Click here to read the St. Luke's success story or below for other client projects.

COMPANY A: Accelerating Strategy Execution
CONCEPT: Instead of rolling out a new strategy created by top management through traditional communication processes (speeches, town meetings, videos, etc.), engaged the top 250 executives in a “Creating Our Future” workshop to both improve the strategy and build unity and alignment.

OBJECTIVES: Create the best possible strategy; build deep understanding and ownership throughout the organization (strategic unity and alignment); develop strategic skills of participants; and identify the critical success factors for implementation

PROCESS:

• Convinced the top team to stamp their new strategy as a “draft”
• Created a custom-designed workshop for groups of 25, made up of a cross-section from all parts of the company. Completed in 8 months.
• Participants conducted a strategic analysis of their industry with outside experts and key customers. Then, applied what they learned (and already knew) to create an enhanced strategy and identified the critical success factors for implementation. Finally they presented their work to the top management team.
• At the end of the year all 250 attended a leadership conference where the final strategy was presented.
• The 250 then led a process for cascading the strategy.
• Every two years or so they conduct similar workshops on strategic issues 

POSTSCRIPT: The company credits the workshops with movement from mid-industry to top financial performances rankings and significant stock price and P/E increases. They also feel that collaboration across functions and business units has significantly improved. And that this positively impacts the effectiveness of their executives and their ability to serve customers.

COMPANY B: Accelerating High-Potential Development
CONCEPT: Rapidly accelerate the development of 200 high potential leaders in groups of approximately 65 in a one-year timeframe. A multi-faceted, 6-month leadership development process including individual assessments, executive coaching, classroom activities and Action Learning.

OBJECTIVES: Rapidly accelerate participant’s development; work across organization boundaries on current, critical business challenges; develop capabilities to achieve business goals and meet customer commitments; make leadership talent a competitive advantage; and build a better understanding of the total enterprise.

PROCESS:

• CEO kickoff session with all 200 to communicate importance, objectives, process and create excitement
• Multiple assessments to identify development goals and plans
• Each participant matched with an executive coach
• Six-month structured program in parallel with coaching included:

• First segment of 5 days: leadership skills development: introduction to action learning projects with sponsors; team-building 6 to 8 action learning teams; training on business planning and project management.
• Mid-point meeting 3 months later to review progress on learning and project goals, and make mid-course corrections
•  2 ½ day segment at the end to finalize work and present recommendations to the Top Management team.

POSTSCRIPT:

Top skills/behaviors improved:

Build valuable networks (92%)
¾   Be a better coach (84%)
¾   Create an environment that produces results (65%)
¾   Motivate and develop my staff (62%)
Several critical project recommendations were implemented.
Many participants received significant promotions

POSTSCRIPT: The head of the Leadership Institute now reports directly to the CEO. Vision and values have been communicated effectively and senior leaders fully subscribe to it. The top management team all teach in the executive programs.