Case study
Building leadership capability in a fast-growing SME technology firm
The client
A fast-growing SME technology firm with a decade of rapid expansion, employing nearly 300 people globally. After achieving early success, the company was experiencing a plateau and sought to increase profitability while attracting external investment.
The brief
Despite maturing operationally, the company lacked robust succession planning, talent management, and leadership development. Promotion often depended on profitability or technical expertise rather than leadership capability, leading to a misaligned management structure. The organisation recognised the need to shift attitudes towards talent, develop a new leadership model, and create a shared language around talent management. ig was brought in to address these challenges.
“Creating leadership capability is about so much more than learning a set of skills; we wanted to give the participants a framework for self-analysis, putting them in the driver’s seat of their own growth and development.”
Consultant, ig
What we did
Bespoke organisational intervention
We designed a tailored intervention targeting four key levels within the organisation: senior leadership, middle management, high-potential individuals (‘Rising Stars’), and graduates. Each group was engaged in structured programmes aimed at developing leadership capabilities and creating a culture of talent development.
A cornerstone of self-insight
The intervention began with rigorous individual assessments, using a combination of psychometric tests to explore identity and a 360-degree feedback process to assess reputation. These tools helped participants gain a deeper understanding of their behaviours, motivations, and how they were perceived by others.
Encouraging agency
To ensure the intervention resonated with the company’s commercial focus, we anchored the programme content in real business challenges. The learning experiences were varied and practical, avoiding the pitfalls of traditional, classroom-based training. Participants were encouraged to take ownership of their development, using the insights gained to drive their growth.
The talent quartet
The senior leaders
The situation: The company’s original entrepreneurs, who had driven its early success, were seen as distant and idealised by their employees. There was potential to improve transparency and cohesiveness among this group, setting a positive example for the rest of the organisation.
The solution: We focused on developing self-insight among senior leaders, helping them understand their roles within the team and how they were perceived by others. This work also emphasised the importance of role-modelling the desired cultural change.
The middle managers
The situation: Many middle managers had been promoted based on their technical or sales success rather than leadership skills, resulting in a need to develop their ability to manage and lead others effectively.
The solution: We created a programme to enhance management capability and coaching skills, using case studies and immersive learning to build practical skills for managing performance and improving overall efficacy.
The ‘rising stars’
The situation: High-potential employees were poorly identified, with limited opportunities for structured development, leading to frustration and wasted talent.
The solution: Through self-insight exercises and 1:1 coaching, we helped these individuals identify their strengths and potential derailers. We provided hypothetical ‘stretch’ opportunities to prepare them for leadership roles, equipping them with the necessary skills and mindset.
The graduates
The situation: The graduate pool was underutilised and lacked diversity, with selection and development focused on technical capability rather than broader leadership potential.
The solution: ig helped the organisation create a graduate selection and training scheme that identified individuals with a broader range of skills, laying the foundation for future growth and leadership.
The results
Self-reported improvement
90% of participants reported clarity on their development areas, with 100% of those confident in their ability to improve—a 40% increase in both measures.
360-degree feedback
Post-programme assessments showed a marked increase in leadership versatility and applied capability across the organisation.
Talent pipeline
Over 70% of the ‘rising stars’ moved into leadership roles, and 80% of graduates progressed into more senior positions, with the remainder taking on roles with greater breadth.
What our client had to say
The feedback was difficult to swallow at times, but very helpful. It’s rare to get a clear picture of how other people experience you, and the opportunity to reflect on what to do about it.
Participant
Middle Manager Group
The content of the programme was constantly anchored into the commercial realities of our business which allowed me to contextualise everything I was learning. This allowed me to start thinking about real business problems in a different way.
Participant
‘Rising Star’ Group
When my first coaching engagement came to an end, I knew I wanted my coach to continue to work with me through a significant period of business change. I believe my coaching has added real organisational value; if HR didn’t have the budget, I would have funded it from my own P&L.
Participant
Senior Leader Group
In summary
ig’s intervention has triggered a systemic change within this fast-growing technology firm. By developing leadership capabilities across multiple levels and creating a culture that values talent development, the organisation is now better equipped to navigate future challenges. The ongoing partnership with ig continues to build on this solid foundation, ensuring that the company’s leadership pipeline remains robust and that its people are empowered to drive the business forward. The success of this intervention has exceeded expectations, delivering lasting value to the organisation.
