A C-Level Dilemma.
A Retail and Food Services giant, this company is the king of milk. A Fortune 500 Company, they’re the industry leader owning and controlling over 80% of the Nation’s dairy products. Their products are sold under 50 national and regional and private-label brands. In addition to this the company manufactures coffee creamers, dips and yogurt, ice cream, butter, cottage cheese, and specialty organic dairy products.
This food services conglomerate continuously strives to improve its reputation as “best-in-class” in consumer products.
THE CHALLENGE
This publicly traded company has always maintained a strong commitment to its shareholders. With that commitment is the ongoing challenge to maintain and accelerate service excellence, a competitive portfolio of products, and the best, most talented management team in the industry. To address these challenges, they depend and rely on some of the best skilled executives in the world of business. However, when an organization is growing and expanding at the pace with which this giant has been expanding over the past two decades, there are and will be times when some talent is not keeping pace with the accelerated growth and increased intellectual capital demands that this leading dairy products company requires. This creates an imbalance within the executive management team. As a result of this imbalance, challenges surface; challenges that can have far-reaching consequences if not quickly addressed in a time-effective manner.
As a result, they sought a consulting/training partner that could help them navigate through the many business implications on the radar while systematically addressing a critical internal management issue.
THE SOLUTION
Initially, the objective was to raise the management and interpersonal skill level of one crucial-to-the-picture C-level executive who was not advancing with the rest of the organization and the other C-suite executives. His entire organization under him was suffering for his lack of growth and leadership. To assist this fast-paced organization in their effort to grow this executive to pace with the rest of the leadership within the company, they engaged executive consulting and training partner TLS to implement a rigorous and proven approach to individual management/ leadership growth and development. Working side-by-side with the company’s CEO and their Sr. VP of HR, TLS reviewed and prioritized all development initiatives based on a predefined set of criteria that aligned directly with the company’s corporate vision. This portfolio included both strategic and tactical training tools, initiatives and projects and, once approved, was delivered in a time-effective fashion throughout the executive’s training and development program.
As the C-level executive’s personal Leadership Development training program began, this trainee welcomed the growth opportunity, worked diligently through the initial stages of his development training, and excelled in his mastery of the core management and leadership skills he was adapting into his behavior. His team was reporting back extremely positive results. The executive trainee was reporting back a renewed energy, motivation and leadership presence. His CEO was reporting back glowing feedback of this C-executive’s observed changes using terms like “He’s doing fabulous” and “He’s more constructive than ever before” to describe this executive’s changes.
However, midway through the executive’s training, it became apparent to the remaining C-Suite executives that even with all of the renewal and positive changes witnessed up to that point, there was a firm belief that the executive trainee would not be a “fit” for this going-forward organization. At this point, the CEO began making strategic and tactical decisions for removing and replacing our C-executive trainee. Again, the CEO called upon TLS to partner with them for this transition of this soon-to-be outgoing C-executive. During the initial stages of this changed agenda the C-executive was not informed of the plans.
Over the course of the next few months, TLS worked hand-in-hand with both corporate leadership and the executive to better condition him for the upcoming news of his departure. This became a Special Circumstances project.
THE VALUE
After several months of weekly deliberations, training and education; although neither party knew of the other’s intentions up to this point, the Cexecutive trainee was personally at a place of actual alignment with the CEO’s desire for a severance. He was ready to depart the organization, but wasn’t sure how to break the news to his superior, the CEO. Once at that place mentally, TLS informed the CEO of the C-executive’s desires. With this information the CEO soon thereafter broke the news to this C-executive of his desire to offer the C-executive the opportunity to “retire.” When the C-executive was informed of the CEO’s plans, instead of discord, friction, and animosity between the two, there was harmonious agreement and alignment. It was an extremely smooth transition for both parties; the outgoing C-executive and the Company. Untold millions in shareholder value were preserved during this transition as the company was able to avoid the public shack up and alarm that such transitions typically cause within the investor community. Morale within the organization was preserved as all were witness to a harmonious and respectful “retirement” by the C-executive. The C-executive was able to depart on his terms with his dignity intact, free to pursue his hobby and family priorities in his new-found retirement. And the leadership of a $10 billion Fortune 500 food products company was able to move forward securing a replacement who, at this stage of the organization’s growth, was a better fit.
It was a win-win for all involved.