One of the world’s largest brewing companies and one of the fastest-moving consumer packaged goods organizations with dozens of facilities worldwide recognized the need to enhance the leadership capabilities of its frontline leaders to increase productivity, efficiency, and autonomy.
To empower autonomous teams, the organization wanted to improve role clarity and implement clear and defined managerial lines, with dedicated members more regularly assigned to specific areas of the facilities and the production process. Notably, the organization wanted its managers to adopt a new leadership model and sought to develop a program to equip these frontline leaders with the necessary behaviors and skills to manage their unionized workforce.
To ensure this structural change was done right and would last, the organization enlisted McChrystal Group to design a custom leadership development program purpose-built for its frontline leaders. Through a mix of simulations, in-person and interactive virtual learning sessions, hands-on behavior coaching, and a capstone learning project, leaders were equipped to:
Build autonomous, empowered teams by developing core capabilities as leaders
Be able to problem-solve with clear direction and decisions that align actions with the overall direction of the brewery and organization
- Create a trusting and enabling environment while still maintaining accountability to engage employees and reduce burnout
Challenges
Efficiency and operational excellence matter greatly, and it starts with the people put in charge to lead. Employees were being assigned to different areas and production lines without enough intentionality, resulting in a lack of consistency with their manager and teams, and with insufficient alignment to their area of expertise.
Traditionally, the breweries operated with a hierarchical leadership model, resulting in bottlenecks and slower response times to the rapidly changing conditions within the brewery, such as machinery going down or people on a particular shift being out. Developing their managers into leaders of autonomous teams capable of acting without direct supervision meant addressing existing obstacles, namely:
Limited autonomy: Managers lacked the necessary skills to lead autonomous teams, resulting in a lack of empowerment and a dependency on higher-level decision makers.
Inconsistent team assignments: The breweries frequently rotated team members, leading to disruption and decreased productivity. There was a need for consistent and dedicated team assignments to foster a sense of ownership and accountability.
Siloed leadership approach: The existing leadership model relied on a traditional hierarchical structure, inhibiting collaboration and knowledge sharing across teams – and most importantly, across leaders to share experiences and best practices. There was a need to adopt a more agile and collaborative approach.
It was critical to get the leadership team bought in before implementing at sites. The leadership team was able to have the space to learn and develop free from distractions.”
Solutions
To address these challenges, the organization implemented a new system of consistent team assignments that allocated dedicated team members to specific areas of the brewery. This approach aimed to foster a sense of ownership, trust, and accountability within teams, allowing frontline leaders to focus on developing their expertise and leading their teams more effectively.
To complement this change, McChrystal Group designed and delivered a comprehensive leadership development program focused on empowering leaders and fostering autonomy within their teams.
Team of Teams® Framework: By introducing the model, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, information sharing, and decentralized decision making through the four capabilities of Common Purpose, Trust, Shared Consciousness, and Empowered Execution, leaders learned to create an environment that encouraged collaboration and accountability, emphasizing their responsibility to foster familiarity, trust, and efficiency within each team member.
Skill Development: The months-long program at each brewery included sessions tailored to enhance leadership skills, such as effective communication, conflict resolution, and coaching for performance, along with change management. Sessions aimed to equip frontline leaders with the necessary competencies, mindsets, and skills to lead these autonomous teams. As there can sometimes be tensions between frontline leaders and the team members working the line, we dedicated focus on developing the ability to practice active listening to build trust and provide effective, critical feedback while still tolerating the healthy tension needed to drive a team to high performance.
Empowering Decision Making: The leadership development program focused on empowering frontline leaders to make decisions within their scope. Through the capstone learning project, leaders were trained to analyze information, evaluate risks, and make timely decisions to optimize their portion of the brewing process. Throughout the program, participants were led through exercises to identify the organizational and behavioral barriers preventing this empowerment. Senior leaders of the brewery were able to see these and by delegating decision-making authority, the program aimed to reduce bottlenecks and increase operational efficiency.
This was a great opportunity to look in the mirror and learn where I can improve."
Impact
The leadership development program changed the way leaders view their roles directing teams, and embedded upskilling and leader behavior coaching into the workforce like never before.
Growth, expansion, and finding new areas for productivity require a reliable workforce, and that means putting people first as retaining talent and developing leaders is key to a company’s long-term trajectory. Engaged, thriving employees desire new opportunities to learn and become better within their role, and the leader development program did just that.
The results achieved included:
Increased autonomy: Leaders demonstrated improved decision making abilities, along with a sense of ownership within their scope of responsibility. By embracing the idea of decentralized, functional execution without being siloed, these leaders started making decisions based on their expertise and knowledge of their respective teams without looking for permission for minor decisions, and crucially, inviting their direct reports to play a more active role in giving valuable input into those decisions.
Improved productivity: The consistent team assignments provided a stable environment for teams to excel. Leaders experienced increased efficiency, as dedicated team members were better aligned with their respective areas of expertise, reducing the need for frequent onboarding and training. By consistently assigning dedicated team members to specific portions of the brewery, team members developed a deep understanding of their responsibilities, resulting in improved efficiency, quality, and overall performance.
Strengthened leadership capabilities: The leadership development program significantly enhanced the leadership capabilities of frontline leaders. They exhibited improved communication, conflict resolution, and performance management skills, leading to a more engaged and motivated workforce.
Cultural transformation: The leadership development program played a crucial role in transforming the organizational culture. Frontline leaders became catalysts for change, embracing a more collaborative and decentralized approach. This cultural shift had a positive ripple effect throughout the organization, inspiring other teams and departments to adopt similar principles.
I am encouraged that this program will change the culture and create true teamwork.”
Interested in learning how leader development can empower your teams? Reach out to get in contact with someone from McChrystal Group.
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