From Disarray to Definition – Creating a High-Functioning Organisation
Problem
A long-standing organisation had internally appointed a trusted but first-time general manager who was very aware of the business’s situation and the need to improve it, but the how and by what method was not clear.
Operating in a highly regulated industry, systematic compliance was typically achieved through documentation, audit and corrective behavioural approaches
Historically the organisation’s structure, lack of management rhythm and operational misalignment perpetuated a culture where compliance and cash generation mattered but people behaviours less so.
The business was prone to avoiding well-defined accountabilities in any roles, and worse, roles were made to fit to appointees.
Critically, none of the “wall posters” of business vision or values were recent or owned by current management and there were a range of new senior hires with untamed leadership styles.
The new GM wanted to “fix the culture” but there was the potential of the business adopting a “just work harder to make things to be better” approach.
Solutions
Stoke Consulting quickly established a leadership charter resulting in a newly formed senior leadership group and commenced working with identified incumbent and potential leaders across the business.
We developed team-based workshops to address the causes for culture-perpetuating behaviours across the business as we added leadership competencies and a range of valuable techniques and concepts.
Once awareness and ownership of the need (and benefits) for change grew, our customised coaching addressed individual needs, to bring competency and understandings across the team into better alignment.
Critical focus was placed on business-wide Values, and a key to workforce engagement was modelling and adopting Operating Styles that could be easily promoted in daily work.
We worked directly with the senior team to allow them to define “What Success Looks Like” and developed meeting practices while activating a more effective management rhythm then cascading accountabilities to the next level department-by-department.
A business plan was developed that better-defined existing initiatives with many evident risk-based additions.
By ensuring Functional Leaders engaged with their internal customers on a “service basis” the dots connected, and inter-departmental relationships became value-adding.
Techniques that addressed Managing in Chaos, Interdepartmental Interactions and the Giving and Receiving of Feedback supported work on the “cultural gap” as they focused on many contra-behaviours across the organisation.
Outcomes
Stoke Consulting worked with leaders on the program over 9 months.
Strong sponsorship by the GM meant confidence grew as the newly established leadership team articulated their brand across the business.
Senior managers quickly discovered that by refocusing their individual contributions from a siloed- and best-efforts approach to aligning their styles as a team, they dramatically improved their joint effectiveness.
The curated suite of company values and operating styles supported engagement with all staff, and provided the solid foundation needed for the hard conversations to change “the culture”.
Role accountability was clarified through systematic creation of position descriptions – from SLT and progressively through the line to shop floor operators.
Management rhythm established a cadence in meetings and communication across and down the business with the concept of interdepartmental style rules providing a framework for working together cross-functionally.
The language of leaders changed to focus on addressing preventative over corrective and use of facts over perceptions.
Measurement of outcomes was approached by learning about lead and lag indicators – by pulling the right levers for better outcomes and not just relying on end results.
Improved attendance, better incident reporting, more focus on short- and medium-term actions and improved working relationships meant execution of initiatives were faster, of better quality and focused on the satisfaction of the internal and external customer.
For the senior team, by embedding the concepts around working on the business and adopting more appropriate levels of work, execution of initiatives blossomed with less resistance to change.
Felt change can be seen in smoother daily operations, consultative conversations seeking shared outcomes, and contributions being recognised.
Successful outcomes for small and medium enterprises are commonplace for Stoke Consulting clients. Just contact Ken Davis for an opportunity to learn how we can help.
Ken Davis
Stoke Consulting
Ken’s senior line and consulting exposure has spanned many decades in metals and automotive manufacturing and distribution, oil & gas and IT services in national and international roles. Ken has delivered direct accountability for effective change strategies, program execution and continuous improvement and innovation in Australia and internationally.
