Culture Solutions Group

Rudolph Foods Company

The Challenge

Growth, Acquisition, Safety and Engagement

This company was facing ongoing acquisitions and mergers, resulting in cultural integration challenges. They were also dealing with a global marketplace expansion within a traditional, union-based, top-down-driven company culture with a need to become nimble and innovative to compete in rapidly changing industry. Lastly, there were safety challenges, and Rudolph Foods had to deal with transitioning the identity, role and skills of “managers” to “managing leaders.”

Our Solution

From 2008 – 2015:

• Development of modern vision, mission and core values to carry the organization forward.
• Bi-annual strategy development.
• Executive team development & alignment.
• Bi-annual leadership development for all managers and supervisors.
• Multi-level leadership training for all employees.
• Four Denison Culture surveys across the full organization.
• Three Denison Leadership 360 assessments/coaching implementations across the top 40 managers.
• Development of a performance evaluation/development system to include vision, core values and Balanced Score Card measures, to be used to ultimate develop high performing and contributing employees at all levels.
• Diversity and empowerment training and coaching for all managers.

The Outcomes

• Achievement of stated business performance targets on annual basis.
• Successful integration of new systems, process and innovation within the context of defined strategies and performance targets.
• Creation of an acquisition/merger integration model used to support ongoing mergers, thus increasing the speed of integration and merger results.
• Significant increases in leadership bench depth, thus reducing the time and resources consumed by personnel, quality and safety problems.
• Increased safety and product quality.

New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC)

The Challenge

Emerging from Bankruptcy & Organizational Turnaround 

In a heavily regulated industry, NHEC was facing possible deregulation and competition, pressures related to innovation and new energy technologies, and internal silos and competition within the company obstructing customer service excellence and responsiveness. They were also dealing with changing marketplace demographics, tenured senior and mid-level managers resisting change, and challenges in succession planning and senior level transition. 

Our Solution

From 2000 – 2014:

• Six bi-annual Denison Culture survey implementations across the full organization.
• Four Denison Leadership 360/270 assessments/coaching implementations with the top 40 managers.
• One Denison-Hogan Leadership Profile for selected managers.
• Development (and redevelopment) of clear vision, mission, strategies and goals (with Balanced Score Card measures), and alignment of vertical and horizontal goals/performance targets throughout all teams.
• Annual leadership development for all employees to engage leadership at all levels, personal responsibility, personal choice, teamwork, proactive problem solving and solution generation, partnership and more.
• Development of a performance evaluation/development process to align with desired corporate direction, performance and core values.
• Board development & alignment.
• Support for the board of directors and outside recruiters in hiring/onboarding a new CEO to carry forward the strength and high performance of this transformed culture.

The Outcomes

• Moved from a mid-tier industry performer (2000) to benchmark performer (2010 to present) on all industry Balanced Score Card measures.
• Achieved and surpassed sales targets from 2008 to present.
• Saw a 45% increase in corporate equity from 2008 to present.
• Increased ability to hire and retain quality employees at all levels from 2004 to present.
• Increased safety, quality and customer satisfaction.
• Movement from a vertically oriented (siloed) structure/mentality to a horizontally driven and aligned manner of working throughout the organization.
• Officially transformed a traditional culture in a traditional industry to a progressive, flexible, innovative and customer-focused culture.

Graphic Packaging International

The Challenge

Ability to Compete in Consolidating & Changing Marketplace and Merger Integration

With a new CEO and top management team, and in the face of extreme marketplace consolidation and competition, GPI’s desire was to increase performance in all measurement categories, redefine its brand and marketplace identity, innovate new products, fully engage employees at all levels and officially launch the next chapter of this long tenured company. 

Our Solution

Over an 8-year period:

• Top-to-frontline bi-annual culture assessments with over 13,000 participating employees.
• Corporate direction setting.
• Executive team development and alignment.
• Executive coaching.
• Internal facilitator training and re-training with 100 facilitators across the corporation.

The Outcomes

Graphic Packaging International successfully:

• Increased stock price by 14-fold.
• Expansion of products, innovations and customer solutions. 
• Integration and brand alignment within four large acquisitions.
• Transitioned to a new Chief Executive and Executive Level Team.
• LEAN process implementation to accelerate rigor, quality, and personal responsibility in work production.
• Increased accountability for performance at all levels.

Chase Manhattan Bank

The Challenge

Merger Integration & Culture Alignment

Two major sequential mergers requiring rapid culture and brand alignment to accelerate shared identity throughout the enterprise and achievement of business results. 

Our Solution

Over a 5-year period:

• Culture assessment (and reassessment) before and during the merger period.
• Immediate identification of future vision, mission, strategies and core values to accelerate movement into the future.
• Vertical and horizontal goal alignment to support the shared direction.
• Multi-level leadership development and coaching for managers throughout the full enterprise.

The Outcomes

The full corporation achieved accelerated:

• Internal alignment and shared identity from legacy companies to one organizational identity/brand. 
• External marketplace brand recognition and share.
• Deepening of shared Core Values to support both innovation and integrity.
• Hiring and retention of talent and high performance personnel.

Texas Utilities (TXU)

The Challenge

Merger Integration

Integrating the corporate cultures of four acquired companies into that of a single TXU enterprise. 

Our Solution

This 4-year engagement included:

• Extensive culture assessment throughout all merged companies to understand strengths and weaknesses inherent in management systems, communication protocols, conflict management approaches, decision making methods and employee engagement.
• The results of this process were then used to guide strategy development, establish performance targets, develop managers and leaders including executive coaching, achieve vertical and horizontal alignment, and provide team development. 
• Division and business unit strategies and goals were developed and aligned to support the full corporate direction and performance targets.
• Leadership development was provided to all levels and roles throughout the corporation to accelerate ownership, engagement, and personal responsibility for letting go of the past and moving forward together.    

The Outcomes

• Rapid creation of a shared brand and identity throughout the merged organization. 
• Increased multi-level leadership and responsibility for business outcomes (within divisions and across the corporation).    
• Effective adaptation to rapid internal growth, industry niche changes, federal regulatory changes, and the challenges of a globally dispersed workforce.