BrazilBTS delivers management development program at dairy company
When a dairy organisation faced the desire to equip its next-generation leadership tier with the right skills and mindset in order to succeed, the company turned to BTS for guidance. The consultancy helped its client design and deliver a customised learning solution.
The dairy industry is facing a variety of challenges, including growing competition, pressure to make operations more sustainable, and supply chains being disrupted by geo-political pressures. At the same time, demand for dairy products is changing as consumers increasingly demand healthier and different types of products.
In order to successfully navigate the landscape, dairy companies need to ensure that their leaders are acutely aware of the changing market, and capable of adjusting their company’s business and operating models to meet new demands.
As it sought to instil such abilities in its staff, via a comprehensive talent development strategy, one dairy company in the US was looking to equip its high-potential employees with tools for the next level of leadership. The organisation partnered with international consultancy BTS to help realise that – tasking the firm with producing an interactive and experiential learning solution.
Leader Lab
Called the Leader Lab, the program by BTS combines assessments, a business simulation, and role-plays, to boost critical business and leadership skills required for an organisation’s execution of strategy. This saw BTS help develop programs for before and after assessments, to help its client pinpoint critical knowledge gaps and benchmark progress.
The simulation helped leaders to grow their understanding of their most critical profitability drivers, allowing them to observe fundamental leadership behaviours. Eventually, 20 high-potential employees went through a two-day, customised Leader Lab experience.
First, the cohort of candidates underwent a personality test that measured each individual’s preferences and style – while identifying behavioural factors that might be need to be worked on. They then were asked to read a business case containing key information as well as business and financial context for a simulation.
The following virtually-facilitated business simulation saw groups of four assume fictional roles representative of the organisation’s leadership team. During the simulation, teams competed by running the company over three rounds, each of which represented one fiscal year. Facilitators then examined, scored, and debriefed the teams after each round in a central virtual classroom.
This feedback helped candidates gain insight on the critical moves needed for success, and insight on areas for improvement, while practicing how they can anticipate and respond to various obstacles.
An immersive assessment meanwhile evaluated the performance of high potential individuals, in the face of business challenges. And team-specific assessors observed participants in breakout rooms, measuring each participant’s behaviour against the client’s competencies model.
Participants then presented their decisions and results to a select group of senior leaders. With the help of a written report describing each individual’s strengths and areas of development related to the specific competencies needed to perform in their role, leaders were provided the pillars to grow their performance.
Results
Reflecting on the work with the client, BTS described the program as an overall success. “During the Leader Lab, participants had been taken beyond their comfort zones, in a way that could challenge them to understand the business from an improved leadership perspective and help them to better adapt in the face of a crisis.”
“Down the line, the majority of participants met the organisation’s critical-quality expectations, preparing them to advance to the next level of leadership.”
Headquartered in Sweden, BTE is a global professional services firm with some 1,000 professionals in 34 offices located on six continents. For over 30 years, the firm has been partnering with clients to enable strategy execution, with engagements ranging from embedded multi-year transformation projects to brief, targeted capability development.
