Case Studies
- How can an organization attract, select and avoid losing its best talent? more...>>
- How can an organization make sure it has the talent pipeline to grow and protect the business? more...>>
- How can an organization decrease the cycle time and resources required for learning and productivity growth? more...>>
- How can an organization improve its top leadership team and its capabilities? more...>>
- Once the initial Six Sigma program is deployed how can an organization ensure optimal results? more...>>
- How can an organization measure and significantly improve its processes related to human resources? more...>>
- How can an organization ensure it is maximizing the performance of all employees? more...>>
- How can an organization capture and leverage all its knowledge resources? more...>>
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Client Problem -
A multinational conglomerate came to Schoonover Associates to help transform its sales force from a focus on product selling to more comprehensive approach to selling solutions and services.
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Schoonover Solutions -
Schoonover Associates led the client through a specific needs analysis that identified four critical areas of need:
- The sales organization was not following a clear sales process
- Entry-level sales professionals' activities were not aligned with a clear sales process
- Little professional development was in place
- Hiring and selecting sales professionals into the new selling environment was hit or miss
Schoonover helped the client develop a future oriented sales competency model that focused the sales organization on the required success criteria.
In addition, we helped them develop competency-based tools to use in their hiring, selection, development, appraising and performance management processes.
We developed a developmental toolkit that outlined the success profiles for various sales roles, assessment tools, hiring and selection tools for interviewing, and developmental activities linked to competencies.
In addition, we created a handbook that outlined key responsibilities, tasks and tools related to a consistent sales process. This handbook helped new hires gain a quicker start in their jobs.
To help the sales regions understand how to focus training and development of its sales force, we conducted 360° assessments on the entire sales force and debriefed the sales organization in regional meetings.
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Benefits to Client -
The sales organization was able to focus its hiring and selection approach using competencies. By using the new sales hiring profile, the organization was able to measure that the new hires produced three times the revenues compared to a control group.
As a result, communication of performance standards, development opportunities and alignment with a sales process increased the speed of assimilation and levels of satisfaction of new hires.
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Client Problem -
A regional telecommunications company came to Schoonover Associates as they were transitioning from a "telephone" company to a national provider of "telecommunications and information services". In addition, the company was experiencing a crisis in management as employees underwent "culture shock" while company moved from a regulated to a more market-driven environment.
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Schoonover Solutions -
Schoonover Associates helped the client develop a set of core values to communicate the company's "strategic intent" to the employees. These core values were articulated in the form of a competency model so that all individuals could understand how their behavior was related to the strategies of the organization.
In addition to the core values, we helped develop "future-oriented", function-specific competency models. We used these models in a 360° assessment on all managers to rapidly identify critical development planning needs. We also provided one-on-one coaching to the executive team coaching to the Board of Directors.
As part of an overall program to upgrade leadership, we built a core leadership curriculum for all levels of management. This curriculum was offered in 4-hour segments on specific leadership topics throughout the year.
We also built competency-based tools and development activities directories for all functions and implemented them through a customized performance management/coaching curriculum for all managers.
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Benefits to Client -
We created specific measures of performance to ensure that employees were able to align their activities with the company's strategies. As a result, while the company grew from $1 billion to $4 billion in sales, it's workforce was able to significantly expand product/service offerings and improve profitability and stock value.
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Client Problem -
A large financial services organization came to Schoonover Associates with significant problems related to their leadership "pipeline". The organization had a top management team that had grown with the company but lacked the skills required to develop future top leaders. In addition, performance management was an inconsistent process that was causing significant performance issues in key functions of the company.
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Schoonover Solutions -
Schoonover Associates helped the client to identify the critical success factors of leadership within their specific environment. We developed and applied guiding principles and criteria (e.g., competencies, key experiences, and results) in an assessment process for succession planning. Based on the assessment data we were able to building leadership and bench strength and provide individualized coaching and development plans to top leaders.
As part of upgrading leadership for the entire organization, we helped develop a competency-based leadership course for all leaders that included 360° assessments and customized debriefing sessions.
In order to increase performance in key functions we developed coaching and performance management programs and trained key leaders in performance management and coaching techniques.
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Benefits to Client -
As a result of these interventions, the client was able to rapidly enlarge its leadership "pool" for top positions. In addition they were able develop a benchmark for the total leadership pool using 360° assessments and measuring competency acquisition of leaders over time.
In order to facilitate ongoing support for learning, we created a website encompassing a range of tools and techniques for key functional groups.
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Client Problem -
A rapidly growing, Fortune 500 information technology company was losing significant market value and customer confidence as a result of perceived leadership problems.
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Schoonover Solutions -
We conducted a needs analysis with the top leadership team and developed an approach to leadership and integrated performance development that included:
- Development of criteria related to vision and values
- Design and implementation of a series of vision and values workshops for top leaders in the company that helped communicate the company's vision as well as helping managers identify critical leadership gaps
- Development of multi-functional competency models and technical knowledge and skills profiles
- Design of a competency development module and 360° assessment for a corporate wide, longitudinal leadership program
- Design of and implemented a performance development workshop series
- Design of a competency-based mid-level manager curriculum
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Benefits to Client -
- Creation of tools and processes for hiring/selection, assessment development, and performance management
- Clear expectations for all employees
- Significantly improved development and career planning opportunities
- Much more consistent performance planning and evaluation
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Client Problem -
A food production and services company was experiencing significant problems with hiring and retaining key talent, creating talent pipelines to insure that high potential leaders were identified and groomed to fill key positions, and producing alignment between employees' behavior and the company's business strategies.
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Schoonover Solutions -
Schoonover developed an approach for the company that included:
- Consulting to the top leadership about best practices related to performance management
- Designing a competency architecture that included articulating core values, leadership competencies and function specific competencies
- Designing and delivering an online development toolkit that included key information about competencies, assessment tools, development guides for each function and support materials
- Designing an implementation workshop to communicate best practices, the new process and how to use the toolkit
- Developing a systematic, competency-based approach to hiring and selection that included key probe questions and interview aids and tools
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Benefits to Client -
The client was able to implement an online portal to hiring/selection and performance management processes. In addition, they were able to implement a more competitive strategy to compete for key talent. And, as a result of providing a systematic process and performance enhancement tools for managers and employees they were able to achieve greater accountability for performance.
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Client Problem -
A large multinational conglomerate needed to accelerate the deployment of its Six Sigma program. The company was finding that the impact of Six Sigma after the initial implementation technical training and project implementation was producing sub-optimal results.
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Schoonover Solutions -
We helped the client identify that the role of the Master Black Belt and the Black Belt require significant leadership skills such as alignment of business success factors, systems thinking, project selection skills, and strategic influence. We conducted a study that identified the specific leadership competencies of the Master Black Belt and Black Belt and designed and implemented the following solutions:
- Developed and validated a success profile for the Master Black Belt and Black Belt
- Designed and implemented a Master Black Belt leadership workshop
- Conducted online 360° assessments for all Master Black Belt participants
- Designed and implemented a "Virtual Team" workshop for Black Belts that was taught virtually worldwide
- Developed online toolkits that included key tools such as development directories, assessment tools, hiring and selection tools, coaching tools and articles
- Conducted pre-class and post-class assessment of the impact of the training on competency acquisition by participants
- Used Six-Sigma analyses to refine and revise workshop to sharpen it's impact on competency development
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Benefits to Client -
- Very significant behavior change of key Six Sigma leaders as a result of course intervention
- Significant shift from statistical/project focus of Six Sigma efforts to total business impact
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