Here are some success stories that will give you a better sense of the kind of issues we work with, how we approach them and the sort of results that are achieved. The case studies are:

• From Deputy to General Manager: the presenting issue was a promoted General Manager who was not fulfilling her operational and strategic responsibilities. Following coaching she gained a different perspective on how best to accomplish her responsibilities to the advantage of her team, director and organisation – and herself!

• Navigating change through business renewal: over several years and with our coaching and consultation support, Ian and his management team turned the business into a profitable streamlined business with a culture that would support future growth.

• Promotion to Director: Christine changed from an aim-less, under-confident and over-stretched employee into a self-assured authentic professional director who knew what was wanted and what she wanted. The coaching process aided her in this transformation to an effective and efficient director.

Background
Anne was the Managing Editor of specific scientific journals and had responsibility for the overall short- and long-term management. She worked on a site two hours away from the company’s main office.  The journals were acquired by the parent company about five years ago. At that time she was deputy to the General Manager, a person who managed the unit in an autocratic fashion, delegating very little real authority to Anne.

Anne was promoted to General Manager for this specialised unit when her manager was asked to leave.  Some of the staff, who are involved in the day-to-day work, report through their function and have line managers based at the main office.  In addition, the journals themselves have a Management Board made up of academic leading lights, and not employees of the organisation.  Anne has to manage them too in their capacity as Management Board members.  Not a straight forward reporting structure!

The issue
At the end of the equivalent of a probationary period, Anne’s potential as a senior manager wasn’t showing. She appeared to be lacking in certain business and people management attributes. And the line director had to get involved in sorting out more day-to-day misunderstandings and lack of pro-activity rather than strategic business issues.

Monkswood Associates’ role in the transformation
Having established what success would look like and how we would work together, the coaching started. This included:

• using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Step 2 version and FIRO-B to heighten understanding of Anne’s preferred ways of working and their potential consequences;
• holding a teamworking day, using Belbin team roles for the whole team; and
• having six monthly face-to-face coaching sessions.

We had discussions about what being a leader and manager entailed. Her beliefs impacted directly on her relationship with her manager as well as her direct reports.  Her view (on what a ‘good manager/leader’ looks like) clearly was holding her back.  Once a more up-to-date view made sense to her, and she felt the difference, she was on her way. 

We worked on her confidence to support this change, particularly being more open with others about what she doesn’t know or hasn’t decided.  This freed her to get others involved in information gathering and decision-making to great effect.  And she had greater energy available for other work.  Anne assimilated and applied those ideas that suited her and the circumstances in which she works. 

So what were the real benefits?
Apart from the very important fact that she is now enjoying her work, the results of her efforts include:

• her line manager now has solid confidence in Anne’s strategic and managerial capabilities
• she is now a self-assured proactive manager with improved communication with all stakeholders, handling conflicting pressures and difficult situations fruitfully
• time is freed up for more productive issues (for her director and her)
• as a manager she now gets the best from her line manager, colleagues, Management Board and direct reports
• A clear focus for the team and what she expects of them, making them more motivated and more productive

These changes have led to:

• The journals growing over 5% in the following year,
• Time being more effectively used to develop the business by 10%, and
• Less absenteeism and lower labour turnover.

The time and coaching invested in Anne reaped significant rewards for all concerned, and with positive bottom-line results!

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Background
Ian was the Managing Director of a medium sized company based in the southern part of England.  It is a wholly owned subsidiary of an American group.  Ian’s background is in selling technical products and already had experience as a Managing Director in two other smaller companies that were part of a larger group.  When Ian first became Managing Director of this company, it had three sites in the UK and designed, manufactured, sold and serviced its own products and those of its parent that were developed in USA.

The issue
When Ian joined the company it employed around 200 people, was loss making with a significant manufacturing over-capacity.  It required a radical review and overhaul.  Ian said “people are the most important factor in the successful transformation of the business”.  Hence our involvement in this task oriented organisation as consultant and coach.

Monkswood Associates’ role in the transformation
Ian said “I had confidence and a sense of security that we were operating within the law and this enabled the management team to keep focus on the business.  Helen took us through the legal minefield so that it felt straight forward for us.  The levels of risk were clearly spelt out.  “We felt Helen was very much part of the team for the various projects and, at the same time, able to give us an independent view of the circumstances.  On the light side, we could laugh at any absurdities to release tension which naturally arises when dealing with the future of a business and its staff.”  On another occasion Ian said “I like the fact that I can pick up the phone and get a quick practical response.”

In summary, what I did was:

• supply peace of mind through giving legal and risk assessment advice
• enhanced decision making process through:
• Acting as a sounding board for re-organisation proposals
• Reflecting back any contradictions or inconsistencies
• Ensuring clarity of purpose
• designed communication strategy and tactics, including drafts with reasons behind approach for the major projects,
• give coaching so that they could handle confidently the smaller projects with little input from me
• coached the management team in managing change and looking at things from various perspectives

So what were the real benefits?
Over a period of four years Ian, with the support of the other directors and staff, has:

• consolidated the business units on to one site,
• outsourced the manufacturing and field services work,
• integrated an acquired company into its business,
• changed the sales emphasis product-wise, and
• re-organised the remaining business.

It is now predominantly an engineering sales and service business in a low profit margin market sector employing 40 people and now profit making. 

The specific benefits that Ian and the company gained from these changes were:

• No employment tribunal cases
• Reduced costs, including manufacturing by 5% and inventory reduced by 66%
• Significantly improved financial performance, moving from a loss of more than 5% on sales to a profit 5% on sales - better than peer companies in the sector
• Streamlined and more reliable processes between receiving an order and delivery
• Greater clarity of direction, dispensing with unprofitable work and concentrating on growing the profitable work
• Improved customer satisfaction – better communication, fewer mistakes, faster responses (commitment to on time delivery)
• Improved communication with staff both directly and through trained staff representatives

These led to:

• The business still existing!  Remaining employees and their dependents benefiting from this source of employment still being there
• A common company culture and business ethic that encouraged employees to voice suggestions to continue profitable progress
• Keeping the parent company happy

Trust, both ways, was critical to the success.  I trusted that they would be open when others might be concerned about being judged or losing face.  They trusted my contribution and respectful way of working.  All the directors said that our shared openness and trust was an asset to their business.

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Promotion to Director

Background
After two years as Training and Development Manager, Christine was promoted to Training and Development Director.  She works for a global group of companies.  She reports to the Group Human Resources Director.  There are separate human resource specialists for each main business.

The issue
Christine was unsure what was expected from her as a director. This included how she wanted to “add value and gain a sense of achievement”.  Her uncertainty was affecting her presence with other directors.  In addition, she was aware that she was doing work which others should be doing.  She found it difficult to delegate work and took on responsibility for work that would best be done by her internal clients.  And finally she wanted to decide about her future career direction.  The possibility of becoming Group Human Resources Director in a few years’ time had been raised with her.

Monkswood Associates’ role in the transformation
During the review process, Christine said my style enabled her to make the necessary step changes – empathy, trust and support, reflection, authenticity, sharing experience, respect, giving advice when asked, partnership, practicality. She liked the way I brought her to question and challenge her current way of thinking and working, and her underlying beliefs that supported these visible results. I modelled a non-brutal approach to challenging people that enables them to feel respected, discuss without being defensive and change their minds without losing face. She liked the written summary of each meeting with she hadn’t expected. It consolidated reflection and progress. 

I gave structure and responsiveness.

So what were the real benefits?
When we reviewed progress after six sessions, Christine summarised some of the benefits she had noticed:

• consolidated her visibility, relationship and credibility with directors
• now manage the Managing Directors’ expectations about the nature of her involvement, leaving responsibility where it needs to be
• understand shades of grey (rather than her previous tendency to see in black and white) which has opened her eyes to different perspectives
• respect and can show respect more and is less judgemental: for example, she now respects her line director for what he is and has to offer (rather than focussing on his limitations as she sees them).  The result is she now gains valuable support and advice which enhances her performance
• reduced the work that took a lot of energy and bore little fruit, releasing time to be more proactive
• has found how she adds value to her satisfaction, including being the “unspoken guardian of the organisation’s values, needs and aims”
• a more effective and efficient director!

I added:

• Christine shows appropriate confidence in herself.  She now expresses her views with assurance to more senior people, challenges thinking respectfully and can admit lack of knowledge and retain credibility
• Her increased general self-assurance has enabled her to loosen the reigns on herself and others.  This has led to improved delegation and increased fruitful contact with Managing Directors and direct reports alike.
• Christine experiences reciprocity of trust.  People feel trusted due to her increased openness – this gives them greater permission and interest to reciprocate

All this had means the directors can base their decisions on quality advice and support.  The business improvements within the organisation as a whole are retained and built on.  The money invested in the staff is bearing long-term fruit!

Having found out how we work and read about specific examples, you may want to know a bit more about us.  I invite you to learn more ‘About us’ now.

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