Almost overnight, our client, a small but successful arm of a global mobile telecoms player, was suddenly propelled into the situation of having to fend for itself. The team, largely made up of talented technical people, found themselves in one moment as part of a large multinational, and in the next, the key players in a boutique software and technology house, competing with a host of experienced hands. The senior team did fortunately possess the experience and knowledge required to run the company but had little idea of the day-to-day workings of the people on the ground or how to shape an organisation from scratch - they had after all, always had people doing that for them.

 

This fledgling concern had to find a way to get on its feet very quickly. They needed to find a way to take their place in the market, to attract attention towards their capabilities and to sell projects for themselves. Our contribution in this situation revolved around helping them to resolve a number of critical issues in a very short space of time including: Who was going to do the selling? How would the organisation make contact with its prospects? How big did the senior team need to be? Who were the best people to select for it? How were a group of skilful 'back room' specialists going to be transformed into a walking, talking, competitive B2B organisation before the money ran out and their investors lost patience?

 

Our job, when the initial dust had settled, was to help those concerned to acknowledge their situation and to turn their attention to the most essential tasks. The team needed to look for talents where they found them - not necessarily where they were 'supposed' to be. They needed to develop capabilities that they already had; they had to get used to using the best person for each task rather than the person who had worn the correct badge in the old setup. Old hierarchies and along with those, old comfort zones, had to be swept aside, status had to make way for action. Our interventions largely took the form of coaching and mentoring of the senior team in helping them to make unlaboured, clear cut decisions on a large range of difficult issues including manning, re-allocation of responsibilities, strategic direction and marketing.

 

The small organisation has grown in headcount by about 50% and since our involvement has evolved into a global provider of software and solutions to telcos around the world.