Case Studies

Case study 1 – Corporate coaching

Client / Background

A recently appointed general manager with responsibility for establishing the (newly created) Supply Chain function of an FMCG. This was his first appointment at GM level.

Primary Areas of Focus

Using feedback from a 360 review and psychometrics, as well as the individual’s personal view, we identified the main areas of focus for the coaching intervention as:

How to go about determining and implementing the appropriate structure for his division to reduce the number of direct reports (from nine to six).
How to articulate his strategy for the area more clearly to his team and the senior team in the business.
How to build relationships with key people within the business and ‘make his mark’.
How to manage the MD’s expectations of the Supply Chain team

Approach / Outcomes

A series of coaching sessions took place over a period of six months (starting weekly and then moving to fortnightly/three weekly).

Through a process of setting goals and desired outcomes in the above areas; identifying where he was starting from; and brainstorming possible actions that could be taken, the individual was able to identify a number of specific steps to take to move forward each of these areas.

Examples of these were as follows:

In conjunction with HR he identified a target new structure for the area which will achieve the reduced number of direct reports. Part of this work required him to successfully lobby a new MD (who had joined in the previous two months) for a new CIO position to be created as part of the senior team.
He started to delegate more of the tasks he was previously doing himself and holding people more accountable for delivery. This helped with his own workload as well as providing development opportunities for his reports.
He presented the strategy for his area to his peer group on the senior team, and achieved significant advances in buy-in from them and key areas within the business. To achieve this result he identified a need to do more one-to-one lobbying and alliance building than he might have needed to in previous roles.
He sought (and obtained) support from the new MD to his strategy for Supply Chain. This was a key step as the previous MD and FD (both of whom have recently moved on within the company) were his prime sponsors.
He ran a series of planning sessions with his team to identify priorities for the team as a whole, and to agree responsibilities for moving these forward.
He has adapted his management style, and started to get positive feedback from his team as a result.
With the assistance of his team he identified and secured savings of $0.9m in operating costs in 2004.

Client Feedback

Feedback from the individual about the coaching was extremely positive. He reported that the opportunity to take time out to reflect; to be supported (and challenged) in identifying different possible approaches; to be forced to focus and get clear about his intentions were all useful in helping him through the initial period following his appointment.

Case Study 2 – Corporate coaching

Client / Background

A senior investment adviser/recently appointed director of a privately owned investment company.

Primary Areas of Focus

The main areas of focus for the coaching intervention were identified as:

Putting together a development plan to build his confidence and experience in areas currently dealt with by the Managing Director
To establish changes that needed to be made when operating as a company director and member of the senior management team while still required to deliver against sales targets
People management skills
Maintaining work/life balance

Approach / Outcomes

Coaching sessions have taken place over a period of the past 12 months (starting fortnightly and then moving to monthly).

Examples of outcomes have been the following:

Putting in place mechanisms to manage people from a distance – to save time spent out of the office travelling
Production of a development plan for the next 12-18 months which identifies the actions that are to be taken in supporting the client’s planned move into the MD position
Developing strategies to manage an increased workload
Increased awareness of how to give time to non-work items to maintain work/life balance. This has resulted in regular attendance at a gym; planning of family holidays early in the year; making decisions about home purchase options etc.
More active involvement in the strategic planning process for the business and in Board meetings

Client Feedback

The client has reported that he finds the sessions highly beneficial.

In his own words:

‘I find the sessions we have very useful. They enable me to use you as a sounding board to work through particular problems and help me to look at the bigger picture and then to also measure those successes.

I can’t really think of any way that I’d change what we currently do. The big picture planning is important for me personally and also for my role within <the organisation>. I find it good having you there as a sounding board.

The monthly frequency is good and I find the style works well with me. I’d like to continue on with the same approach for the rest of the year’. (July 2005)

Case Study 3 – Corporate coaching

Client / Background

A senior manager in an insurance company where coaching is being used as part of the company’s leadership development programme.

Primary Areas of Focus

Using feedback from performance reviews, the client’s manager and the individual’s personal view, the main areas of focus for the coaching intervention were identified as:

How to delegate more appropriately so that more time could be spent on strategic / forward planning initiatives
How to develop an increased profile among the executive team
Developing strategic thinking abilities / opportunities

Approach / Outcomes

A series of coaching sessions have taken place over a period of three months (starting weekly and then moving to fortnightly/three weekly).

Examples of progress in each of the main areas above have been as follows:

More Appropriate Delegation

All direct reports now have a project that they are responsible for delivering over the next 12 months
The client is more conscious of delegating work, and looks for opportunities to delegate whenever possible - to give ownership and challenge to his team. The client has been impressed by the quality of the work done by his direct reports on work delegated to them (that he would previously have done himself)
The client now runs a fortnightly conference call with his team to help them to understand the main priorities, and to allow them to share information and ideas

Building profile with the Executive team

Meetings have been held with a number of members of the Executive - to get their ideas on how the client can raise his profile. In having these meetings, the client has started the process of building his profile.
The client has spent a half day in one of the sales operations (to get a better handle on how they work)

Strategic thinking

A report has been produced and approved on the client’s ideas around how to restructure his area of the business
He sets aside time and space to think about ways to improve the business
He reports having more time available (through delegation) to think more broadly
He is now working as part of a senior project team which includes members of the company’s parent in Australia
He no longer knows everything about the detail on what's going on in his team - an indication that he has stepped back from the detail!!

Client Feedback

The client has reported that he finds the coaching to have been very helpful in making a number of changes to his management style and how he spends his time.

In his own words:

‘Over the past few months I have worked with Douglas on a number of areas, including delegation; building my profile in the business; and strategic thinking.

I feel that the coaching sessions with Douglas have been very beneficial and have helped me to move forward in a number of areas’. (July 2005)

Case Study 4 - Personal career development

Client/background

Peter was a market research analyst working for a small company in Auckland. He approached No Limits for support as a result of feeling unhappy in his position at the company, but not knowing what to do to change things.

Primary areas of focus

The coaching focused initially on helping Peter to establish more clearly what it was that was causing him to be unhappy in the role. This involved some work around values; building his awareness of work situations that he enjoyed, and those he did not enjoy; looking at his whole work/life balance; and allowing Peter to open up about some personal relationship issues that were causing him concern.

Outcomes

Through the coaching relationship, Peter confirmed for himself that he did not want to work in the business any longer. Coaching helped him to identify the type or organisations and roles that he would be more suited to. A strategy was developed to help Peter to identify potential opportunities.

With renewed confidence in his ability to find a more suitable role, Peter resigned from the organisation and, within a month, secured a new position which was better paying; involved less travel time, and was in an area of the market he was particularly interested in working in.

Case Study 5 – Personal career development

Client/background

Michael was a senior IT manager in an organisation which was going through significant change. During the 12 months we worked together, Michael had three changes of manager, and had to deal with significant ambiguity in his role during this time.

Primary areas of focus

The coaching included work around managing upwards; establishing priorities; self-management (time management and managing stress); and creating more work/life balance.

Outcomes

Through the process of working with a coach, and building clarity around his situation, Michael determined that his future lay outside the organisation. He negotiated a win-win outcome with the organisation which was looking to do some further re-organisation in the IT function, and quickly secured himself a General Management – IT position in a media company.

In Michael’s own words:

‘During the time we worked together, Douglas helped me to handle a number of difficult issues in my role, as a result of changes in the management team and a lack of resources. He provided support and helped me to focus on key issues.

Ultimately the coaching helped me to recognise that my future lay outside of <the business>. I now have a challenging and stimulating role in another organisation.

I am hoping to begin working with Douglas as my coach again in the next few months.’