1. Align Executive management team to Refocus the Business and Shift culture and Technology and Software company

Situation: The executive team of a growing and successful technology firm struggled to make critical decisions, keep up with demand, and it didn’t have a cohesive vision or strategy to follow. Decision making was arduous and employee morale was low at all levels of the company.
Objective: To develop a bold new vision, strategy, specific objectives and project plans and enhance executive team effectiveness to ensure execution. Create an engaged and empowered workforce to manage growth.
Action: Assessed individual leadership capacity, corporate culture and organizational strengths and weaknesses. Led a customized planning and intervention process for the executive team to enhance it’s team dynamics, define success (a bold new vision, strategy, and specific measureable objectives), set-up next level leaders to manage critical initiatives, and modify the corporate culture to support the new level of results.
Results: Employees rallied behind the new vision and plans. The executives gained appreciation for each others strengths and became more effective leaders. Next level leaders thrived in their new and expanded roles. The company completed a successful acquisition. Revenue improved 25% over the previous year and service improved dramatically as well.

...Our executive team had multi-level organizational and communication issues...weekly meetings were a power struggle…hindering our ability to define success let alone attain it. Personally, my fear of failure produced anxiety that reduced my effectiveness in communication. The anxiety produced a need for greater control. This further polarized positions and caused a dangerous and self-perpetuating cycle to occur. I now monitor myself so as not to allow my emotions to lead and I can more objectively focus on organizational objectives, directing the best resources to attain the desired results. Through your coaching…we learned how to define success, recognize each others strengths and styles, allowing each to perform within their area of strength, [thus] gaining corporate velocity in goal attainment. The end result is a new culture for the executive team with more delegation of control for greater impact and success. As a company, we improved communications, which consummated in a discovery and realignment of staff within their areas of passion...the excitement of the staff is clearly evident. Sales are up 25%. Your efforts and coaching were instrumental in this process and I thank you. -- Richard Kincaid, COO, Vertical Computer Systems
Align Executive management: US

Situation: The CEO and President of a growing professional services firm found themselves in frequent conflict and unable to make key decisions and create action plans.

Objective: To discover the source of conflict, eliminate barriers to effectiveness and create a basis for effective partnership.

Action: Assessed barriers to effective collaboration and facilitated a process to align partners and teach skills in creative conflict utilization.

Results: The partners realized that they were blaming each other for the differing qualities that were the source of their synergistic partnership. The partners were then able creatively use the occurrence of conflict to divide accountabilities and develop more effective business solutions.

...You helped guide my business partner and I through a maze...helping us see things that we could not see before. As a result, we have a much better handle on our business and our core competencies... I would highly recommend your services. They have truly made a positive impact on our business... -- President

2. Increase Sales and Market Share: GE Financial Services, US

Situation: A Vice President of a well known financial services firm sought to increase sales through intermediaries and to decrease staff travel. Division was going through reorganization.

Objective: Increase overall revenue and market share by improving relationships with intermediaries. Decrease travel required to serve clients.

Action: Development in sales effectiveness, client relationship management, leadership and communication

Results:

Increased sales >50% over the previous year. Increased market share from 30% to more than 50% overall and as high as 85% in some channels. Transformed relationships with intermediaries from transactional to a collaborative partnership. Decreased travel time allowing staff more time at home with family. Increased participation of support staff to assist in sales process

... Market share doubled. I had an across the board 30% market share, before we began working together, now it's 50-82%. You challenged me to focus on purposeful intention in business and life. He helped navigate through milestones and achieve consistent advancements. Your insights and observations were chilling and allowed me to consciously participate in breakthroughs that made our relationship a real success. -- Sunny Kurman, Regional Vice President, GE Financial Services

3. Develop Inspiring Leadership: Rand McNally, US

Situation: An accomplished marketing manager of this a well known consumer products firm was ineffective with co-workers during times of disagreement and conflict. The company was going through a reorganization, bringing this manager’s challenges to the forefront.

Objective: To provide manager with communication skills to inspire co-workers into action

Action: Provide assessment and leadership/communication coaching for individual and team effectiveness

Results: Manager had profound insights about speaking and listening in critical conversations –especially when stakes are high. She learned to stop herself when judging others and be attentive in conversation. She became clear, powerful and inspiring without “being pushy.”

...you helped me see that often, I didn’t really listen to people, and when I spoke, I wasn’t clear about what I wanted...sometimes when I was at work, it was like I really wasn't even there. Now, I catch myself judging people and when I am about to say something I'll regret, I stop. I really hear what people say to me now and I'm able to respond to people more thoughtfully...Your program was great for teambuilding...I was communicating even more directly and powerfully the very next day and people around me took action as a result...I'm amazed by my ability to negotiate, stand for what I want, and be powerful without being pushy... -- Product Manager, Rand McNally

4. Transform work environment to create collaboration: Prudential Steel, Canada

Situation: Prudential Steel in Canada struggled with difficult union relations that impacted productivity, operations and safety. Communications were not productive between management and workers. The union was withholding support of a process to dramatically improve worker-management collaboration and safety.

Objectives: To improve worker relations, safety and productivity. To transform the work environment from one dominated by a confrontational management style to a collaborative partnership. To inspire support of the union.

Action: Led a series of high impact leadership and management development sessions for line managers and executives.

Results: Line managers learned to stop using intimidation tactics to manipulate behavioral changes and instead created collaboration around safety and performance. Union leadership related that employees were impressed with the immediate shift to a collaborative management style and pledged support for safety and culture change initiatives.

“I’ll never see my life or this company the same again” – Line Manager

“I realize [that] I need to keep my emotions in tow, removing blame/frustration/anger when dealing with difficult supervisors.” – Manager

“I have never seen a group be so supportive of each other and be so committed when creating action plans” -- Observer

5. improve interdepartmental communication. empower staff and increase productivity: Bristol Myers-Squibb: Venezuela

Situation: A Venezuelan subsidiary of a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and consumer products company experienced ineffective financial controls, lack of accountability in purchasing, frustrated staff, poor communication between departments and between levels, and inefficiencies in various finance departments.

Objective: To create efficient processes in accounts payables, accountability in spending, and consistency in data management. To have front line staff drive the recommendations for change.

Action: Designed and implemented a process redesign that relied heavily on line employee input and participation and facilitated cross-functional and multi-level collaboration.

Situation: Senior Management of one of the world’s largest mines, desired to increase production to take advantage of higher than normal ore prices. Despite a multi-year and site-wide effort to improve results through self-directed teams, the company was unable to increase production. Additionally, the company saw an increase in union membership from 15% to 85% of the workforce over the previous 3 years period, causing increasingly difficult labor relations.

Objective: To assess team and organizational effectiveness and recommend actions that would be supported by the workforce and lead to an immediate increase in production.

Action: Conducted an assessment of organizational structure, team effectiveness and leadership skills (quantitative and qualitative) through one-on-one and group interviews with approximately 100 production and maintenance workers and managers.

· Team effectiveness was inconsistent across teams and divisions despite the company’s elaborate structure for and training in self-directed teams for the lowest level of the workforce

· An expatriate upper management team was disinterested in leading or even relating to the general workforce, preferring that supervisors be responsible

· Supervisors were unprepared to lead and coach the newly trained self directed teams

· The increase in union membership was largely due to management’s failure to create relationship with workers by acknowledging their concerns and contributions.

Results: Client agreed to make numerous modifications to team training and structure, to coach supervisors in leadership and collaboration, and to improve worker-management communications.

7. END CONFLICT BETWEEN DIVISIONS: Motorola, US

Situation: A Fortune 500 global electronics company requested that two divisions collaborate to create a business case for developing a multi-billion dollar business to serve the energy distribution industry in Brazil. The two divisions had differing assumptions about the marketplace and competing objectives and incentives from their respective senior management.

Objective: To air disagreement, align on market assumptions and objectives so business case could be completed.

Action: Interviewed team members from both divisions to assess situation. Facilitated a joint discovery process to expose areas of disagreement and align on new course of action to complete the project.

Results: Stake holders exposed areas of disagreement and created a joint plan to address all items. The business plan was completed and presented for funding to corporate management.

8. ALIGN EXECUTIVES AND BOARD MEMBERS: New York City

Situation: A New York City dance company was embarking on preparation for its largest production and was not prepared for the effort. Management and the board were not aligned and the board and dancers didn’t know each other. Management was not comfortable making necessary requests of the board.

Objective: To empower top executive to set the direction for the coming year and inspire alignment and support of the board of directors and dancers. Introduce dancers to the board of directors and create a cohesive and inspired company. Have the company and its board of directors operating at a significantly higher level of effectiveness and collaboration.

Action: Provide leadership development for the chief executive and facilitation of an alignment session for the entire company.

Results: Executive clarified his vision for the company, inspired passionate support from the board and the dancers and created a collaborative relationship between the board and dancers that did not exist before, setting the ground work for the company’s most successful year.

...Matthew skillfully guided me through an analysis and realization of my vision for not only my company, but also my life’s work. We met again [with] the entire organization…he sat beside me and gently guided me as I led the company through a process of defining who we were, what we wanted to do, what we expected of each other and how we could do it as a team. We went on to successfully create our largest and most ambitious work to date, and the company continues to grow. Matthew said to me that I would mark our first meeting as the start of everything changing, and he was right. Since our meeting my organization has grown and we are working happily together...RMG is probably most unique in that its work is focused on the individual people involved, not just the group as a single entity... -- Barry Blumenfeld, Executive Director and Choreographer, Tap Fusion, New York City

9. Improve Profit: US

Situation: An accounting firm had low profitability, inconsistent quality of service and a strained work environment. An excessive amount of time was spent on client work that was not billed and some clients were billed under market rates. The managing principal was overworked and missing opportunities to leverage staff effectively.

Objective: To increase profit, shift culture and practices to favor both accuracy and improved customer service, improve employee relations and reduce managing principle’s hours.

Action: Ongoing leadership development and business management consulting for managing principal to shiftmanagement style and create structures to hold new culture and results in place

Results:

§ Increased revenue 10% during the first 3 months

§ Created new corporate values aligned with profitability, accuracy, speed, and consistent customer service that were accepted by staff

§ Managing principal learned to collaborate and inspire staff through effective communication.

§ Periodic team meetings allow team to air differences and keep team aligned.

§ Improved management-staff relations and employee motivation created a more peaceful and trusting work environment

§ Inspired by a new bonus program, staff accountants increased billable hours

§ Principal decreased workload by 10 hours/week (tax season excluded)

10. Increased Sales and executed ON new Strategy: US

Situation: A technology services firm CEO desired to double sales within 12 months, but had no time, strategy or plan to make it happen.

Objective: Discover to reveal opportunities for breakthrough growth and guide the CEO to redirect organization and achieve a 100% increase in sales.

Action: Business coaching with CEO in four areas:

1) Discovering opportunities for new business

2) Assessing and recreating client relationships

3) Delegating workload to staff, and

4) Developing growth strategies

Results:

Sales doubled in 6 months, mostly from additional business with current clients
New acquisition strategy resulted in additional 50% increase in sales

Situation: A star finance executive of this Fortune 100 company struggled with lack of professional fulfillment and was resigned to leaving his firm. The executive managed 12 controllers and advised a multi-billion dollar international division, but desired an operational finance role. The executive’s unhappiness at work was a drain on his coworkers, contributing to the already difficult environment of corporate reorganization. Family relations were also strained as a result.

Objective: To transform resignation to passion and create an action plan for advancement.

Results: The executive regained interest in the company and passion for what he might create by staying in the firm and to supporting the reorganization. He became a more powerful leader and was quickly proud of his contribution again. He also inspired a team of colleagues to support him in finding and attaining another position. The executive accepted a promotion and began an operational role within 3 months. His family was elated to move closer to friends and family.