Case Studies

Philips have been working with BlessingWhite for over 16 years. As a leading international business operating in some highly competitive sectors (including semi-conductors, lighting, medical and consumer electronics) the key to Philips continued success is innovation. For Philips employees to contribute to that culture of innovation they must be satisfied their career aspirations are being – and can continue to be – met. If employees have faith the business can offer a fulfilling career they will be motivated to stay, to think creatively – to innovate.

Philips provides a ‘core curriculum’ for managers and professionals called the One Philips Way of Learning. This provides development opportunities in three core areas:

• leveraging personal expertise
• leveraging a function
• leveraging a business

Underpinning these three areas is a requirement to ensure individuals both accept responsibility for their own career development and have the knowledge and tools to take on that responsibility. Senior management are keen that managers do not feel career development is something that is done to them. All employees need to have a proactive approach to careers – seeking out opportunities to grow within current jobs and seeking new opportunities right across the Philips world. Just because an employee starts in one division they do not have to stay there.

“The reason we use MPG is to increase both personal satisfaction and the impact of individuals on the company.” Rupert Schindler, Programme Account Manager, Philips

A massive restructuring of the Life Business at Zurich Financial Services in the UK has meant that in the past few years Zurich has taken out 40 per cent of the management line and reduced the number of grading levels from 15 to around 6. Key services, such as marketing, have become shared services. “It’s meant a big expansion of individual roles and responsibilities across the business for my team who are becoming involved in new, more exciting projects than ever before,” says Tony Solomon , Intermediary Marketing Director.

The expansion of shared services arrangements brings its own leadership challenges. Providing a service across the business means being able to negotiate conflicting priorities. “In this environment clarity of expectations and clarity of outcomes are essential,” explains Solomon.

“To function as a leader your team needs to be able to understand what your values are, what you are here to do and the purpose of their role is in getting there. If as an organisation and a leader you can be true to your values then you have something quite special.”

Zurich decided to work with BlessingWhite on a series of workshops based on the Leading Out Loud programme. Zurich has called the programme Connection and all management grades are involved.

“This stuff works brilliantly,” Solomon says. “Our employee survey scores show we are now entering the ranks of the high performing company whereas three or four years ago we were languishing down the list with most other financial services companies. We’ve done a huge amount of work on our values. And it’s been the most important part of the process because leadership now is about being able to inspire people and take them willingly to a place that has yet to be created.”

The process of getting a new employee onboard begins even before the employee arrives. During the interviewing process employees are chosen partly on the basis of their ability to take responsibility for their own career. GSK also has an effective induction process including a range of familiarisation meetings and managers are encouraged to plan in advance for the new team member’s projects with these sometimes being set up 6-9 months before the new recruit arrives. GSK wanted to enhance an already effective system by introducing a structured process to enable managers and recruits to be clear what each expects of the other, create a link between individual and organisational values and create a foundation for the individuals’ personal development.

• people want to stay – the company enjoys a low attrition rate
• open-minded individuals, willing to embrace change
• enthusiastic employees who are both experts in their field and able to interact with others in the business to positively affect the bottom line
• good return on the investment in recruitment.

“Managers must see their direct reports beyond ‘resources’ for the business. Their direct reports also need professional development in the arena of their talents and they must also enjoy using their talents ie; their talents must be linked to their values. Fast Start enables us to create that link.” Learning and Development Advisor within Global Manufacturing and Supply, GSK.

In this intensely competitive and fast moving environment Scottish Power understand that there is one factor that keeps the company ahead - the commitment, creativity and energy of its people. They wanted a radical new focus that would release the enthusiasm in each employee so developed a system of guiding principles that would capture the very spirit of the company and act as a motivational, inspiring force. Using these principles they implemented a values based leadership development programme to:

• explore the full potential of the company’s values;
• generate support for the values process
• develop fresh action in accordance with the values;

Scottish Power knew that the real challenge for the company was in turning these values into reality – starting with 200 key managers.

New levels of co-operation and trust have flourished across the business and Scottish Power has seen a real change within the culture of the company. Managers have become more energised and motivated to take positive action and their new commitment has been cascaded through the entire company. John Gemmill says “Diverse groups of managers and staff have responded superbly to the opportunities for thinking, debate and generating ideas. Numerous positive impacts can now be clearly seen right across the company”.

Inspired by the values managers are able to inspire their staff in turn. As a result Scottish Power is prepared to move forward, assured that their managers are ready and able to shape the future success of the company.

Ulster Bank conducted an internal survey that showed that while 61% of employees could say what the organisation’s mission was, they were unable to really grasp its meaning or importance. And while 83% recognised the importance of knowing where their job fitted with the organisation’s aims, they didn’t have a full understanding of the ‘bigger picture’.

These values were then systematically communicated company-wide to individual employees through a process which helps people discover where their personal values connect with those of the organisation. This was far more than just a workshop. They were creating active cultures; ones where individuals who really live the vision can connect to the organisation.

“When layers of opportunity disappear we must focus employees on appropriate lateral moves and on new responsibilities within their existing roles” – Nigel Thwaites, Training & Development Manager, East Kilbride.

But MPG has not been used in isolation. To help meet steep new performance targets Freescale identified a need to establish a coaching culture – managers working with employees to bring life to an established talent management framework. Since BlessingWhite’s coaching programme, Helping Others Succeed, is based on a factual assessment base Nigel Thwaites selected it as a good complement to other more qualitative methods such as mentoring.

“HOS works with a level of detail that gives a firm foundation to a managers coaching relationship,” he explains.

“Leaders have to be great communicators”, says Morgan Chambers, Group Head of Leadership and Development for NGT. “We are aware from our employee survey data that as managers we need to communicate, communicate, communicate,” she says. “But it has to be a two-way dialogue. Whether it is face-to-face, by e-mail or through presentations to staff it has to be about providing them with an opportunity to ask questions about the information, not just telling them.”

Leading Out Loud balances personal reflection and activities to bring clarity to:

• The organisation’s vision, values, and direction
• The role of the manager in driving business results and creating an environment in which employees are engaged, contributing fully, and committed

NGT managers work on blending competence (data, cases) as well as connection like personal stories, metaphors, and values. Managers work for the entire session with a ‘real’ business challenge and leave with a plan for ongoing work.