How Synthetron helped engage all stakeholders in an IT project roll out process. To facilitate its implementation.
Situation
An multinational oil company needed to launch a major new IT project that required key stakeholders engagement world-wide. They turned to Synthetron to facilitate discussions from pre-launch to post-launch.
Approach
A set of systematic online Synthetron discussions of the new plan were held with different stakeholders. A discussion before the launch and multiple discussions during the implementation process.
Before launch a first session was set up with local management to understand what would make them real change agents. Online Synthetron “change readiness”discussions were held in different countries. The purpose was to understand the in going change position in each country.
All sessions were moderated using the same change readiness script. We measured the position change of the participants between the beginning and the end of the discussion. We used the classical change curve, from resistant to very enthusiast, in our analysis.
During the implementation Synthetron sessions were organized to conduct a series of reviews using different stakeholder segments: management, implementation team, and floor.
Results
The client received a concise report one week after every session. This report was based on a content- and mindset analysis.
The first round of discussion with local management uncovered that, despite the fact that they all faced the same change and came from the same MO, their in going position was very different.
After they understood this the change team was able to engage everyone as change agents with a specific adapted approach.
The reviews with different stakeholder segments increased engagement of participants and gave the PMO and change team clear insight in issues and levers on how to improve and accelerate the roll out.
How Synthetron supported the smooth merger of two banks by engaging valuable staff.
Situation
Two private banks were merging and there were concerns among the management that valuable members of the sales force of one company would be lost.
The bank looked for innovative ways to get the right input that would help them manage this situation.
Approach
The management decided to listen to the sales force, to hear their concerns about the merger. They used Synthetron to engage them in a series of interactive discussions where they could give their opinions.
The first step in the process were two different Synthetron discussions to identify the level of alignment to the merger vision among the salesforce. These sessions identified their fears, the potential bottlenecks they saw, their hopes, and their suggestions. The outcome of these two discussions helped management to take difficult decisions and give feedback.
A few months later another Synthetron discussion was held. This session focused on re-assessing the level of alignment and engaging participants in identifying key success factors and actions on which to focus.
Results
We analysed the results by coding and grouping the qualitative data and combining it with the quantitative data. After which we gave the client a clear and concise report containing all the important findings.
The process helped management take difficult decisions and give feedback. Furthermore, it generated valuable insights on the level of support for the decisions taken and the way to manage the implementation successfully.
How a Multinational aligned the 100 top managers on a strategic change program leveraging Synthetron online dialogues.
Situation
The leadership of a multinational decided to investigate the alignment of its top 100 managers with the strategic change program launched 4 months earlier via a cascading communication process.
Approach
All 100 managers were invited to join a one hour online, anonymous Synthetron online meeting to respond, discuss and validate their views.
- How urgent was the change program?
- How far had the change program been adopted, and translated into action?
- What were the bottlenecks?
Finally, they were asked to identify how the strategic change could be accelerated and suggest improvements.
Results
The outcome was richer and clearer than any classical interview round and generated new and actionable insights.
How an industrial Multinational organization measured progress on its change plan and understood what to adapt.
Situation
A multinational industrial company had started a strategic change program 1 year earlier.
It initiated the implementation phase 6 months later with a major communication effort and needed to understand progress.
Approach
The Top 100 managers were invited to a one-hour interactive Synthetron discussion. Synthetron consultants moderated the session and asked them multiple questions.
We asked them to share their own elevator speech and their observations on the day to day impact of the new strategy to understand alignment and engagement.
We then asked them to reflect on the change, the obstacles they experienced and what they understood to be the key enablers going forward.
Results
The Synthetron management report gave insights into the situation assessment, the main obstacles, and the conditions for accelerating the implementation.
Management was surprised by some of the arguments and their support.
The Change Manager found that this gave much richer feedback than interviews and the outcome confronted management with the reality in the trenches.
Specifically, the client realised that:
