Real Challenges In The Workplace, And How We Helped
Today I am sharing with you two stories of real client challenges, and the way we supported them using our scientific tools, and our work methodologies.
STORY #1
Getting management aligned with senior leadership strategy.
“I have a problem with one of my managers in country”, said the Senior VP of a fintech company with offices around the globe. “He is not aligned with senior leadership’s governance and decisions, and he is not developing his people. I need him to be an influencer, to have his team develop skills that our business urgently needs! I need him to be my ears and voice in country. He needs to be more of a leader and less of a manager”.
With the manager’s agreement, we started off by launching a 360-type leadership assessment to 15 assessors (his direct reports, peers, and immediate superiors). We wanted to identify his behavior traits, and how he was being perceived as a leader. Together with him, we designed an action plan for his leadership development, that would be implemented throughout a coaching program.
The LVA – Leadership Values Assessment report showed us the client’s own leadership values, his perceived behaviors, and what others requested of him. It was clear that, although he valued empowering and developing his teams, and promoting a collaborative work environment, his behavior was not saying the same.
He did not agree with some important senior leadership’s decisions and processes, and instead of discussing the issue with his boss, the Senior VP, and asking for clarification and support, he was letting his frustration and disappointment getting the best of him, influencing his behavior. This friction was also impacting his team, and their level of engagement.
Throughout the coaching program, he gained awareness of what was driving his negative behavior. Empowered by this knowledge, his perspective shifted, leading him to naturally change. He decided to take a couple of actions that improved substantially the communication with his boss, resulting in a more positive attitude at work, with significant benefits to his own wellbeing. Consequently, his team opened up to training and followed through with their skills certifications.
STORY #2
Improving the leadership team’s alignment and focus.
“We have a problem with our leadership team”, said the HR leader in a medical device technology company. “Our leaders are not aligned with the business; they are complaining of each other, and results aren’t showing up. There’s a lack of focus in the leadership team, and in finding ways to achieve the business growth we want and need.”
We started by doing a Diagnostic of the existing culture inside the leadership team using our LTVA – Leadership Team Values Assessment. We wanted to see what they were doing well, and what needed to change. After two weeks of launching the assessment, we got the results, and we could immediately understand what was holding back the team.
Although each of them was promoting a collaborative environment with commitment, openness, and positive attitude, they were counting too much on their individual abilities to face challenges and find solutions. As a team, they were dispersed, not utilizing their energy in the same direction, and not taking deadlines seriously. The results also showed that as a team, they weren’t focused on the fitness of the business, in important business needs, like profitability, processes, and long-term perspective. The solution was to help them improve their levels of accountability, while learning to work together as a team.
We worked with individual leadership profiles and team profile assessments, we did a 6-month program of systemic coaching, we customized workshops and in between sessions, the team had assignments, they identified the main projects to focus on, the actions needed, and designed the right solutions, while constantly negotiating amongst themselves resources and priorities.
Today they are a much stronger, more aligned, and focused leadership team, capable of guiding their people in delivering innovative solutions to the clients, create opportunities for all team members, and contributing to the growth of the business.
Stay tuned for more real stories in next month’s newsletter!
