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Case Study - Post Merger Team Alignment
Client Background Business Challenge
$80 Billion, 35,000 employee Fortune 50 global energy company during the first thousand days of major merger. 

Assets and org chart were attended to, while people issues and cultural differences were neglected.  Within 6 months of the merger, major conflicts between key managers and employees were beginning to affect performance and safety issues.

Objectives Approach
  • Mediated and resolved heritage culture-based conflicts between key managers.
  • Designed and implemented a reliable process for solving problems and making decisions more collaboratively.
  • Developed, trained, and implemented  a department-wide code of conduct that guided decision making, conflict resolution, performance management and safety.  Designed a ½ day program to train all employees in core skills of code of conduct.
  • Aviation leadership team learns how to work as a unit, making, aligning and executing on the best decisions possible. 
  • Assessment

    One-on-one confidential interviews revealed five areas of concern:

    1. Confusion and resentment regarding key operational issues.

    2. Missing a reliable process for working through these issues in a collaborative way.

    3. Inconsistent, fragmented and in some cases, non-existent communication.

    4. Key relationships were broken and not being actively addressed.

    5. Vacuum of leadership to address the above concerns.
    Interventions
  • Mediation sessions between key managers.
  • Executive Coaching for Aviation Manager (1 day/month – 6 months
  • Team Alignment Sessions with Aviation Leadership Team (1 day/month for 6 months) focused on the the following issues:
    • Safety Standards
    • Scheduling Process
    • Code of Conduct
    • Performance Management
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    Results

    Examples of specific projects include:

  • Resolved long-standing conflicts between heritage managers and teams.
  • Developed a standardized and fair scheduling process that legitimized scheduling decisions (a historically thorny issue)
  • Upgraded Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) flight manual to comply with highest level of aviation safety standards.
  • Leadership Team became unified around core objectives.
  • Successfully developed, aligned on, and rolled-out the code of conduct with all employees through training and leading by example.
  • Self-assessment ratings of departmental trust in leadership increased by 40% over a one year period.
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