Case Study: From a directive culture to a culture of dialogue

Context

In a long-established Building Society with a traditional financial culture and ethos, the retirement of the Chief Executive and internal succession plan signalled the beginning of a new era. Recognising a changing market and customer base, the senior leadership team identified an opportunity for a wider shift to modernise the business without harming the customer loyalty that was built on its identity and traditions. 

 

Intervention

Having previously each completed their VoicePrint Self-Perception report and explored this individually on a 1-1 basis, the 9-person executive team was familiar with the VoicePrint model and potential it offers for new insights, and requested team coaching using the VoicePrint Group Profile. Specifically, they wanted to use their Group Profile as a lens through which to explore:

• The impact that their collective communication pattern had on the culture of the business
• The impact of this through a period of change and the uncertainty that this can bring
• Any gaps between their ‘intent’ and the messages they were sending

 

Revolving around these questions, the group coaching invited the Executive team to reflect on their position on: the leadership continuum; their role as managers, mentors and coaches within the business: and what voices are most needed by the business in this time of rapidly accelerating change.  

 

A number of specific actions were identified and taken by the team, including:

• Drawing on the power of individuals’ high range voices by consciously utilising these in specific meetings, committees and conversations where they would add most value
• Greater use of the Articulate voice to ensure clarity of communications during the time of change
• Senior leaders making themselves more visibly the voice of the business and the change process, moving away from a historical, cascade-style of communication
• Asking more questions and taking a more conversational approach to internal communication with staff.

 

Impact

A shift towards a non-directive, conversational and coaching organisational culture,  evidenced in employee engagement data, and observational data from subsequent projects. 

 

Takeaway

The Group Profile provides an opportunity to show clients something new – a new perspective on their individual contributions, how these combine, and how they can be put to use for greater collective impact.

 

Contributed by Peter Wakefield, VoicePrint Master Practitioner, and Founder and Principal of Loving Monday Ltd.