Better Business Through
High Performance Coaching
Leaders Making a Difference!
CASE STUDY
When a leading makeup brand decided it needed to dramatically change the way it worked in order to turn sales around, The Coaching Company’s Steve Harrison was the person it turned to for help, guidance and above all specialist performance coaching.
"Working with Steve Harrison at The Coaching Company brought about real change within our team. Much more engagement and buzz! Over the six month programme, sales increased 19% year on year, with increases of 60% in some areas."
"...and the company saw the results immediately"
"As directors, we experienced first hand the benefits of bringing Steve on board and how a constructive, innovative way of coaching, brought about fundamental changes that continue to reverberate positively across the whole company.
"With sales up, invigorated team members and a performance orientated management style, the decision to invest and commit to our coaching programme paid dividends.
"Steve, who draws on his wide experience of the luxury brand arena, specifically designed the development and coaching programmes, which would not only turnaround poor sales but also rejuvenate an underperforming team. He worked hard to understand the business and our issues and was able to specifically shape the programme accordingly. His commercial and corporate sales background also helped him understand our challenges."
The brand directors said they engaged with Steve at The Coaching Company, not just to make an immediate impact, but also to bring about long-lasting change in people and culture. A move that paid off, spectacularly.
"Staff retention was poor and there was a general ‘it’s not my fault’ feeling within the business, as well as a lack of enthusiasm and drive to succeed.” - Sales Director
The directors wanted to show intent and do something to ‘stir things up’. That’s when they approached Steve to deliver a number of short, sharp, workshops, aimed at reinvigorating staff and creating a ‘buzz’ at shop floor level.
Over 200 make up artists, the customer facing people who are the face of the brand and interact directly with the customer, attended the workshops, which were delivered in six, two-hour sessions over two days.
And the company saw the results, instantly.
"When we ran those first workshops for artists the result was instant, a switch and change in mindset throughout. There was a sudden belief that started to spread, a feeling that we could change and achieve much more."
Eliciting this belief and a ‘can do’ mentality is part of Steve’s remit. He knows the people he engages with have talent; it’s about coaching the person rather than teaching a behaviour and it is this that makes the real difference.
It was the instant, positive results of these initial workshops, that led the company to push ahead with a focused coaching development programme for managers.
The directors saw the potential of investing further in Steve’s coaching approach for others and implementing over a longer period.
"There was a feeling of, if that’s what we can achieve in a short two hour session, what could be possible if we really invested in a meaningful programme of learning and coaching for managers?"
This is when the company approached Steve to put the full development programme together.
"We wanted the coaching programme to bring about a new way of thinking among our people and a different way of going about their business, engaging more people in the business in an effective way.
"Previously, the company approach to leading and managing people would be all about instruction. A senior manager telling other managers what to do, who in turn would tell their teams what to do, which isn’t the best way of getting results from the team.
"We wanted to move away from this old way of instructing and telling people what to do and how to do it, towards a style of listening, enabling and getting individuals to think for themselves, to use their brains, take responsibility and empower their teams."
"...if that’s what we can achieve in a short two hour session, what could be possible if we really invested in a meaningful programme of learning and coaching for managers?”
"A great return on our investment"
"The programme, stretched over time, was essential in honing and embedding new skills and behaviours, as well as building the essential confidence, belief and commitment necessary for change. "
The Development Programme
Steve creates an environment where his ‘how can I help you achieve the best of you’ stance comes into its own, ensuring a strong relationship based on trust and confidentiality, and encouraging an easy, comfortable flow of conversation. Think pragmatic, practical and positive. An empowering process of insight, clarity and reassurance where a burning desire to act is born.
His coaching will always be driven by your needs and goals. It could be to help you overcome typical ‘inner’ interferences or perceived barriers by building resilience, courage or being a trusted, supportive sounding board. Often tackling the big questions that can be both enlightening and challenging, which help you discover, stretch and grow. Steve is often simply there to help a busy executive make sense of their world, allowing them space to think, away from the looming deadlines and mountains of data, so they can leave a coaching session re-energised and refocused on what’s important.
The sole purpose is to introduce clients to change, growth, empowerment, and ultimately effective leadership. The latter being the key to all, for better leaders enable better performance from people, resulting in better business. That’s it!
If you ask Steve what he does he’ll say he helps people and teams to thrive, to be fit for purpose, be future ready and to flourish. Steve feels that this coaching role is vital for any organisation to succeed, and his 25 years of experience and track record have produced a reputation that precedes him.
"Hand on heart this programme has had such a beneficial impact on our business and the way our people think and work; a great return on our investment."
The Results
So with overall sales 19% up, record Christmas sales, a stunning start to the new year, 60% sales increase in some stores, what does the company think of its decision to invest in The Coaching Company?
The sales director describes the impact of the coaching as ‘huge’!
“Hand on heart this programme has had such a beneficial impact on our business and the way our people think and work; a great return on our investment.
"We can show a real correlation between those managers who have really embraced this learning and the behaviour of their people and business results.
"It has brought teams and departments together, with a greater collaborative, productive relationship between sales and national artists. It has also created the opportunity for competent managers to shine and show what they’re capable of.
"In addition to this we have seen high levels of engagement and ownership from teams, much more energy, active contribution and a will to succeed, people are using their brains and it's fun!"
A final Thought
"As directors, we had to play our part too. It was essential that we were all aligned and committed to the programme, taking an active interest and walking the talk in coaching terms."
"the most powerful and impactful course I have ever been on " Clinique