Case Studies

Confidentiality is an absolute priority for our clients and both the network and our coaches fully abide by this. The following case study summaries give an indication of our capabilities to solve client issues and opportunities in innovative, effective and in some cases sensitive ways.

Case Study 1 - Networking skills

The directors of an entrepreneurial high tech company planned to invest a significant amount of money in a high level networking conference. They had the potential to win a lot of business and make some excellent contacts, and in order to make the most of the opportunity and maximise their investment, they turned to the Executive Coaching Network for help.

The directors who were to attend the conference wanted to find ways to compress a typical one hour first sales meeting into the half hour slots available at the conference. With so much to say about their company, they found it difficult to work within the time permitted. With eight half hour meetings on each morning of the conference, the directors could deliver the best presentation ever seen on the planet and it would have made no difference. If they wanted different results, they had to take different action. Putting himself in the place of the delegates, the coach put together a short masterclass with one simple aim in mind.

The coach spent just half a day with the directors, working through a networking strategy with them that concentrated not on talking but on listening. Instead of trying to cram their company pitch into half an hour, they would ask just one question at the start of each meeting - "What can we do together in this half hour meeting that will make the whole conference worthwhile for you?". The question now is, what to do with the remaining 29 minutes? Their objective was not to present to or persuade the delegate, only to make the delegate feel good about doing business with them.

The results were, in their words, "fantastic". The people they met spoke of relief at not having to sit through another presentation on a tiny laptop screen. They said that they felt listened to and respected. All of the other companies at the conference just faded into one vague, forgettable series of presentations and product pitches. One company stood head and shoulders above the others, because they risked doing something different.

The directors enjoyed the conference so much that they immediately decided to return the following year and, only 2 weeks later, are already talking to people they met about new business opportunities.

The delegates at the conference didn't want to be bombarded with facts and figures. They simply wanted to know if the suppliers there were companies they felt good about doing business with. At least one was, with a little help from their coach.

Case Study 2 - Work/life balance

A senior manager in a systems integration business found that he had become so involved and intense with the business that he felt his health was beginning to suffer. After a 2-hour consultation the coach recommended that he had a full health check and committed to trying a 1-hour body massage and a 1-hour reflexology treatment.

The health check results served as a warning that the manager needed to do something different. The consultant had no objections to the manager trying out the massage and reflexology.

The manager, while skeptical at first, now allocates a number of hours a week to activities which help him personally, including massage and reflexology. He reports that both his performance and enjoyment at work have improved as well.

Case Study 3 - Help doing what you preach!

The CEO of a strategic consultancy had built up an enviable reputation by helping her clients develop new revenue streams in new business areas. However she had been unable to use the same thinking for her own business - despite the fact she new exactly what to do.

She agreed with the coach to discipline herself by having a 2-hour weekly session talking through her plans and actions for the consultancy. The role of the coach in this instance was to 'model' the process the CEO used on her own clients and ensure that she applied it to her business.

The CEO initially found it a struggle applying her own rules, but now reports going through the process has dramatically improved her own business - and has helped her refine her methodology for clients.

Case study 4 - Can you manage and lead?

The owner of a creative consultancy was able to sign up a number of key clients and employ relevant project teams to complete the agreed assignments. However he found that just at the time he thought he could sit back and let them complete the work - the project teams would resign.

After holding meetings to watch the interaction between the owner and the project team members, and discussing the issues with each, the coach identified the owner was superb at finding and exciting clients but totally unable to manage the individuals and the project.

The consultant agreed with the owner that the owner would handle the client, but she would manage and coach the project team - the intention that in the longer term the owner would bring in a general manager to take over her role.

The current project is going to plan and their has been no staff turnover.

Case Study 5 - Liar, Liar

A team of designers in a high profile ebusiness environment had problems with some of the other groups they dealt with. Individuals within these groups would commit to completing work and then not deliver. They would commit to one thing and do another - using the normal management channels simply let to a recrimination spiral. The design team began to think they were dealing with people who were being deliberately deceptive.

The coach put together a 1-day workshop which included rapport, active communication and learning how to lie effectively! The design team learnt that in normal circumstances its very difficult to lie effectively. The undercurrent of this was that the individuals they were dealing with were being honest - from their point of view.

The design team were then taught how to elicit outcomes and motivation. By aligning their own outcomes with their suppliers and customers they found they could create an atmosphere of greater trust. To their surprise the design team found that people started honoring their promises and the working atmosphere changed dramatically.