HDA

General Manager – 1-1 Business Coaching - Internet comparison shopping Enterprise

Business Context

The client was a US based Internet comparison shopping enterprise. Recently set up in London to blaze the trail in the UK, Europe and beyond, the company installed a General Manager (GM) to build the business and drive sales forward. The main goal for the GM was to create and articulate an ‘International Business Vision’ and build a team that would achieve this goal. A key challenge was to create an appropriate business connection to the US parent but at the same time build a new business stream with its own identity.

HDA was asked to support the GM in his endeavours by providing 1-1 business coaching to during the initial period of business growth

Business Issues

• The GM was unclear what ‘success’ would look like and how he would be judged by his masters in the US. How committed were they to building an ‘International’ part of the business?

• Communication ‘across the water’ was not always effective and ‘face time’ with key executives was at a premium.

• The GM was keen to develop and adapt his leadership style: perhaps lead through questions, not answers, both when managing upwards and also forming and leading his new team in the UK

Business Value Obtained from Coaching

• The initial concentration was on building a Stakeholder Map and identifying relationships inside the organisation. This resulted in developing individual communication strategies with five key stakeholders

• The next piece of work was helping GM adapt his communication style; understand natural influencing and conflict handling styles and trying new techniques to achieve different, more powerful results

• Specifically, the executive coach worked with the GM helping him develop and present a major internal strategy review to Board members and achieve buy-in to the GM’s proposed success criteria

• Using a 360 feedback model to look at the GM’s individual strengths and leadership qualities the coach and GM used this information when considering the shape of the new management team

Business Outcomes

• As the International business took off, the success was recognised by the US parent and the GM and his team were rewarded appropriately

• The strategic model for the International Business was adopted as a standard template within the organisation for all new business initiatives

• The GM made changes to his team and introduced new people with skills and experiences required to take the business to the next stage

For more information on any of the above or to understand how HDA can add value to your organisation through coaching,

Please contact Melissa Nealon, Client Partner & Project Manager – man@hda.co.uk / 0207 484 5065