employees, had been going through a very traumatic six months. In that time three distinct businesses had been amalgamated, under the overall control of one of the constituent businesses, own MDs. The BLT, selected by the new “super” MD composed of senior executives from the “old” three businesses, but with the bulk belonging to the MD’s old team. There were, suffice to say, many behavioural problems within this BLT, primarily arising from the power imbalance created by the amalgamation exercise. These were identified as; a team-within-a-team producing conflict, uncertainty by the BLT of their roles combined with uncertainty about their futures, all giving rise to a lack of passion and pride in the organisation.

Actions: By introducing a Team Audit in the early stages and using skilled facilitators, it was quickly realised that the teams inability to work together had a great deal to do with a confusion of actual responsibilities, together with a lack of respect within the team members themselves. Working with the BLT, using data from the team-audit, we were able to incorporate the findings into our one-to-one sessions, within the formal developmental coaching programme. The one-to-one Developmental Coaching started to quickly produce some early positive results, by including elements of Career Coaching and Business Mentoring in the programme. Two members of the nine-strong team realised their unsuitability in the new roles, their unhappiness was spilling-over into their private lives and stress levels had become an issue. Also the larger company, demanded a different management style from the new BLT; with a more professional leadership approach, better communication skills such as active listening and an increased awareness of their behavioural impact on others.

Results: Two of the BLT team left the business (with sympathetic Outplacement by Career & Coaching, more suitable positions were quickly obtained) resulting in, very quickly, an improved team environment. The BLT increased its working ability and harmony resulted, with the MD having a more transparent working relationship with them all. Continued one-to-one development is now showing more skilled and confident individuals. With evidence of more effective leaders now running the departments, increased overall motivation and a return to pride in working for the organisation. In many cases, the programmes have converted into Business Mentoring for the individual.