The Business Context

• The largest integrated sugar manufacturer in India wanted to identify and develop its high potential mid-managers (HODs) to take up future plant leadership roles, and thus secure a succession pipeline for the organization.
• It also faced the challenge of building a culture of knowledge-transfer and knowledge-management within the organization so that knowledge and expertise isn’t accumulated with a few people viz. the HODs, creating a potential vacuum on their movement or retirement.
• That these hi-potentials were technical experts with little or no formal training on people management, added to the challenge at hand.
• Thus, instead of a standard behavioural training intervention approach, it required an OD approach.

Our Approach

GrowthSqapes recommended and facilitated the approach of a phased planned-change wherein:

• Comprehensive diagnostics were conducted using the Actioned-Diagnosis method to understand the current state in terms of knowledge, skills and behavioural exhibition required in the role of an HOD.
• A longitudinal intervention, consisting of laboratory-style development workshops, group coaching sessions and individual coaching sessions, was conducted.
• An in-house digital knowledge-transfer mechanism and tracker were devised, and business metrics were identified for managerial effectiveness & knowledge-transfer for succession planning.
• The intervention’s progress was tracked phase-wise and the outcome of each phase acted as the inputs for the next phase of the overall intervention.

Business Impact Created

• People management and knowledge-transfer practices were established at the plant level and tracked using the tracker developed internally.
• There was a marked improvement in the people management and people development abilities of these hi-potential HODs.
• As a result of this intervention, a visible change was observed in the overall commitment and productivity of these plant heads due to clarity achieved about their role and its impact on the business results.
• A clear set of 4 successors were identified out of the pool of hi-potential HODs and their further targeted development was embarked on.

Stakeholder Sound Bites

• “The laboratory method of learning worked very well for my learning needs.”
• “Each assessment was very accurate and made me reflect upon my current and target state.”
• “I have learnt a lot and feel more equipped and confident to carry out my role more effectively.”
• “We have learnt so many things in a simple and application-oriented way making them easy to transfer to the field.”