Case studies

Developing Organisations Challenge The UK affiliate of this large pharmaceutical company was accelerating growth by bringing innovative new medicines to the market. They needed to develop a culture of innovation and challenge to fuel their commercial vision.

Approach We created a new way of thinking about how the 500-strong team could bring new ideas to the business, be part of creating new strategies and be rewarded for doing it. Claire designed and implemented a comprehensive change programme that included an internal dragons den, training for managers and associates on creative thinking, a communications programme showing how ideas create business success, and a series of innovation leadership forums and events.

Results Associates were inspired to submit over 150 new commercial ideas to the den. The winning ideas were implemented across the national UK organisation and shared with other markets. Successful ideas included improvement to customer services, new routes to market, and new sales and marketing approaches. Employee surveys showed that staff engagement also increased with staff feeling empowered to speak up.

What the clients said “Claire’s passion for innovation and creativity was infectious. The Dragons Den created a real buzz around the business as staff pitched their new ideas for improvement. Her programme of events and expert facilitation got the entire board team involved and I still see the results of the new ideas generated making a difference in the business today.”

Head of Strategy

Developing Teams Challenge An already high-performing team was facing an increased workload to deliver a business-critical programme. It was imperative for this team of individually strong contributors to improve their working relationships if they were to deliver their targets. Traditional team building approaches had been used before, but the team needed something new to inspire them and capture their imagination.

Approach We knew we needed to design a team intervention that had not been seen before. Thinking creatively, we designed a bespoke team day focused on building relationships using social media. By taking a lighted-hearted look at how relationships form and flourish outside the work place, we designed a fun and energising team workshop that encouraged team members to be honest, form bonds and connect the value of improved relationships with the delivery of their challenging targets.

Results First and foremost, the team had fun, shared successes and created a new energy. New team members’ understanding of their team mates was accelerated and existing team members had conversations they had not had before. The team were recognised as one of the highest performing teams in the organisation and the social media concept for team development has since been used in other parts of the organisation .

What the clients said “Claire took a fresh, innovative approach to address underlying issues within the team in an energetic, fun and non-threatening way that engaged the team in a whole new way. Her relaxed, yet professional approach created a trusting environment and we got to know each other in a deeper way. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.”

Head of Talent Management and OD

Developing individuals Challenge Gemma was a high performing senior communications leader at a career cross roads. Having successfully navigated senior roles in one industry, she was looking for change and challenge, as well as the opportunity to balance her successful career with her young family.

Approach We designed Gemma’s tailored programme of 1:1 executive coaching to identify career and life goals, explore options and support her in finding her own solutions at her own pace. By using clean language techniques and providing positive support from the discovery session through to the coaching review, we made sure that our sessions were action orientated and focused on real change.

Result Gemma was able to find a route she believed in, build her confidence and challenge herself. By identifying her core strengths and values, she found the courage to move to a new industry sector, working in a more flexible way while taking her career to new heights.

What our client said“I really appreciated Claire's help in creating the time, space and structure to think through my career and life vision. If it wasn't for Claire's insightful questions, respectful silences to allow me just enough time to think, and her positive and supportive approach, I know I'd still be pondering what next without finding the clarity and confidence to make my decisions.”

Global Communications Manager

Developing future board members ChallengeDeveloping leaders for the future was becoming critical for this pharmaceutical company. With a flatter organisational structure, there was a daunting gap between senior managers and board directors. The company needed to accelerate the development of senior managers so that they could become the board directors of tomorrow.

Approach From personal experience, Claire understood the challenges that the board directors faced and the different skills and capabilities they needed to succeed at this level. She designed and co-facilitated a modular development programme to equip senior managers for their future board leadership roles. The programme focused on leading customer strategy, leading teams and leading change.

Results The initial group to complete the programme were sponsored by the CEO, with three people being promoted to board level within a year of completing the programme. The programme design has evolved to reflect the changing healthcare environment and is now in this sixth year of developing board members across three divisions of the organisation.

What our client said“Being lucky enough to participate in the inaugural intake, this was a real ‘first’ within the organization. Claire’s strategic vision and influencing skills shaped a rare stretch and time-respected opportunity to work cross-functionally and cross-divisionally with a diverse team of senior leaders on real business and leadership issues.”

Business Unit Head , Retina

Integrating organisationsChallenge Following a major acquisition, this company was bringing together teams and cultures from three different businesses. Operating in different customer segments of healthcare, the company was not only relocating all of its UK team, but also creating a new operating model and organisational culture.

Approach Claire led a comprehensive programme of cultural integration and change management. Starting with the recruitment and development of the senior leadership team, she led work streams to integrate performance and talent management processes, rehire a new Head Office organisation, develop an inclusive culture that took the best of all three worlds, and facilitate knowledge sharing to drive the rapid alignment of the three business models with their shared back office.

Results The pace of change was extreme, but the business continued to grow year on year during the integration period. Key talent were retained, and engagement remained high. New joiners were excited to be joining and the UK was recognised for its excellence in integration.

What our client said“Claire’s HR programme to accelerate the integration was a great example for me of how proactive HR can add value to a business. Claire’s OD experience coupled with her team working skills and drive for fast results meant the integration of the 3 businesses in my market moved faster than others and was recognised globally.”

Regional Vice President , South East Asia