Case Studies
Mark Barker, in association with ChangeMasters, has provided the training element in the following case studies.
In-House Leadership Training for Aircraft Maintenance Company
Background
The company maintains and overhauls passenger planes for a leading carrier. They work to tight deadlines, have global competition and all their practices are underpinned by safety imperatives.
Their management team come from a technical background, had little formal management training and were focused in their own functional specialisms. Although the company was successful and profitable, the CEO knew they were under performing. In their industry getting a plane out a day late can cost tens of thousands of pounds.
Intervention
Fourteen of the senior management team began a leadership course that would run for nine months. They all completed psychometric profiles which gave them clear insights into their strength and weaknesses. The common theme was that they were high in specialist abilities but challenged when it came to motivating, communicating, goal setting and managing performance. A series of workshops were designed to address these key leadership skills. Additionally the team would meet monthly as a peer learning group to share experiences and support each other.
Impact
The effects were profound in two vital areas. Firstly the staff that reported to the management team were given more responsibility through coaching and delegation and were empowered to solve their own problems. This less hands-on approach then gave the management team time to actually lead rather than manage. They now were looking and thinking beyond their functional areas. They began to address some of the long standing issues that were hurting the business that could only be solved by cross-functional solutions. They had begun to start working as a true team that were focusing on improving the business, and their staff were more motivated and productive.
The training was so successful that the CEO has decided to put the next tier of middle managers through a similar programme.
Case Study
2 Day Personal Power and Influence Workshop for Project Managers
Background
An award-winning software company has a number of young project managers that are responsible for installing new systems in client’s premises and then managing the installation. They have to liaise with senior managers of the client as well as managing their own project team. The HR director recognised that they most of them were lacking in confidence when dealing with senior clients and were too accommodating with their own team when it came to deadline slippage.
Intervention
A 2 day workshop was designed to help them boost their influencing skills and give them tools and techniques for increasing their inner confidence and assertiveness. The tools were drawn from Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Thomas International DISC profiling and Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats.
Impact
Many of the participants put what they had learned into immediate effect. Each had their own success stories. One saved three days of his time, by saying no to an unreasonable request. Another met a deadline for the first time by giving his team a better initial briefing, setting clear goals and monitoring progress. The impact for another spilled over to his private life. Moving into a new house he noticed several faults and would have normally just grumbled to friends. However his new assertiveness enabled him to take up the issues with the site manager and after hard negotiation, won £2000 worth of extras as compensation. Another said, “This is the best training I have had in 14 years with the company.”
Case Study
Team Building Away Day for Architects Firm
Background
A rapidly expanding Architect and Town Planning Firm were experiencing growing pains. They had recently opened a new office and had recruited many new staff. The ten strong management team were struggling to balance their own fee earning clients with managing their own teams.
Team Building Event
A two day team building event was organised for the management team. The first day was built around a business simulation that explores leadership and corporate culture. Many of the symptoms the firm was facing were replicated in the simulation, and the team began to realise that it was the lack of leadership that was exasperating their growing pains.
The second day focused on planning the way forward. This resulted in a change of role for the Managing Director, better communication, cross functional team working and the planning of a leadership training programme.
Impact
The Team Building event catalysed changes that were vital for the continued growth of the business. The management team are becoming better leaders, there is clarity in the roles of the directors, and a further forty staff are being developed in a systematic way. The firm is developing itself internally so that it can take advantages of further growth opportunities.
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