01954 718037executive coaching case studies
Professional Services Firm
An executive coaching programme was carried out with an Equity Partner experiencing difficulties achieving business growth targets.
The programme was carried out in the context of a planned period of rapid change during which time the division aimed to achieve significant growth in fee income and new business. The nature of the growth was such that it could not be delivered with ‘more of the same’ but required proactive, strategic management.
The initial assessment confirmed that the difficulties were caused by an ineffective management style and a significant reluctance to change. The coaching programme was designed to facilitate the required change by developing skills in strategic management, planning and delegation, overcoming interpersonal obstacles, and fostering a move away from “in the weeds” micro-management. In addition to developing the new skills, the programme provided ongoing support to ensure that self-confidence was maintained during a difficult development period.
The programme met its objectives, enabling the senior partner to put into practice the newly acquired skills, tools and techniques, and to develop a management style with which he was comfortable. Follow-up feedback has confirmed that progress has been maintained and business growth targets are on track.
Global Investment Bank
A leadership development programme was delivered to a number of highly performing managing and executive directors within a number of functional areas including Capital Markets, Private Wealth Management, Investment Banking, Technology, Legal and Compliance, and Equities.
This was an ‘open’ programme (ie., content was based entirely on individual need and not predetermined) designed to harness and facilitate the leadership skills of senior executives. Each participant was assessed against the organisation’s own competency framework. They were then asked to articulate both their business goals for the year and their own career aspirations and goals. One-to-one coaching was provided to assist each participant identify strengths to be exploited and weaknesses to be overcome and to support them in the process of defining development goals and implementing the plans. A considerable degree of self-awareness and self-knowledge was developed in each case which was critical in their development as leaders.
The programme was reviewed on a one-to-one basis at the end of the year. Both participants and their managers recorded significant personal development achieved against their plan. Performance effectiveness and communication had improved across the divisions in an otherwise very demanding external trading environment. Finally, the assessment data gathered from the programme was analysed and presented to the Learning and Development function as vital input to their OD work and ongoing training strategy.
Biotech Organisation
An executive coaching programme was conducted with a manager within a business services function who was experiencing severe self-confidence issues leading to erratic and increasingly poor performance. The organisation was concerned that this previously valued manager would leave the organisation. They were keen to address the situation and restore previously high performance.
This programme was carried out over a six month period and begun with an assessment of the cause of the problem. The coach’s psychological training and coaching techniques enabled the individual to understand the origin of his problem and to become aware of his usual way of handling stress and disappointment. Using a cognitive behavioural coaching approach the coach worked with the individual to develop more effective methods of building and maintaining resilience and coping skills in the face of personal difficulties and setbacks. Ongoing discussion enabled the individual to learn techniques of positive feedback. Finally, developing his assertiveness skills ensured that he maintained healthier and more productive relationships with others.
This was a highly visible and successful coaching intervention resulting in a significantly happier and confident individual, and an organisation once more assured both of high performance and the retention of this valued person. In two follow-ups in the last twelve months this progress has been maintained and the individual has since been promoted.
Packaging Manufacturing Company
A workshop was designed and delivered to the senior management team to address concerns about ‘silo management’ and lack of team cohesion.
This interactive workshop began with a team assessment and feedback exercise which presented some challenging material for the team, collectively and individually, to consider. The facilitated sessions which followed worked on building an understanding of team working and roles, and the collective vision of the team’s desired ‘future state’. Throughout the session the group were observed and individuals were separately taken aside and given feedback and coaching on their contribution and behaviour within the team. Action plans for individuals and the whole team were defined and agreed to be followed in the months after the workshop.
At the end of the workshop, feedback from the participants was uniformly positive; all considered that they had developed a much greater awareness of how teams work and how their contribution and behaviour was impacting team performance. All stated a commitment to working on their action plans and follow-up session in the following months.
UK Mortgage Company
A mentoring facility is being provided to a newly appointed Managing Director who has requested two hours with his mentor on an ad hoc basis. There are no set objectives to the programme. Each session is entirely flexible and open in structure, and involves discussion and analysis on topics of current interest.
To date topics have included:
- How I do communicate my values to 300 staff?
- How do I integrate the two, culturally distinct, groups of direct reports?
- How do I make portray gravitas and authority?
- How should I manage my relationship with the CEO?
- Where do I go from here?
This mentoring facility has been provided for the last 12 months and is still in progress with appointments taking place, on average, every three months.
International Law Firm
A series of coaching sessions was delivered to new partners as part of a new partner induction programme. These were delivered on a one-to-one basis and designed to support new partners in acting on performance feedback, assisting them in adjusting to the demands and expectations of partnership, and ensuring that each got off to a good start. Most of the participants were lawyers with a small number of business services staff.
Sessions were successfully tailored to meet individual needs with common themes including managing the first 90 days, making an impact and raising personal profile, and adapting to a new peer group.
