Case study
Building a system of leadership teams in a newly integrated global telecoms business
Project details
Industry:
Telecommunications
Primary service:
The client
A leading international telecommunications company formed from the integration of two large business units, creating a single entity of around 30,000 people and £40bn in revenue.
Now operating under one management structure rather than two, the organisation needed to unify distinct cultures, foster collaboration, and align teams with a broader strategic vision.
The brief
The structural design integration had been completed, and the top three leadership layers were in place, but the teams themselves needed to become coherent, collaborative, and strategically aligned.
Historically, success was measured by hitting individual targets (if I just smash my number, I’ll be fine). However, the new environment demanded that leaders work together to unlock opportunities, secure investment, and deliver greater organisational value. The client asked ig to help these newly formed leadership teams develop the mindset, practices, and capabilities to perform as an integrated whole, rather than as separate silos.
What we did
Team effectiveness at the top
We started with the CEO and their executive team and cascaded the work through nine direct-report teams – making ten teams in total.
Through facilitated sessions, we explored how they interacted, diagnosed sources of tension, and highlighted how their vertical alignment inhibited cross-functional collaboration. Using tools such as diagnostics, a shared framework for contracting conversations, and practical exercises to surface and address conflict, we guided them towards a more cohesive model of working.
The emphasis was on developing a shared language, defining ‘win points’, agreeing how to boundary conversations effectively, and distinguishing between times when fast, individual decision-making was appropriate and when truly collaborative approaches were needed.
Aligning culture and performance over time
Rather than a one-off intervention, we established a rhythm of quarterly Team Effectiveness check-ins, ensuring that improvements were sustained over at least 12 months.
We introduced reflective practices at the end of meetings, encouraging leaders to consider how well they collaborated, whether issues were surfaced early, and how to continuously improve their decision-making processes.
By integrating frameworks and language that all teams now share, the organisation developed a more self-regulating and adaptive culture, reducing dependence on external facilitation over time.
The results
More cohesive and collaborative teams
Leaders began to see performance as a team outcome rather than a sum of individual achievements. They moved from being a ‘team of champions’ to a ‘champion team’, working together to leverage cross-functional expertise rather than protecting their own silos.
Improved decision-making and strategic alignment
With a clear understanding of where and when to collaborate, teams improved their ability to reach strategic decisions efficiently, articulate their value proposition more convincingly, and unlock previously unattainable funding and opportunities.
Sustainable cultural change
By establishing a consistent language and approach, the organisation is now embedding this culture change systemically. Reflective practices, shared frameworks, and greater comfort with constructive conflict have become part of the norm at the top two layers.
What our client had to say
We used ig when we integrated two divisions into one to help accelerate the cohesion of the newly formed top team and our top 100. The facilitation was excellent – challenging, insightful and the impact for our teams and participants both positive and lasting. ig were flexible and outcome focused partners who cared about the quality of their work and for that reason continue to be drawn upon by leaders to support them to have greater impact.
CHRO
Global Telecommunications Organisation
In summary
By guiding the top-level leadership teams through a structured team effectiveness process, ig helped a major telecommunications company move from siloed, numbers-driven behaviour to a more integrated, collaborative, and strategic culture. This intervention laid the foundation for ongoing systemic change, ensuring that as the business evolves, it can do so with a unified leadership approach and a clear path to sustainable, organisation-wide performance.
