Executive Assessment / Recruitment Assessment
Board Development
Client Challenge
After highlighting a need for development among the senior leadership team we were asked to devise a 3-day team building workshop for our client, a major financial services provider in the UK. After seeking feedback from all the key internal stakeholders we agreed that the workshop would focus on how the senior leadership team proactively manage relationships internally within the business, work collaboratively, hold themselves and others accountable and buy-in to a shared team vision.
Our Solution
Working off-site we strived to build a trusting, mature and ‘safe’ environment, seeking to understand and explore any issues; if and where there was any collaborative misalignment and facilitate discussion and commitment to a new course of action. Our goal was to raise self-awareness among the leadership team members, helping them to recognise behaviour patterns associated with their own and others’ team roles and leadership styles, and to use this information to promote team and individual effectiveness. We explored the likely impact that the senior leadership team members have on their respective teams and how when working on joint projects they can more effectively achieve their shared goals. Critical areas included how they create a vision for the path to a solution, manage the activities of the team, resource tasks and get the work done, as well as deliver on time against goals and objectives.
Along with the initial exploration of the issues and data gathered through various psychometric tests we helped facilitate discussions in order to drive the group’s development both at a team and individual level. Sessions aimed to align the Directors with and gain their buy-in to the organisation’s 5-year plan. We focussed on how the senior leadership team can better lead, influence and collaborate in order to improve organisational performance.
As with all our sessions, a variety of learning methods were employed in order to aid learning and have the greatest impact on those attending. The programme was pre-planned and structured, however, it was facilitated in a flexible style so that it was possible to react to the different needs of the group, whilst keeping in mind the main objectives. This allowed for expansion where necessary for particular needs to be followed through. The approach was highly interactive, utilising group and individual exercises and process review. The days were designed to be stimulating and to get away from simply being a ‘trainer led’ format. All members were actively encouraged to participate in the exercises so that effective learning and constructive interaction can take place. This helped generate an environment of openness and trust and allowed the team to review their own behaviour and style of working.
Results
A facilitated action-planning session enabled team members to decide how to implement any changes and gain commitment to new courses of action.
The outcome was a common, agreed understanding of the group’s view on the future operation of their team, leading to greater proactivity, collaboration and accountability.
