CASE STUDY
CONFIGURING THE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO DELIVER A NEW STRATEGY
Client persona and context
The client is the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), brought in by the Board to design and execute a new strategy for the business. The strategy has been developed with a strategy consulting firm. The new strategy will require a leadership team with the capability to successfully execute it. The current HR function have not managed this type of transformation before.
Step 1
Understanding
Client (CEO) approaches 3XO and initial meeting takes place. CEO explains the required outcome, in terms of business objective, their view of the skills needed to deliver the objective and the current state of the business relative to that objective, i.e. the gap. This includes the CEO's view on the current leadership team: who they believe they should keep, who's future contribution is not yet known, who will need to be removed (and, of this group, who needs to go soon and who needs to remain until a suitable replacement is found). 3XO test with the client whether there are new configurations of the existing leadership team which could be effective, and take a first view of the individual criteria (person specification) needed for each of the roles in the new configuration.
Step 2
Analysis
3XO documents the CEO's required configuration, expressed as role profiles, person specifications and RACI (to show the interaction between the roles in the configuration). This involves a series of sequential configurations to reach the recommended end state. This also includes options for transition. These options may include: retaining current incumbents in their existing roles, reshaping the roles and responsibilities of existing incumbents, assessing the suitability of existing incumbents or other internal candidates for the new roles, commissioning search partners to identify external candidates for the roles, designing retention packages for existing incumbents or internal candidates, designing attraction packages for external candidates, commissioning legal advice on exit agreements and employment contracts.
Step 3
Design
CEO reviews the 3XO configuration document, and the document is updated to reflect the comments. A conversation(s) may be needed to discuss the document. In some cases, the CEO may want other parties to review the document, e.g. the strategy firm that produced the strategy proposal, strategic advisors or shareholder representatives.
Step 4
Implementation
3XO begins the integration phase, pulling together the resources required. This will start with the existing HR team at the client organisation and may include existing advisors (eg employment lawyers, reward consultants, etc.). Any gaps will be augmented through either the use of associates from the network or partner organisations.