Conflicting Messages

Our client was a Chicago-based chemical manufacturing plant, of a large multi-national firm. They had spent the past year implementing Self-Directed work teams within the plant and were finding that many of the teams were experiencing conflict. We were contacted to assist them in providing team members with guidance on understanding inter-team differences and more appropriate approaches to handling conflict effectively.

The Solution

We put the entire 350 person plant through a two-day conflict management program that integrated the use of a personality assessment. Each group of 20 attended a highly interactive seminar that focused on developing their understanding of where and how misunderstandings can arise and how they can modify their approaches with others to increase their success in being heard, understood and respected.

Side Benefit

As part of the training session, and to help participants understand themselves and their personal ‘hot-buttons’ better, each participant completed a Prevue Assessment. Once the sessions were completed, we had a significant amount of data available that we were able to assess and report back to the management team. We were able to isolate a number of clear sources of existing misunderstandings and conflicts between: senior and mid-level management, senior management and the employee base as a whole, not to mention within the various teams themselves. Discussions with the various team–leaders helped provide them with some insights into the functioning of their respective groups and modifications that could be made to easily increase their effectiveness.

Team Effectiveness Insights

Our client, through an employee survey, had received feedback indicating that their executive team was not seen by the rest of the organization as a ‘team’. In preparing their schedule for an upcoming strategy development session, they determined to add in a team-building component and contacted us.

Rather than merely complete an ‘exercise’, the team also completed the Prevue Corporate Coach profile on each attendee. Not only were we able to provide them with a fun and entertaining team-building exercise, but to debrief the event in light of their team and individual personality preferences. Each member was able to clearly see where their personal style was both an asset and potential liability to the team. Working to gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for the ‘differences’ that each team member brought with them to the table, enabled them to begin to truly lay the teamwork foundation.

Ongoing Results

Some of the Executives have now begun to profile each of their respective divisional teams, in an effort to broaden the understanding of inter-group differences. These groups now work toward understanding when their personal style is a benefit to the team and when they should consider modifying their approach to enhance team effectiveness.

Coaching One on One

Our client contacted us to provide individual coaching support to one of their senior managers. They were concerned about his lack of performance over the past number of months and had been unable to pinpoint any specific cause. Indeed, he seemed as stymied as they did, putting his lack of performance down to an overall sense of apathy, both at the office and at home.

The Determination

Within the framework of our discussions, we found that overall, his lack of interest and motivation in his work stemmed from his lack of commitment to the work itself. He had a strong sense that at no time over the duration of his career had he made a conscious career decision for himself. He had moved where the company wanted him to, when the company wanted him do, to do work that they had chosen for him. However, when challenged, he also had never had any conflicting needs or objectives for himself. Through a series of meetings and exercises, he slowly evaluated his personal wants, needs, values and reviewed his existing and past careers opportunities against them. By doing so, he discovered that he would not have consciously chosen any differently for himself, which proved to be a liberating revelation for him.

The Result

He continues to be a productive member of the client organization. In fact, he has become more focused than he ever remembers having been and feels that he is accomplishing more as a result. In addition, he is enjoying his personal life much more, having also assessed his personal situation against his wants, needs and values. He implemented a few changes, reflected in less TV time and more time spent with family, friends and hobbies.