Situation: State Manager – Tasmania, B.D. M. MLC NAB
Issues/Pain or Opportunity: Promoted into a business development role for Tasmanian independent financial advisor, the executive reported to a Sales Manager in Victoria. As a first time BDM she was not reaching revenue targets and had seen most of her clients in the state.
Reasons: First time in a “sales role” and told to review the product brochures with advisors and seek their business. No training in relationship development or solution selling. No local manager support or coaching within her firm.
Capabilities needed: Overview of sales development skills, territory management, sales strategy development. One to one coaching with objectives set every 2-3 weeks and reporting back to performance coach. Special skills development in group presentations and negotiation.
We provided: Formal workshops in Solution Selling/Client Relationship Management and Territory Management followed by one to one coaching sessions 1-2x per month. Goal setting and accountability reviews; coaching and availability on the phone and by email to discuss individual issues with clients or the company she worked for.
Result: Exceeded first year’s sales goal by 20%. In second year grew Tasmanian territory by 25%. In third year, named BDM of the year for her national financial group. Fourth year, head-hunted on an attractive package to join another firm and develop their Tasmanian business. Continues to receive coaching on an informal basis 5x per year.
Situation: Tasmania Area Manager – Bupa (MBF)
Issues/Pain or Opportunity: The highly recognised and successful manager of Tasmania’s MBF branches was tasked with developing a strategic business plan for the future. She recognised that her operational strength and experience was different than strategic work and sought a coach to support her. Beyond the strategy, the change management necessary to drive the strategy challenged some branch managers causing issues for the statewide manager as well.
Reasons: Management by objective, recruiting for talent/attitude, developing and training staff and coaching for individual performance are all strengths; strategic planning and development can be a challenging transition for successful managers. By using an external coach, the statewide manager was able to meet the demands of her director while learning simultaneously.
Capabilities needed: Ability to identify strengths and limitations. Apply structures and systems to support strategic limitations. Provide HR consulting advice on change management and people management going forward. Availability on the telephone for quick discussions between coaching sessions.
We provided: Initial bi-monthly coaching meetings to investigate approaches and draft the strategic plan for senior management review. Monthly follow up to support action implementation. Coaching sessions to support change management at branch level.
Result: Strategic plan approved and recognised as one of the best in the organisation. Promoted to Area Manager for Tasmania. Branch manager implementation effectively commenced and challenges with specific managers and staff addressed positively. New senior manager impressed with Area Manager’s planning and implementation.
Situation: Cadbury (Tasmania)
Issues/Pain or Opportunity: Visitor centre and retail store managers (2 managers) with significant tenure and experience in their roles were challenged by the shift in approach to visitor tours at Cadbury as well as rostered staff continually affecting change. Reduced budgets at slower visitor times cause less hours for temporary/casual staff and the conflict from these relationships is a challenge in the work environment.
Reasons: Cadbury visitors peak from December to April and are at their lowest in June to September; the store managers need to reduce staff hours or shifts accordingly and manage the personal challenges caused by these changes. Managers are highly experience, yet have had little people management skill development.
Capabilities needed: Ability to identify strengths and limitations of the two managers and create a comfortable and open coaching session. Skill development needs to occur within the coaching sessions to provide practical tools and phraseology for the managers.
We provided: 12 hour coaching program where the two managers met for two hours with a High Performance coach to discuss challenges and solutions. Sessions involved some training materials as well as informal role playing to build confidence in new approaches.
Result: The confidence demonstrated by the two managers after each coaching session was measurable. Specific people management techniques were implemented upon return to the workplace and while challenging at times, the manager saw improvements in their ability to manage the retail business effectively. Additionally, the manager started to shift the problems back to the staff in order to engage them in a discussion of possible solutions. This allowed the managers to facilitate a discussion rather than feel they had to solve all the problems of the staff.
Situation: Forestry Tasmania
Issues/Pain or Opportunity: Senior manager within F.T. wanted several levels of external support to address management issues and career opportunities at work as well as link these to their personal “life plan”. With the high work hour demands, the manager had little time to reflect and to plan for the next 10 years.
Reasons: Restructuring at F.T. had caused key staff to move to other areas in the organisation and without replacement the responsibilities of those roles needed to be incorporated to the existing team. The manager’s strength in developing new science-based approaches to plantation management exposed him to business development opportunities for F.T. Senior management could see him as technically competent but not ready to be promoted to a more senior position.
Capabilities needed: Ability to identify strengths and limitations of the manager for his current role and business development opportunity. Ability to review a holistic life plan in addition to a career plan. Recommend other specialists to the manager as needed.
We provided: Coaching program initially every 3-4 weeks with homework to be done between sessions. Support in priority management, staff management and communication with senior managers. Work/Life balance planning to provide foundation and capacity to set plans and implement action steps (Finance, Health, Family, Social, Intellectual, Career, etc.).
Result: Significant awareness and actions in developing a holistic life plan. Actions immediately taken in terms of finance, health and family reduced stress. Career support helped manage the changing staffing levels; senior management also supported the manager in the development of new business opportunities. Additional opportunities would be based upon relationships with both potential clients and senior managers at F.T. Overall coaching program provided a confidential place to focus on manager’s opportunities in the coming 10 years.
