Client need
- When partnering with Accelerance, the Bank realised that a high performance-driven culture is built on high performing people and that managers play a crucial role in driving employees’ performance. Thus, the people managers’ behaviours and capabilities were chosen as focus to build the foundation of the Bank’s high performance culture.
- The context was that to drive growth across Asia, in 2011 the Bank had set a goal to establish a high performance culture in its Asia offices to build on and surpass its previous successes in Europe.
- We found that there was a lack of clarity of what the cultural strengths and current reality are. Additionally, there was an undefined desired future state. Rapid and organic growth over the last few years meant that performance focused human capital development and talent management initiatives had been overlooked to some extent. Furthermore, lack of focus and time from Senior managers and line managers to develop their employees
Solution
We adopted a portfolio of methodologies and approaches including:
- Focus Group sessions: to define the desired high performance culture and people manager behaviours required to drive it, building on interview and workshop outputs, engagement survey outcomes, the Bank’s values, its leadership competency framework, and performance management system, practices, policies and processes
- Output: Definition of culture and manager behaviour model
- Input from peers, colleagues, and direct reports) of the people manager behaviours required to drive a high performance culture. Output: group and individual analysis of people manager behaviours (=current state)
- Post assessment coaching + action and development planning: To help Line Managers better interpret the assessment results and perceptions, and support them in planning their capability development to drive the Bank’s high performance culture. Output: We led coaching sessions with each People Manager and their Line Manager with individual Action Plans agreed
- Bite-sized learning Workshops: Practical, immediately actionable 90 minute sessions for Line Managers to build necessary behaviours and skills to drive high performance through teams and individuals (topics include Coaching and Appreciative Inquiry skills, Giving and Receiving Feedback skills, and more)
- Peer Learning Circles: Initially facilitated and then self-managed, informal 60 minute meetings for managers to share strengths and struggles, and support and coach one another
- Developing internal capabilities of HR in designing behaviour models, facilitating workshops, and leading assessment coaching debrief and action planning sessions
- Delivery: combination of formal and informal activities as well as coaching and behind the scene mentoring of L&D team
- Through a combination of appreciative inquiry and coaching methodologies, as well as dedicated, customised consulting (in the areas of learning & development, organisational development, and change management), we helped the Bank build high performance behaviours and capabilities.
Impact
Since launching this major culture transformation, the organisation has achieved great results in building the foundation of a high performing culture:
- Determined manager role and DRIVE high-performance behaviours
- Improved appreciation amongst colleagues
- Built clarity of people manager behaviours and expectations
- Delivered coaching and produced personal learning & development plans
- Enriched quality of feedback and coaching practices
- Enhanced strength-based focus on the people and organisation
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“Accelerance has a lot of experience and diversity of skills especially with respect to human capital development. They have invested a lot of time in getting to understand our organisation’s DNA, culture, values and the long term vision and translate that into ingraining a culture of excellence amongst the key managers”
Deputy CEO (Asia Pacific)
