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Managing on the Front Line of Change

Case studies specially selected for this report exemplify the principles summarised in the Change Roadmap. They take you behind the scenes to give you an insider’s feel for what it is actually like to tackle the difficult issues. Above all, the case studies reveal that effective change does not depend on the determination of one person but collaborative effort. In many cases, the journeys have been bumpy. Find out the principles and methods that enabled featured companies to retain control, even when their plans come under threat from unexpected events.

Outokumpu discovers the secret of resilience
A few years ago, the company’s Special Strip steel manufacturing plant was faced with sharply declining competitiveness in a tough market. It embarked on a transformation programme that involved performance improvement initiatives, reorganisation and painful, but peacefully accepted, job cuts. Three years into a four-year programme, just as it was turning round performance, new events in the global steel market hit it hard. Thanks to a new culture of co-operation and greater transparency across the business, the company was able to weather this new storm with a new-found resilience.

Reuters and the secret of self-sustaining change
Stung into action in 2001, Reuters implemented a programme of accelerated performance improvement introduced in phases, each one enabling the company to operate at a higher gear.  A central part of its Fast Forward programme was to develop and instil a new set of values that would provide a culture where innovative change could be fostered and perpetuated. Reuters’ phased approach enabled the company to absorb and capitalise on earlier achievements. Leadership, planning, communications and generating behavioural change are all key enablers of Reuters’ programme.

Deutsche Bank and the power of learning
Deutsche Bank implemented a programme of organisational change to sharpen its competitiveness in a global marketplace. The development of new corporate leadership development practices - plus change-management expertise - was seen as priorities for embedding a culture of continual improvement. With the emphasis on actionable learning, Deutsche Bank implemented measure to support active knowledge sharing across the senior management team and ensure that best-practice lessons are disseminated for the benefit of the whole organisation.

Moet Hennessy Diageo – promoting a can-do culture
The arrival of a new CEO in 2004 at Moet Hennessy Diageo, a joint venture company set up by Diageo to promote and distribute its branded drinks in Asia, was the cue for a major overhaul of the company’s performance culture. The new CEO’s self-appointed task was to turnaround a demotivated workforce suffering from a low level of confidence and trust into a high-performance team. Starting with a clearly articulated vision for the business, the CEO used a process known as Mission Leadership to translate goals into action with clear milestones, well-defined tasks and measurable results. Instilling a can-do ethic throughout the organisation was central to its success in putting the business on a growth path.

Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and innovation
The introduction of new technologies and surgical methods was central to the RNOH’s ability to meet its targets for improved patient care. Co-ordinating the effort and gaining support for the necessary investment and collaboration of consultants and other staff was key to achieve these goals. Against a backdrop of initiative-fatigue in the NHS, the successful introduction of innovative and groundbreaking procedures depended on adopting an appropriate leadership style, the well-orchestrated engagement of clinical staff, early wins and focused project management.

Throughout the report, explanations are illustrated with examples from leading organisations. Find out how culture change, buy-in and other essential ingredients of change management are handled by companies including:

• IBM’s use of the Web to involve staff worldwide in a ValuesJam
• How Goldman Sachs upped the performance of its investment professionals
• Rebranding, reorganisation and relaunch of Children’s Mutual
• The Royal Bank of Scotland’s use of staff engagement methods
• GE Capital’s culture survey and management programme
• Nortel Networks’ initiative to promote creativity
• How British Airways managed a major relocation to its Waterside HQ
• Allied Irish Bank’s introduction of a new performance and reward system
• Abitibi Consolidated’s successful post-merger reorganisation
• Aisin Seiki’s rapid recovery from a potentially devastating shutdown
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre’s turnaround success.