Case study
Accelerating growth in a US-based software firm
The client
Our client, an organisation with ambitious goals to triple in size over three years, needed to enhance team effectiveness to optimise outcomes, reduce process-oriented bottlenecks, and foster collaboration across siloed functions.
The brief
The client faced several key challenges:
1. Both the CEO and 50% of the team were new to the business, bringing diverse experiences and perspectives, which also created integration challenges.
2. Leadership was heavily concentrated around the CEO, FD, and CTO, creating tiers within the Executive Team and hindering the organisation’s agility and pace.
3. The client wanted to shift the team’s focus from being process-oriented to being outcome-oriented, creating a more performance-driven culture.
4. Siloed functions were obstructing effective collaboration, particularly in areas requiring enterprise-wide thinking.
Realising that the existing structure and dynamics could hinder their ambitious growth goals, the client recognised the need for a comprehensive team effectiveness intervention. Their primary objectives were to foster collaboration in key areas, improve decision-making speed and bravery, enhance leadership distribution, and cultivate a growth-oriented mindset.
What we did
Identifying strengths
We began by working with each team member individually, identifying strengths, risks, and recommendations. Following this, we facilitated group sessions over six months, combining structured exercises and experiential workshops with in-the-moment observation, feedback, and intervention.
Behavioural commitments
In the first team session, we discussed the themes that emerged from the individual assessments and used these to develop a set of behavioural commitments to improve team effectiveness.
These included:
1. Labelling conversations to define their purpose and nature, with a nominated chair to manage discussions and focus on outcomes.
2. Identifying when the team wasn’t collaborating effectively, and using reflective questions to decide on corrective actions.
3. Addressing potential issues such as insufficient conflict or ‘lone wolf syndrome’, where individuals were not fully engaging in collaborative efforts.
4. Encouraging open discussions to address the underlying dynamics or unspoken issues in the room.
5. Introducing constructive criticism sessions to unblock communication when necessary.
Task commitments
The team also made several task commitments, such as:
1. Acknowledging the need to operate at a more strategic level, avoiding getting bogged down in operational details.
2. Evaluating whether the talent at the T-2 level was sufficient to allow for effective delegation and distributed leadership.
3. Reviewing policies that were stifling ownership, enabling the T-2 level to take on a more strategic focus and relieving the bottleneck at the senior team level.
Each team member also made individual task and behaviour commitments, which were documented and shared with the team for review and action.
Peer-to-peer collaboration
During the intervention, we applied insights from the individual assessments and practised new techniques and commitments to address ongoing issues. To foster collaboration, we engaged the team in a structured peer-to-peer listening exercise focused on a specific current problem.
This exercise encouraged the team to:
1. Identify both spoken and unspoken aspects of the problem.
2. Suggest bold actions to address the issue.
3. Recognise how unconscious contributions may impact the problem.
4. Leverage available resources and skills to better address the problem.
This exercise aimed to strengthen peer-to-peer observation, feedback, and support, ultimately improving collaboration. As a result, team members became more outcome-focused and collaborative, reducing dependency on the CEO and FD for decision-making. Increased collaboration across functions is enabling them to tackle complex challenges and address conflicts in a cohesive, productive manner.
The results
Improved team dynamics
The team has significantly reduced its dependency on the CEO and FD, leading to more balanced and effective leadership distribution. This has allowed the organisation to operate more agilely and efficiently, aligning with their growth objectives.
Enhanced collaboration
Siloed functions are now working together more effectively, fostering a culture of enterprise-wide thinking. The team has embraced a more outcome-oriented mindset, improving both decision-making and the pace of action.
Sustained progress
The behavioural and task commitments made during the intervention are continuing to guide the team’s actions, ensuring long-term success in fostering a high-energy, innovative, and competitive environment.
What our client had to say
ig was instrumental in helping me transition into my role as CEO, guiding me through leadership challenges and helping me establish a strong leadership style. They provided invaluable support in navigating difficult conversations, developing operating rhythms, and fostering a high-energy, innovative team.
Thanks to ig’s coaching, our team is now highly functional and competitive. This process has made me a better leader, and having ig to discuss blind spots and refine ideas has been a huge asset to both my personal growth – and the success of the organisation.
President and CEO
I have worked with ig for the last five years across my last two businesses. They focus on context and develop deep understanding of business strategy, tailoring solutions to that environment – and have a really results-driven approach.
As coaches they have been instrumental in helping me, personally, navigate my way into my current executive role.
They have also been a great partner to my CEO and the broader Executive Team as we embarked on our journey towards building one, cohesive, effective executive team in the company.
Chief People Officer
In summary
Through our tailored intervention, we have helped the client’s executive team overcome integration challenges, distribute leadership more evenly, and foster a collaborative, outcome-oriented culture. These changes have positioned the organisation to achieve its ambitious growth goals, with a stronger, more effective leadership team at the helm.
