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Creating a Common Management Approach Globally
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The Challenge
Microsoft’s Education Leads – the worldwide group responsible for selling into the education sector – are in rapid growth. Part of Microsoft’s strategy for managing this expansion is to create a common approach for all the Education Leads, no matter where they are in the world. They wanted to construct a shared management framework and language, designed to create a unified identity for this group of widely dispersed experts, and enhance their level of influence both inside and outside their organization. |
The Solution: A series of 3 linked seminars over 7 months, delivered worldwide
In consultation with Microsoft, Mitchell Phoenix designed a Leadership and Management Development Program consisting of three linked seminars over seven months. With over 70 delegates based around the world, course days were run in Athens, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Beijing, Florida, London and Singapore, October 2010 - July 2011.
In the months between each seminar, delegates applied the material from the program to the challenges they faced in the workplace, generating business results. Then, at the start of each subsequent seminar they reported these results back to their groups in formal business presentations, sharing experiences and further shaping their common approach. Mitchell Phoenix also provided telephone support between seminars, assisting delegates in their application of the material to create the solutions they required.
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“Having a common language and code of practice is in itself an invaluable foundation for a business built on teams spread across a geographic region. Most people have to learn to influence without authority and influence upwards to gain support, and the tools and practices here are exemplary.”
Steven Duggan, Education Lead Western Europe
“The overview of how we influence people and use techniques to have an impact on your business created an overall feeling, which was the most important thing. The time to reflect on how we work with people, go to the market, deal with partners, discuss issues and see the whole business has been valuable.”
Manish Mishra, Education Lead Japan
“The time to reflect on being in a context with other leaders, to work collaboratively with others who have the same problems, and to find where strengths lie and fine tune your behaviour, brings you to a higher level and makes you stronger as a leader. This training was something special because it did not involve going through an exercise to find an “answer” – it went deeper and was more about your personality and how you relate to your environment.” Christian Ramioul, Education Lead West Africa
“The simplicity of how the ideas are presented is key. I think because of this course I will be a better coach and better communicator. It is instinctive and logical.” Amir Montassir, Education Lead Egypt
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Example Results:Each delegate reports results at the start of each seminar. Here are two examples: |
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Example Result 1: Gaining Funding for a Business Plan An Education Lead set out to build a country wide ‘Alliance for Education’ with partners from within the industry to define standards for the education market in areas such as IT procurement, reference architecture and so on. However, the initiative failed to gain full commitment from all parties. With the material from the program in mind, the Education Lead restarted the “Alliance for Education” initiative and focused on ensuring all stakeholders’ interests were clearly covered. He ran a consultative event where all participants contributed and everybody’s view was represented. The result was an agreement to jointly fund the business plan for the ‘Alliance for Education’ for the forthcoming period. |
Example Result 2: Progressing a Stalled Project An Education Lead was responsible for a project that had not progressed for some time. Using the communication tools from the program, he managed to persuade two senior colleagues from other areas of the business to commit their time and expertise to the project. The delegate reported that, with their help, the project has now been scheduled to go live in Q4. |