CASE HISTORY: STRATEGIC TEAM DEVELOPMENT
INDUSTRY: Hospitality
SIZE: 10,000 Employees
CLIENT: Senior Executive and His Team (7)
ISSUE: The senior executive is not getting the results desired from her senior staff. Major change initiatives are not getting traction. Strategic business units are working more independently than cooperatively with the corporate office. The basics of the function are not being handled effectively or consistently. Staff is using too much of their time "fighting fires" and dealing with the "tyranny of the urgent". Bench strength is weak.
SOLUTION: Consultation with the SVP identified preliminary issues and mapped out a plan. Data gathering with direct reports and their customers clearly revealed performance obstacles in the areas of leadership, teamwork, customer focus, lack of priorities, and individual performance. With the senior executive, a strategic change plan was developed to address these issues and bring about a shift in how the group/department operated, beginning with how the senior executive managed the group. A four-part strategy was created to transition the group to a more aligned and effective operation, including minor restructuring. Central to the strategy were the development of higher degrees of leadership and accountability, increased and effective teamwork and customer focus, and the creation of individual development plans. All efforts were focused on improving leadership effectiveness and operational performance.
RESULTS: The "bar" has been raised for both individual and collective performance. The four-part strategy was implemented, resulting in substantial excitement about the future as well as some self-selected turnover. Openness and communication have risen significantly, driving an improvement in the quality of problem solving and decision making. Though the results of these efforts have not fully emerged (the process is ongoing), the group is focused and energized and well on its way to becoming a strong and high-performing team.
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