case studies

Case study: Case Study 3

Service: Business Mentoring

Client: A Northern University

Deliverables: As the “new” commercial reality of UK Academia becomes increasingly important, so the culture and behaviour of the School Heads and Vice Chancellors becomes key to the Universities development and prosperity. Survival in fact is increasingly dependent on innovation, marketing and the “bottom line” - major cultural changes to traditional principles and values.

Scenario: As the new reality of Academia begins to “bite”, it quickly became obvious to this leading ambitious university, that the skills, competences and culture of the old are not entirely beneficial to the new. Without doing the obvious but potentially damaging measures, of a massive turnover of senior staff and an injection of commercially aware professionals, supporting the existing staff in a low-key mentoring exercise, over an extended period of twelve months, would be the answer. With an increasingly competitive market place in the UK for Universities and other seats of learning, the race to win research funding, foreign students and UK numbers was having a negative effect on the performance of the senior academics and the university’s business managers.

Actions: Through out this large University, a number of other coaching organisations had become involved, primarily due to the size of the programme. But each had a consistent objective; to support the individual during the transition phase, leading to a change in performance and a modification of the culture, incorporating the new commercial reality. Obtaining “buy-in” from the individual become the first objective, without exception the changing demands had been seen to have a damaging effect on the moral of the entire university, acceptance of the need became key. From that point, establishing a working relationship led to the deliverables for each individual being established this included a framework and timescales. As each individual had different demands, a flexible and fluid approach to the coaching programme became a major requirement. The monthly sessions of approx two hours duration became essential requirements to these senior academics. In providing business advice and best practice, we could support the decision-making process and act as a general “sounding board”

Results: After the initial phase of the support programme had been completed, it became apparent, that in almost every case in addition to a more contented senior academic, new commercial skills had been acquired and a cultural change, small but perceptible, had been achieved. The sessions moved to quarterly instead of monthly and the deliverables became more of reassurance rather than pressing demand.