How AkzoNobel and Leading Edge energised teams for the future
AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, they have approximately 47,000 people in around 80 countries, with a portfolio which includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International, Interpon and Eka.
In April 2014, AkzoNobel’s UK leadership team recognised that
Leading Edge’s approach to aiding that step up was grounded in the following principles
Along with the senior leaders, we defined four strategic levers for success including
“Leading Edge have played a major role in engaging and driving momentum behind AkzoNobel’s decorative vision to become famous for inspiring and enabling beautiful living spaces. Working closely with the leadership team they have developed and are rolling out a bespoke programme that uses the principles of the Highly Effective Teams model to engage our people, transform the culture and ultimately drive the performance for our teams and overall business. The feedback within the business to date has been exceptional the most impactful programme we have ever had.“
Matt Pullen, UK & Ireland Managing Director, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints
Senior leadership teams used to:
Things have changed – organisations and leaders are facing unprecedented demands
Our ability to deliver strategic programmes with impact, through flexing and embracing change as a team is paramount
Highly Effective Teams (H.E.T) supports teams to
What is the impact of H.E.T in AkzoNobel?
“The feedback within the business to date has been exceptional the most impactful programme we have ever had.”
Matt Pullen, UK & Ireland Managing Director, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints
“On a recent visit by our Global HR Director I didn’t need to share the impact of H.E.T on our performance – the teams were doing it for me; that was the moment I realised how much H.E.T had become part of our DNA.”
Brian Chapman, UK HRD, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints
Great solutions start with relationships
Partnership is key to our success at Leading Edge. We take time to understand our clients, its business, its culture, its strengths and challenges. This understanding provides the crucial foundation for developing a sustainable, effective, transformational solution. Working with the AkzoNobel HR team and key stakeholders enabled us to identify the different formats needed to support their ambitious growth plans, and the appropriate levels of intervention and cascade to ensure the whole business “bought” the plan.
Being able to dance takes more than just learning the steps
At the core of H.E.T is a sustainable solution. It’s designed to become part of “how we are around here”, and is not reliant on the continuous support of Leading Edge. Incorporating “real business” into the programme enabled the teams to build confidence and capability in using the H.E.T tools and resources into the “day job”. Designing and facilitating additional team days which utilised the principles of H.E.T builds a continued focus through all levels and all aspects of the business.
Creative Solutions which work
Taking the Highly Effective Teams (H.E.T) framework as the basis for the solution, we worked with the business to create a bespoke solution, tailored to the clear outcomes AkzoNobel required. Starting from the top with the UK and Ireland Management Team, we supported a 12 month framework; including 2 day offsite events every quarter supported by 1:1 coaching clinics. We continued the cascade through the Exec leadership teams through a 9 month journey of 2 day offsite H.E.T workshops. In order to maximise our impact with the next leadership tier, we developed a high intensity format – 3 days across 3 months. Sustainability was a real focus for the business, so we additionally created a modular approach, designing six 2 hour modules to be facilitated internally throughout the business in team meetings.
You don’t win a match by staring at the scoreboard
AkzoNobel’s ‘fire’ for this initiative was less of a burning platform, and more burning ambition. Great business performance was already in evidence, which allowed the leadership to move towards a vision while glancing, rather than staring, at the scoreboard (the results).
“Leading Edge have played a major role in engaging and driving momentum behind AkzoNobel’s decorative vision to become famous for inspiring and enabling beautiful living spaces. Working closely with the leadership team they have developed and are rolling out a bespoke programme that uses the principles of the Highly Effective Teams model to engage our people, transform the culture and ultimately drive the performance for our teams and overall business. The feedback within the business to date has been exceptional the most impactful programme we have ever had.“”
- Matt Pullen, UK & Ireland Managing Director, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints
