Some of our clients...
...a highly visible wealth management company in Silicon Valley facing issues which are threatening their ability to deliver top-notch services to their clients:...
- - Lack of trust and respect
- - Inability to appreciate each others' perspectives
- - Challenges developing and maintaining a shared culture
- -Restructure of Ownership and the need for an effective succession plan
Initially we designed an ongoing process for the entire company to help them appreciate each others' contributions to the company. We began with a company wide offsite focused on communication skills and Enneagram personality typing.
Then we provided ongoing coaching, 360-degree assessments of key team members, and a series of sessions with the Management Team to create governance documents, operating guidelines and a succession plan. We now act as business coaches and "Thought Partners" for the CEO.
. . .an internationally renown, first-in-its-class product design firm. This firm is implementing an initiative to build outstanding leaders from within.
Over a period of ten months we launched a leadership development program that included all-day workshops followed by one-on-one coaching and regularly scheduled two-hour Leadership Summits to deepen learning.
Our approach has been to explore how their unique personalities support extraordinary leadership and contribute to their high levels of creativity on internal and client teams. We work on awareness and understanding of their contributions and challenges in the work environment, interpersonal communication, giving and receiving honest feedback and how to manage conflict - overt and covert.
The program has been met with so much praise that management continues to extend its reach to new groups of high-potential leaders.
...Venture Capital and Start-up Teams. A significant part of our work is with venture capital and start-up teams. We work closely with firm partners, company founders and their management teams to identify issues among the their teams that are thwarting successful product development and launches. We assist them in recognizing that their personal development is as great an asset, if not greater, than their technical expertise and IQ.
We help them build their emotional intelligence so they can communicate more effectively with each other and guide their companies to their goal, whether that is acquisition, IPO or continued prosperity as a going concern that they manage.
For example:
One VC firm with three longtime partners and a recently-added fourth partner enlisted SeeChange Partners to help them clarify their vision and roles as they open their third fund. As a follow on to our initial interviews and two-day retreat, we are now providing them each with one-on-one coaching.
Another client, a technology start-up, was referred to us by the lead investor. The CEO engaged Jane as an executive coach and was so pleased with his own progress that he expanded our reach to his co-founder and to the entire software development team. Through workshops, business planning sessions and coaching, we are focusing on how their personal and professional work styles are impacting product development flow.
...an investment company closely associated with Stanford University with offices in three states. Their challenge is that they have three distinct cultures and the company is growing rapidly while changing its structure.
We conducted a very successful offsite that brought the entire company together, many of whom had recently been hired and never met. Enneagram training provided a fun, self-revealing set of exercises that allowed employees to get to know each other while learning about the way they communicate, handle stress and manage change.
Now they know each other, understand their differences and similarities across geographical boundaries, and know how to approach each other under stress.
...Public events, professional organizations, and nonprofits We design and deliver all types of events for the community at-large and for groups whose members seek to deepen their level of understanding, respect, and compassion for each other. We introduce them to a common language and personality types; conduct interactive exercises in communication styles, conflict, team roles, and leadership paradigms; and provide coaching and guidance.
Success!
Our clients report that the enneagram used in conjunction with direct engagement with each other provides them with a shared language and new skills that they have never had an opportunity to use before. These become a part of their operating environment - they learn and use new ways to listen, be heard and mine their diverse personalities and perspectives for superior problem solving.
Sometimes our work leads to re-organizing teams around their strengths. Sometimes it leads to significant changes in roles and responsibilities. Their hard work always leads to happier and more productive work environments with less turnover and a good match of personality and skills to job roles.