How to choose the best manager?

The challenge

To increase the objectivity in the evaluation of candidates for top HR managers.

Background

Since 2009, the company Wolters Kluwer has been organizing the prestigious Top HR Manager competition. For the first five editions, until 2014, candidates were rewarded on the basis of descriptions of projects carried out in their companies and interviews with the competition’s jury. However, as the competition’s significance grew, its organizer decided to improve the objectivity in the evaluation of candidates for the Top HR Manager competition.

Diagnosis of the problem

  • Competition participants were being evaluated on the basis of subjective assessments, as a result of which people with questionable HR competencies, whose role in the projects presented was unknown, sometimes won.
  • The competition jury did not have a tool for the objective evaluation of competition participants’ competencies, since no such tool existed then in Poland.
  • It was self-presentation skills that determined success in the competition, and not the actual performance in the role of HR Manager.

Solution

  • We constructed a competency model measuring 4 key HR competencies: Cooperation, Initiative, Communication, and Pro-business activities, in line with the requirements of the position of HR Manager
  • We build a Situational Judgment Test for an objective evaluation of HR competencies developed earlier.
  • We prepared a key for the evaluation of competencies, and an application for the online measurement of competencies.
  • We measured the competencies of the competition participants, prepared and discussed a report with the jury (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions).
  • We delivered individual reports to all competition participants and provided feedback for requesting participants

Results

  • Creation of the first HR competency model in Poland, tailored to the specifics of the competition and the HR sector.
  • The development of innovative tools enabling the measuring of key competencies of HR managers: a competency test together with key and online application.
  • Selection of the most competent winners in the Top HR Manager of the Year competition, which raised the standing and credibility of the event.
  • A distinct improvement in the standard of competencies among HR Managers taking part in the competition.
  • Over 800 HR managers have had the opportunity to discover the level of their HR competencies.

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We’d be happen to hear about the challenges your organization is facing and how we might help you.

Start-up: Worth investing in, or perhaps not?

The challenge

  1. To reach the next round of investment efficiently.

Background

In one of its projects, a VC fund noticed a threat to the investment being executed effectively in keeping with the investment agreement. Topics related to the evaluation of the concept itself, the market moment for a given idea, the business model, and financing had been addressed well by the fund’s experts. However, correctly assessing the potential of the founders and the team proved much more difficult for the VC. According to research by Bill Gross, whether an investment is a success or a failure depends up to 32% on such factors. Tools supporting VC intuition in identifying competencies (managerial, entrepreneurial, and organizational) of the founders and the team are necessary.

Diagnosis of the problem

  • Lack of detailed information in the VC fund regarding the founder and team, and concerning their managerial and entrepreneurial competencies, motivation, energy for taking action, or readiness to make changes and overcome difficulties.
  • Current assessment of the potential was based on the track record of the founder and members of his team, and on the “intuition” of the investment managers.
  • Problems in carrying out certain investments, delays, lack of action, missing documentation, and the need to organize e.g. weekly meetings to oversee project implementation.

Solution

  • We conducted a diagnosis of the competencies and motivations of the main founder and CTO.
  • Based on the results of the founder’s research, we proposed developmental support for the founder in entrepreneurial competencies (Innovation, Calculated Risk, Proactive approach).
  • We organized consultations with the founder, based on concrete tasks and decisions the founder had taken.
  • We conducted a study, the findings of which indicated that the CTO’s motivation was poorly suited to the requirements of his role, due to a conflict between his goals (focused excessively on personal benefits) and the start-up’s goals.
  • The VC engaged a consultant to verify the valuation of the programming activities and the quality of the solutions implemented.
  • The Fund introduced ongoing monitoring of the progress of technological work.

Results

  • Change made in the way of working in the start-up, particularly in key moments of investment execution.
  • Limitation of the risk of taking wrong decisions with a significant impact on the execution of the agreement.
  • Implementation of the investment agreement with the planned parameters.

Let’s meet up!

We’d be happen to hear about the challenges your organization is facing and how we might help you.

How can one build an efficient and effective team from a small department in a company?

The challenge

To reset the company department to work based on cooperation.

Background

The design department of a property development company comprised five designers, two assistants, and one manager. Tasks were distributed between the designers, and each of them worked individually, with the help of the assistants if necessary. There was no need for organizing meetings for the department as a whole. The workload of specific designers was uneven. From time to time the designers would support one another, along the lines of helping out a colleague. On the one hand, company management expected more efficient operation, while on the other there was a strong feeling in the department that, as a team, they were performing inefficiently.

Diagnosis of the problem

  • An assessment was obtained from the board and the organization’s managers of the way in which the design department was functioning, and this indicated reserves in terms of productivity and the level of cooperation.
  • The level of cooperation was diagnosed in regard to the functioning of team goals and the organization of work in the team.
  • Additionally, the level of cooperation between the design department and the rest of the organization was analyzed.

Solution

  • We conducted workshops for all employees, aimed at building cooperation by:
  • drawing up departmental goals matching the organizational goals,
  • identifying tasks necessary for achieving the departmental goals,
  • working on an increase in the uniformity of attitudes towards matters of importance for the department.
  • We provided consulting support aimed at achieving the departmental goal of “increasing the department’s role in the preparation of offers and their negotiation”

Results

  • Introduction by the team of weekly meetings aimed at analyzing and optimizing ongoing tasks
  • Improvement of the task workload in the team
  • Designer team representatives included in the team preparing offers for clients as consultants
  • An increase in the number of ongoing projects

Let’s meet up!

We’d be happen to hear about the challenges your organization is facing and how we might help you.

From good engineer to efficient manager: Challenge Driven Development™

The challenge

Preparing a good engineer with poor managerial experience for the role of an independent departmental manager making a valuable contribution to the management of the company as a whole.

Background

A company in the construction sector promoted an outstanding engineer to manager of a 52-person department, split into 4 regional offices. However, it turned out that the engineer lacked the managerial competencies and sound understanding of how the organization as a whole functioned. Problems appeared in the execution of managerial tasks, and during board meetings his participation was insufficient and inadequate for the requirements of the board.

Diagnosis of the problem

  • The psychological examination revealed a very significant deficit in managerial planning skills (operational and strategic), and in knowing how to apply the appropriate tactics for influencing subordinates.
  • An in-depth interview with the manager also brought to light major difficulties in properly understanding his new role and the principles on which the organization functioned.
  • A lack of basic skills was identified in regard to understanding the company’s financial documents.

Solution

  • A consultant worked with the manager in his work environment over the space of eight months; this was split into 10 sessions, each lasting up to 3 hours, and an additional two shorter sessions were held with the company’s CEO.
  • The manager received a variety of tasks to complete at home between the sessions, aimed at finding a different way of resolving problems.
  • Support was provided for the manager in the form of brief consultations by phone and email, enabling the discussion of various solutions right away.

Results

  • The manager limited his project-related activities to professional support in exceptional and difficult projects.
  • The support provided to him in regard to planning his own work and the work of the department made the manager realise that the time available for his previously duties was very limited in the new position.
  • The manager changed his manner of communication, and become a value-adding participant of senior management meetings – which met with the appreciation of the company’s board of directors.
  • He transitioned from the role of “friend” to that of a manager, changing his manner of functioning, while at the same time retaining good relations with his staff.

Let’s meet up!

We’d be happen to hear about the challenges your organization is facing and how we might help you.

Professionalisation of the composition of the board of directors in a family business

The challenge

How to change the composition of the board of directors in order for it to effectively lead a rapidly growing family business?
How to effectively conduct the process of change in the board of directors when the owners have no experience at all in recruiting at this level?

Background

For its first 30 years, the company was managed by three owners – until the size of its operations more than doubled over the last 5 years. The number of employees was steadily increasing in response to the growing demand for the company’s products. The owners gradually realized that it was increasingly difficult for them to run the company, as the number and complexity of operational tasks had grown significantly. Until then, all recruitment in the company was based on a single befriended recruiter, and through referrals and friends.

Diagnosis of the problem

  • Formally the company board comprised 5 members, although de facto 3 people (the owners) took the decisions affecting the company’s fortunes. The other two were formally members of the board, but their decision-making powers were very limited.
  • There was no such structure functioning in the company as a board of directors with its set of regulations or reasonably regular times for its meetings. Management of the company was conducted “on the go”, while staff would catch owners, for example in the corridor or on their way to the WC, to obtain directional decisions.
  • During the first talks the owners declared their preliminary readiness to implement changes in how the company was managed.
  • The board’s potential in terms of competencies and motivation was measured (covering the three owners and two additional board members). This revealed gaps in the board’s competencies, and explained why it was difficult to carry out certain things in the company.

Solution

  • In workshops with the owners we drew up a few-year plan for the gradual transition of specific members of the board of directors to the supervisory board.
  • We drew up requirements for positions in the board of directors in line with company strategy, taking into account the competency deficits.
  • We provided consultative support in the selection of a company providing executive search services and helped in establishing three-way collaboration.
  • In the group of candidates recommended by the executive search company we conducted psychological testing among candidates for 3 positions in the board of directors (CEO, finances, and sales). This included 6-8 psychological tests and an interview with each of the candidates accepted by the owners for further talks.

Results

  • Based on the information gathered by the executive search company, and the report from the psychological testing, the owners took the decision to employ 3 new board members.
  • The establishment of a professional board effectively managing the functioning of the company in a market experiencing constantly growing demand.
  • Adaptation of the management structure to the actual needs of the rapidly growing company.
  • Efficient transition of the owners to the supervisory board, almost in keeping with the schedule adopted beforehand.

Let’s meet up!

We’d be happen to hear about the challenges your organization is facing and how we might help you.

The path from owner-manager to investor

The challenge

  1. To adapt the organization to the company’s dynamic growth.
  2. To reduce tensions between the three shareholders, in possession of 70% of shares in a thriving property development company.

Background

The company, managed by three main shareholders, is undergoing rapid growth and has been listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. However, its further management involves an enormous amount of operational and strategic work. Difficulties in the relations between the owners have grown, while the lack of space for working on them has only exacerbated the conflicts. On the other hand, ever greater opportunities are offered by the receptive market.

Diagnosis of the problem

  • Organizational structure poorly matched to the size of the company.
  • Ineffective decision processes of the owners and in the organization.
  • Lack of a coherent ownership strategy among the main shareholders.
  • The owners’ differing visions had a negative impact on day-to-day operations, generating numerous conflicts and undermining the company’s productivity.

Rozwiązanie

  • We conducted a study of the psychological profiles of the owners and key managerial staff.
  • We held a series of workshops for drawing up an ownership strategy acceptable to all owners.
  • We helped create and then implement an organizational strategy in line with the ownership strategy.
  • We supported the company in its plan for change in the board of directors.
  • By using psychological diagnosis technology, we helped in the selection of efficient members of the board.

Results

  • A reduction in the number of conflicts and enabling the owners to benefit from the company’s successes, thanks to the creation of a transparent ownership strategy.
  • Change in the company’s board, which allowed one of the main shareholders to leave the board and focus on their preferred role of expert and advisor.
  • Change in the method at the C-level management – a proper board of directors began to function, reinforced by professional managers.
  • Four years after initiating the process of organizational change and intense collaboration, the owners sold their shares in the company. The total value of the transaction was approximately 0.5 bn zlotys.

Let’s meet up!

We’d be happen to hear about the challenges your organization is facing and how we might help you.