Stories
Building Line of Sight
“I cannot get the mindset change I want” explained a frustrated Managing Director before we began to develop the Big Picture process at BAE Systems. “Our strategy means our roles, skills, how and where we work will all change...but people just don’t get it.”
From that early conversation we worked with the client to develop the Award winning Big Picture process. One of the most exciting moments was when the Managing Director paused mid-way through talking about the picture to reflect that his own prioritisation process and management of time sent conflicting messages to his people. “Clear the diary” he said. “If it is not about keeping the aircraft flying I don’t want to know!” It proved the power of what clear line of sight really means!
Building Trust
“Tell me why people trust their managers but not their leaders, and what the leadership group can learn from their managers?” So began a project to understand how a major Government Department was failing to engage its people through change. The answers included the unforeseen consequences of structural change, a lack of understanding of direction, breakdowns between the executive and management tiers and a genuine fear of the unknown.
As the scope of jobs changed at middle management level with operational regions growing, there was less time for local leaders to spend with their people. This meant the next level down now had to provide the context and need for change, and the corporate vision. But this team had not been trained nor sufficiently involved to perform this role.
With this understanding our process then put managers and executives together to help them work through the bigger picture and the changes required at local level. Following robust debate and challenge, the managers felt better armed with the knowledge to explain and defend the change to their teams.
Building leaders
“Help create 2,500 leaders” said the CEO of a major environmental group. “We have to influence others to change the way they behave to protect our futures.”
So began an ongoing journey of developing the advocacy skills of all the people who work with external groups. Over the last two years staff confidence in talking about the business has grown by 44%, and stakeholders perceive major improvements. This is the result of workshops, improved communication, better stakeholder understanding and planning, and a consistent investment in its people.
Our work has won the IABC Gold Quill Award for 2009 and the PR Week Internal Communications Campaign of the Year.
Building performance
“Let’s create pockets of engagement, show others how we can make a difference and measure how much impact we can make on performance!”
We helped this ambitious communications director with a bold plan to create 8 “Hotspots” and demonstrated a 25% increase in operating performance based on more effective engagement in some areas. We chose Natural Working Groups with about 150 staff in each, conducted a baseline survey, used their data to involve them in action planning for change, and set up task forces to see it through. Some quick wins generated great ideas for other parts of the business. As one of our participants said
“My first example of being engaged was five years ago. Now it is this work!”
Building the Brand
“I want a consistent experience so that every time customers deal with us we reinforce our brand promise” said the managing director of a leading London asset management business.
We were concerned not to create one-off events that made little difference to the way things got done. We came up with a process in which we partnered with senior managers and team leaders to action plans that would reinforce the brand proposition and values. The involvement covered all the different disciplines from investment, property, sales and administrative communities.
We tied the discussions in with the business planning process and we concentrated on changing the customer experience. Each workshop generated local plans to feed into the business plans and ideas for the executive team to manage change at the organisational level. We followed up with an executive review of these actions and a town hall to inform all people about the changes planned.
The pragmatic nature of the change, and their connection with the business planning process, went down well. “Real evidence of change through leadership behaviour” as one of the participants said, summarising the general feedback.