Business Cases

Situation

Geopolitical unrest triggers a call for stabilization in conflict-laden, sovereign territories. A private, global risk consultancy enters the stage to identify and place international peacekeepers. A national applicant pool of highly seasoned security and risk professionals is tapped. Endurance, performance and flight risk of this applicant pool are concerns. The job is high-profile, highly sensitive, and high-stakes.

Risk Mitigation Action

The requirements of the job are analyzed and operationalized. Psychometrically-solid and nuanced, multi-faceted assessments are deployed, the final hurdle being 1:1 semi-structured, objective, behavioral, situational interviews. Practitioners make go/no-go advisory placement decisions.

Outcome

Top talent is identified and deployed and annual retention is increased by 30% relative to previous years.

Situation

A $40 billion financial services firm is slow to adopt new general ledger technology. Over budget and out of patience the Chief Technology (CTO) terminates senior project managers and takes over the initiative. Despite best efforts, the CTO hits guardrails.

Risk Mitigation Action

This stalled initiative reflected misaligned short-term incentives, lack of role clarity, unhealthy project team conflict and incompatible progress metrics. Team dynamics that work for and against the goals are identified, agreed and either resolved or leveraged. CTO shifts style as a result of 1:1 psychometrics and no nonsense, value-add behavioral feedback.

Outcome

Technology implementation back-on-track. Waterfall feedback scorecard monitors and incentivizes progress. CTO retains position as global lead.

Situation

A senior executive for a global financial services firm comes to the attention of the Governance & Ethics committee. This solid producer generates both business and collateral damage, leaving high rates of turnover and hurting morale for those that remain. Despite HR counsel, no behavioral change is evident.

Risk Mitigation Action

The committee summons third-party intervention. A non-judgmental, data-based, unobtrusive, process enables the executive to internalize the situation thereby assuming accountability and enabling behavioral change. Information harnessed includes interpersonal and leader style psychometrics, 360 data and observations/insights by the coach. The executive is respectfully challenged and directed toward a more effective way to lead.

Outcome

Risk of derailment is thwarted. A high value producer is retained. A situationally-anchored behavioral roadmap is delivered to sustain behavior change. Pulse survey metrics indicate a 67% improvement in morale over the prior year. Two promotions are approved to valued members of the team.

Situation

A venture capital firm worries about realizing returns from an investment. Despite the rigor of traditional due diligence, they ask “Will the venture deliver?”

Risk Mitigation Action

Misaligned priorities between investors and senior management are identified. Performance metrics and incentives place product commercialization, quality and business development at odds. Operational risk, once an undiscussable is legitimized and escalation of such risk is rewarded. Leadership, under severe pressure to deliver, struggles to drive morale and progress.

Outcome

Investors & senior management engage in a 2-day off-site to clarify financial, operational and leadership strategy. A competency & performance model clarifies management expectations. Long term, shared incentives are constructed. In three year’s time investors realize a 17x multiple.