Case Studies
Case Study 1: Developing leaders in a highly skilled bespoke engineering services company
Client requirement
Babcock International Group (BIG) identified the requirement to develop its first line leaders in the UK as part of its safety enhancement activities. The Group Director of Organisation and Development set up a working group with representatives from across the business to review internal and external best practice, and to design a solution.
Organisational context
In 2011 BIG was a federated organisation, with approximately 27000 employees, its diverse business units operated with a high degree of autonomy within an overall divisional structure. Any solution needed to be adopted by the business units rather than mandated from the center.
My role
I was engaged to provide consultancy and coordinate the working group, help develop the solution and project manage the delivery of the supporting materials.
Outcome
The design and roll out of a “First Line Leaders” development framework. This encompassed a systematic approach to: setting expectation; measurement; development; education and feedback for first line leaders. Supporting materials were created to aid consistent adoption; this included a presentation to the senior leadership, a set of internal best practice case studies, a “Leadership Essentials” handbook, and sixty “Leadership Essentials” eLearning modules.
The development framework was adopted by each of the eleven business units within the three UK divisions and the supporting materials were deployed with local MD sponsorship. By October 2015 over 40,500 “Leadership Essential” eLearning module passes had been achieved by users.
Feedback from the client
“Ruth has an ability to translate strategy into manageable actions and communicate these with clarity and passion. Her commitment and drive to achieve a good outcome for the customer is evident. Her 25 +years of HR change and development experience, together with her practical and honest approach, make her an asset in the feasibility and planning stage of any project. She is tenacious when faced with any obstacle or setback during implementation, using her diplomatic and creative skills to find workable solutions acceptable to all those involved.”
Kevin Goodman
Group Director of Organisation and Development
Babcock International Group
Babcock International Group (BIG) identified the requirement to develop its first line leaders in the UK as part of its safety enhancement activities. The Group Director of Organisation and Development set up a working group with representatives from across the business to review internal and external best practice, and to design a solution.
Organisational context
In 2011 BIG was a federated organisation, with approximately 27000 employees, its diverse business units operated with a high degree of autonomy within an overall divisional structure. Any solution needed to be adopted by the business units rather than mandated from the center.
My role
I was engaged to provide consultancy and coordinate the working group, help develop the solution and project manage the delivery of the supporting materials.
Outcome
The design and roll out of a “First Line Leaders” development framework. This encompassed a systematic approach to: setting expectation; measurement; development; education and feedback for first line leaders. Supporting materials were created to aid consistent adoption; this included a presentation to the senior leadership, a set of internal best practice case studies, a “Leadership Essentials” handbook, and sixty “Leadership Essentials” eLearning modules.
The development framework was adopted by each of the eleven business units within the three UK divisions and the supporting materials were deployed with local MD sponsorship. By October 2015 over 40,500 “Leadership Essential” eLearning module passes had been achieved by users.
Feedback from the client
“Ruth has an ability to translate strategy into manageable actions and communicate these with clarity and passion. Her commitment and drive to achieve a good outcome for the customer is evident. Her 25 +years of HR change and development experience, together with her practical and honest approach, make her an asset in the feasibility and planning stage of any project. She is tenacious when faced with any obstacle or setback during implementation, using her diplomatic and creative skills to find workable solutions acceptable to all those involved.”
Kevin Goodman
Group Director of Organisation and Development
Babcock International Group
Case Study 2: Preparing to navigate change successfully in a Local Authority
Client requirement
I was engaged by a Local Authority to provide a change workshop for a successful social care team who’s current location was to be shut and the staff distributed across the county. The changes were to take place within 6 months, but the detail and how it would work had not yet been communicated.
Organisational context
The team comprised 15 social care and support staff specialising in difficult childcare cases, where parental contact had to be supervised. They were based in a dedicated building that had been refurbished to provide specific facilities. At the time this was the only place in the county where such visits could take place and the Local Authority had determined that these services needed to provided in a more locally accessible way to the clients.
My role
To provide a workshop to help the staff to prepare themselves to navigate the changes effectively. The Senior Manager wanted to support the team and maintain the service’s effective performance through the transition.
Workshop
The proposed workshop took place in early December. The team had been told the location was closing and that they would probably all have a job, but would not know where until after Christmas.
I designed and facilitated a solutions focused workshop which enabled the participants to address the concerns that they had about the changes, including how to maintain the professional standards they were so proud of, and Identify steps they would take to be ready themselves and help the team to prepare for the changes. At the end of the workshop the participants appeared much more positive and determined not to let the uncertainty “hang over them”, but to enjoy their last Christmas together as a team.
Workshop 2
In May, 6 weeks before the location was due to close, the manager asked for second workshop as the team had found the first one so useful. Most staff had been given new roles, but 3 were on a redeployment register. During this second solutions focus workshop they identified steps they would take to navigate the closure and transition well, so they could be proud of what they had achieved. We also took time to celebrate the successes of the team and skills of each of the individuals within it.
4 weeks after the workshop I contacted the participants individually for feedback and to help them review their personal preparations.
Feedback from clients
“We gelled as a team – it allowed us to share high and low points”
“Gave us ideas of how to exit the building properly on the last day- we are planning a group photo”
“ Put my mind at rest”
“Came out feeling positive – I have a clearer understanding of what I want and can do”
“Recognised that I was at a cross roads and had choices”
“Changed the whole way I looked at the change”
“ I didn’t want to be there at first but it really made me think about how I behave and that I have choices”
“Allowed me to be happy with the changes”
“Increased confidence in looking for new roles”- this person was still unallocated but was very actively seeking new jobs.
“Allowed me to better understand, value and support others”
“It made me feel positive about the team and looking back at our achievements”
“I have been able to focus on getting all loose ends tied up and writing up reports”
“I acknowledged a lot about myself and how I can choose to behave”
“helped me to make a difficult decision”
Feedback from the team members about the value of the workshops.
I was engaged by a Local Authority to provide a change workshop for a successful social care team who’s current location was to be shut and the staff distributed across the county. The changes were to take place within 6 months, but the detail and how it would work had not yet been communicated.
Organisational context
The team comprised 15 social care and support staff specialising in difficult childcare cases, where parental contact had to be supervised. They were based in a dedicated building that had been refurbished to provide specific facilities. At the time this was the only place in the county where such visits could take place and the Local Authority had determined that these services needed to provided in a more locally accessible way to the clients.
My role
To provide a workshop to help the staff to prepare themselves to navigate the changes effectively. The Senior Manager wanted to support the team and maintain the service’s effective performance through the transition.
Workshop
The proposed workshop took place in early December. The team had been told the location was closing and that they would probably all have a job, but would not know where until after Christmas.
I designed and facilitated a solutions focused workshop which enabled the participants to address the concerns that they had about the changes, including how to maintain the professional standards they were so proud of, and Identify steps they would take to be ready themselves and help the team to prepare for the changes. At the end of the workshop the participants appeared much more positive and determined not to let the uncertainty “hang over them”, but to enjoy their last Christmas together as a team.
Workshop 2
In May, 6 weeks before the location was due to close, the manager asked for second workshop as the team had found the first one so useful. Most staff had been given new roles, but 3 were on a redeployment register. During this second solutions focus workshop they identified steps they would take to navigate the closure and transition well, so they could be proud of what they had achieved. We also took time to celebrate the successes of the team and skills of each of the individuals within it.
4 weeks after the workshop I contacted the participants individually for feedback and to help them review their personal preparations.
Feedback from clients
“We gelled as a team – it allowed us to share high and low points”
“Gave us ideas of how to exit the building properly on the last day- we are planning a group photo”
“ Put my mind at rest”
“Came out feeling positive – I have a clearer understanding of what I want and can do”
“Recognised that I was at a cross roads and had choices”
“Changed the whole way I looked at the change”
“ I didn’t want to be there at first but it really made me think about how I behave and that I have choices”
“Allowed me to be happy with the changes”
“Increased confidence in looking for new roles”- this person was still unallocated but was very actively seeking new jobs.
“Allowed me to better understand, value and support others”
“It made me feel positive about the team and looking back at our achievements”
“I have been able to focus on getting all loose ends tied up and writing up reports”
“I acknowledged a lot about myself and how I can choose to behave”
“helped me to make a difficult decision”
Feedback from the team members about the value of the workshops.
