Customized Coaching as a Catalyst for Transformation at a Global Investment Bank

How executive coaching can be used strategically to drive organizational change initiatives.

A European investment bank acquired a US firm to strengthen its position in global investment banking and financial services industry. The new CEO was focused on building capacity on the front-lines. The objective was to successfully manage sales and integration of new technology at the new headquarters.

Challenges

Cultural dynamics, technical hurdles, and training gaps created obstacles to a smooth transition. However, if these challenges could be overcome, the bank would realize substantial benefits and gain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving industry landscape. It was critical the organization got up to speed as quickly as possible.

• Cultural Shift - New teams made up of players from dissimilar cultures complicated communication. Many clients were apprehensive about technology, fearing it would replace more traditional methods or complicate their jobs. Others felt the learning curve would disrupt their productivity
• Integration - Information was spread across multiple platforms and formats not designed to communicate seamlessly.
• Transition Costs - The transition from manual processes and relationship-based trading to data-based trading required a significant financial investment in hardware, software, and upgrades.

Results

The project spanned two years and produced notable results. A consistent on-site presence ensured that unexpected problems were identified and resolved quickly. Focused education and training opportunities delivered at strategic touch-points drove enterprise-wide participation and workflow integration. Twenty-four-hour support eased operational complexities and increased customer satisfaction. The outcome was a repeatable process that promoted efficiency, flexibility, and innovation as evidenced through increases in:

Conclusion

This project demonstrates how a comprehensive, team-based, customer-focused approach integrated customized coaching strategically to accelerate the change management process. Working with coaches to facilitate the learning curve and manage the process collectively established a foundation that made it easy to connect operation objectives to professional development at times when it matters most. The graph below shows impact. Measures are subjective and universally acknowledged.

*Client name and some details are kept private to assure client confidentiality.

For more information contact Lisa Mashburn, Managing Partner, Areion Advisors at 917.374.4214 or [email protected]