Strategic development projects with multi-nationals to deliver change across their global businesses. Focused on building leader and manager capability in order to shift culture at scale. Each of these projects is unique, driven by the specific needs of the audience, and the objectives of the organization. To give a flavour of this work, here are some current or recent projects:
- Manager Communities of Change
- Management development at scale
- The Future of Leadership
- Sales Activation
Tony has been centre-stage in an industry-shaping culture change project in one of the planets greatest multi-nationals for the last seven years. This has involved building global communities of managers, and designing experiences where these managers come together, 3-4 times a year. Here they grapple with the most pressing challenges they face at the bleeding edge of the culture change. The programme integrates massive audience insight with strategic intent to develop relevant and timely designs. Then local teams of leaders are trained to facilitate these conversations (in-person, virtually or hybrid) across a population of 25,000 managers. The programme remains the primary vehicle for culture change in the business.
Accelerated transformation in a global business undergoing significant disruption in its core business. Design experiences to be delivered across a population of 15,000 managers. These focus on shifting the managerial habits of the population, in order to challenge inertia and unlock innovation and momentum. After all, the primary place culture change happens (or doesn´t) is through the actions and conversations of line managers. These experiences were extensively co-designed, rigorously piloted, and delivered, virtually.
Through extensive executive interviews, literature reviews and the partnership of one of the leading talent assessment consultancies in the world, developed an executive success profile for a leading multinational. This defined what the future of executive leadership would require over the coming decade, to help that organization future-proof the development of current execs, as well as accelerating and diversifying the pipeline of leaders.
A major bank had experienced relatively stagnant sales growth across a national team of senior sales executives. We identified the opportunity lay in addressing a culture of deference to the top performing ‘stars’ of the team. We identified people who were selling well, but receiving little attention. This programme involved entry interviews, where clear risk-reward expectations were outlined from this high-visibility programme. Participants were given the chance to commit, or gracefully decline. What followed was a sales mentoring programme, which integrated development experiences, along with the mentoring of a senior business leader. Average year-on-year sales in the population rose nearly 100%.
Leadership Development
Development that sticks
As part of a 10-year relationship with a major investment firm, developed a programme to develop their 30 most senior leaders. This involved and initial, leader needs analysis. Then a close partnership with the CEO and Global HRD to design for the maximum impact. The program delivered results through four interactive group sessions. These were designed to introduce leaders to key concepts and skills; and inspire them to experiment. However, the secret sauce of the programme wasn´t the content; it was the application. Following these sessions, each leader had one-on-one behavioural coaching. This focused on the specific steps they would take to apply the learning; and held them accountable for change. It also involved curated reporting-line team discussions, so each team could agree, in the context of their work collectively, how to embed the new behaviours.
Fostering Leadership Connectedness
Design a program of development experiences for a population of 2000 senior leaders based around principles of social learning. These have involved small peer coaching groups, informal learning cafes, and two major conferences a year. The explicit focus here is more than to develop strategic and cultural capability in these leaders, but also to enhance the connectedness of these leaders across the global business. This is seen as a primary driver of a more integrated customer experience, better cross-boundary collaboration, and enhanced leader support (it can be pretty lonely being a leader!)
Accelerate transitions
A global, high-growth tech company found that many new leaders struggled to succeed. Interviewed most of their top European leaders, and well as a selection of leaders who had recently transitioned. Designed and delivered a program which surprised, challenged, and focused the preparation of high potentials for a future leadership position. The program was so successful, it was licensed to be delivered, at scale, globally.
Develop and innovate
Designed and delivered business conferences for high potential leaders around the world. These were focused on expanding perspectives and raising strategic capability. In addition, they also became important opportunities for disruptive thinking for the whole organization. Executives brought significant and pressing strategic challenges to the event. Working groups of high potentials, collaborated with executives and subject matter experts to unpick the challenge, and develop new and innovative proposals for the organization.
COMPANIES WHO TRUST TONY
