Organizational Transformation - Fortune 50 Integrated Energy Company

ICP Associates provided Strategic Change advisory services in support of implementation of a new strategy, structure, and enterprise wide IT system. The affected division, headquartered in south Florida manages the production, distribution, marketing, and sale of fuels and lubricants in 20 countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America and has annual sales approaching $4 billion.

Assessing the Readliness for Change

A key component of the change was a move to Shared Services and Skill Centers from country-based functions. This resulted in elimination of several positions and realignment of many others. ICP Associates initiated the engagement with a series of tailored focus groups, intended to uncover the potential barriers to implementation of the new IT system and the new structure. Focus groups were conducted, in both English and Spanish, at headquarters and a representative sampling of field locations. The focus groups were conducted using an empirically-based Change Readiness Assessment framework and uncovered issues surrounding the clarity of the strategy at the operating unit level, alignment of individual and organizational objectives, performance objectives and measures, and capabilities of the existing IT system.

Developing the Communication Strategy

The feedback from the focus groups was incorporated in a communications strategy formulated to meet the needs of field personnel and headquarters staff at all organizational levels. At the operating unit level, Country Managers were provided continuous coaching on how best to customize and personalize the strategy and compelling vision for the change for their staff. In addition to informal communications, ICP Associates assisted the client in the development of a monthly communiqué from the General Manager, as well as a quarterly newsletter produced in Spanish and English. Other communications vehicles included monthly lunches hosted by Country Managers and first line managers for their respective staff.

Aligning the Organization

An important learning from the focus groups was the apparent lack of organizational alignment. ICP Associates designed and delivered several Job Design Workshops for entry-, mid-, and senior-level line managers in the field and in headquarters. The purpose of these workshops was twofold: (I) to align individual performance with organizational objectives, and (II) to create behavioral change. The interactive nature of the workshops ensured the active involvement of all participants. An innovation for them was that for the first time, employees had an important role in designing their job content; including roles and responsibilities, performance objectives and measures, and skill gaps. To initiate the process of behavioral change, participants worked in facilitated groups to understand how they interface with others in the new organization and, to develop a plan to actively manage these interfaces. The success of these workshops resulted in a request from the General Manager to design and deliver a tailored workshop for the senior leadership team. This workshop was institutionalized by the General Manager, with meetings taking place on a quarterly basis to assess results of the Change initiative as well as performance of each member of the team.