Transforming Talent to Leadership:
A Strategic Executive Development Case Study
Circumstances:
For a rapidly changing sales and distribution company, a new senior executive team was formed to bring the company into an international marketplace. The company's only female senior executive (the company had an 85% female talent base) was struggling in her new role. The senior executives were functioning independently - not as a team.
Action:
After examining many options, we planned a strategic executive development program with the new President. The female senior executive was receptive to a thorough review of skills and competencies. Our review included input from the President, Senior Vice President, peers and subordinates.
Result:
Our assessment identified gaps and blind spots. She was very reluctant to delegate and was having difficulty thinking from a strategic framework. Almost immediately she began to delegate more authority and responsibility, spend fewer hours in her office, and participate in long term planning conversations.
The senior executive team enjoyed higher levels of communication. Productivity improved in each major function.
A struggling executive developed into a higher level of leadership while avoiding a sensitive talent issue of a key and visible person.
Easing Transitions:
A Silent Program Case Study
Circumstances:
When a Senior Vice President at a consumer products manufacturer, competing with another SVP, was not selected for Executive VP position, his future with the organization was in jeopardy. The company leadership was anxious about next steps. They wanted to avoid the traditional negative and potentially disruptive termination process.
Action:
We built a Silent Program - a positive management tool. This is a private and confidential career continuation service. Only three people in the company were informed of his circumstances. We provided a full assessment, personal marketing and ongoing support while he continued some of his responsibilities. The executive's marketability was protected while he avoided the negatives of a public release - he was able to truly "move to" something rather than "away from" something.
Result:
In three months, he secured ten interviews and two offers. He was able to resign - surprising almost everyone at the company. The company incurred no severance payments, no continuation of benefit costs, no negative public or employee relations, and the new EVP was able to reorganize the leadership team six months ahead of schedule.
Finding the "Right Fit":
A Placement Plus Case Study
Circumstances:
President of a national retailer was concerned that all three finalists for a key executive position presented very similar backgrounds and capabilities. All three candidates had solid references and were well-liked by the interviewing team. It was difficult to determine which candidate would be the best fit.
Action:
Listening first, we asked the President what other information would be helpful and what his vision of their relationship would be. Because of other time demands, he would be unable to provide a great deal of direction and support. He needed a self-reliant executive.
The Optîmance team review included interviews, assessment instruments, and business simulation exercises. We wanted to identify which candidate was the most entrepreneurial self-starter.
Result:
Of the three, we clearly discovered that one candidate was the most self-reliant, enjoyed independence, did not seek close supervision, and appreciated freedom to take charge. The company was able to hire the most self-reliant candidate.
It was a good thing that the best fit executive was hired. In speaking with her after seven weeks in the new position, she had only spent brief private time with the President on two occasions. Moving quickly, she made a very positive impact in the first two months.
Unfortunately, the other two candidates may not have been so willing to take charge. For this critical role, the executive team could not afford to lose momentum and welcomed a fast pace.
Empowering Transitioning Employees:
An Onsite Career Center Case Study
Circumstances:
With changing markets, a major technology company was faced with sixty position eliminations at different levels and in different product groups. Many of the impacted employees were valued veteran and technical professionals. Human Resources wanted to avoid the traditional negative issues relating to a major downsizing.
Action:
Partnering with the company's Human Capital Executive, we established the first of its kind Career Center on their campus. The rapid program launch with clearly defined program deliverables featured high-touch/high-tech methodologies, career continuation workshops, in-depth assessments, group skill building classes, career project management team meetings, and administrative and individualized consultant support.
Result:
This joint venture achieved an exceptional outcome in measurable time and cost savings. Within sixty days, 58 of the 60 candidates found new positions at new employers or in new internal departments. There were no severance payments, nor continuation of benefit costs, nor higher unemployment compensation charges - saving the company $1M while maintaining positive employee and public relations.
After assessing competencies, skills, and career interests, participants were delighted to continue their careers in new opportunities with a better fit. The company also saved significant recruiting, training, and orientation time and expenses.
Developing an On-Site Placement Center:
A Redeployment Case Study
Circumstances:
A major defense manufacturer eliminated approximately 30 positions. The company made a conscious decision to reemploy as much of the workforce as possible while offering the employees the opportunity to seek outside the company. As a result, Career Control Group team customized a career continuation program to support internal as well as external transitions.
Action:
We quickly set up an on-site career center. Our consultants staffed the center several days each week offering one-on-one consulting, focus group facilitation, online assessment evaluations and support team meetings. Candidates also utilized our virtual career center and specialized Internet resources and databases.
Result:
At the end of 60 days, most of the participants had found new positions, many within the company. Company far exceeded prediction of 25% in retaining employees. Actual retention equaled 75%. In addition, the company reported an expense savings exceeding $700,000 by deploying an innovative career continuation process.
Developing Leaders:
A Succession Planning and Executive Development Case Study
Circumstances:
An energy company assessed its leadership needs and determined that the current generation of leaders, all of whom were approaching retirement, had no successors prepared to step into their roles.
Action:
Optîmance consultants employed comprehensive organizational and individual assessments to help identify high-potential managers and conduct a gap analysis of their skills. The team then initiated a leadership development coaching program that included individual and group learning sessions. The program included a job-shadowing component in which our consultants spent several days with each manager to provide immediate feedback and understand firsthand their development needs. An external mentoring program provided ongoing development.
Result:
The company recognized immediate performance improvements in each of the program participants as they began to think and act beyond their current roles. Shareholders developed an increased confidence in the future success of the company.
Unleashing the Potential of a High Performer:
An Executive Development Case Study
Circumstances:
A telecommunications company identified a female IT professional as a critical player and up-and-coming leader due to her strong product knowledge and key technical expertise. Having promoted her quickly through the ranks as a software developer, supervisor, and manager, they were considering promoting her into a director-level position, but were concerned about feedback from her supervisor and from an in-house survey that showed she was viewed as abrasive, confrontational, and inappropriately aggressive in meetings with her peers.
Action:
An Optîmance consultant provided a six-month executive coaching program that showed the employee new methods of communicating with peers and subordinates and gave her the opportunity for real-time practice of new behaviors.
Result:
The employee received two promotions in a 12 month period, enabling the company to enjoy the benefits of having her technical expertise at a high level and to fully capitalize on the training investment they had made in this employee over the years.
Recovering an "At-Risk" Employee:
An Executive Coaching Case Study
Circumstances:
The head of the Human Resources department identified an HR team member as having significant problems interacting with her peers and managing her anger, particularly when stressed by a crushing workload. The problem grew after an incident in which she stormed out of an office celebration and threw some tableware in response to some light-hearted teasing. Reluctant to terminate her due to her solid performance record and excellent customer service skills, her supervisor placed her on probation and recommended a coaching program.
Action:
The employee went through a five-month coaching program with an Optîmance consultant who helped her develop the skills to manage intense emotions that surfaced within the workplace. The program provided her an ongoing opportunity to discuss difficult situations in anticipation of their occurrence and to develop an appropriate response.
Result:
The employee successfully completed her probation and continues to be a valued member of the HR team. The company retained a valuable employee with solid skills and avoided the costs and disruptions associated with hiring and training a new employee.
Reducing the Costs and Trauma of Termination:
A Go to Case Study
Circumstances:
The president and CEO of a company was poised to implement some exciting growth plans, but recognized that one of his key executives would be unable to effectively manage in a high-growth environment. The president concluded that he needed to transition this executive out of the company, but he had serious concerns about the impact on the organization, particularly in light of the upcoming growth initiatives. This executive had been with the company longer than the president, had a record of significant contributions and had a considerable number of friends within the organization who would be concerned if they sensed he had been treated unfairly.
Action:
The president met with Optîmance consultants to determine what options were available. Discussion and tough questioning confirmed termination was the only sensible course of action. Rather than immediate termination and payment of the overly generous severance package the president had in mind, Optîmance consultants recommended the "silent program," in which the executive would confidentially begin a career continuation program, our alternative to traditional outplacement, and simply resign after he landed a new job. Since he would continue to receive his salary during this time period, there would be no need for severance after his departure. We also recommended a special bonus feature to encourage him to actively participate in our program and quickly make the change.
Result:
With the direction and support we provided through our career continuation program, the executive secured a new position in less than four months. Excited about his new job and appreciative of the confidential manner in which his release was handled, he resigned from the company on good terms without causing any animosity within the organization. Compared with the severance package he had planned to offer, the president calculated that he saved nearly $100,000. Recognized by the Board of Directors for his handling of this sensitive situation, he was able to quickly forge ahead with growth plans.
Optîmance is proud to be a Career Partners International firm.