These directors, based all over the world, found themselves in a perfect storm, needing to provide certainty upwards, clarity downwards and trying to fill in for disrupted productivity around them.
All had ‘hybrid working’ teams, and with reduced visibility, limited informal interactions and personally reduced form, their teams were not getting the support they needed. Many were feeling cut off, despondent and thinking about a change in employer, career or location. The programme was run for 17 directors, in mixed groups to match time zones. Each group was given a dedicated OwnLife coach.
17.6%
Increase in cognitive performance across already high performing Directors
By being robbed of the usual reference points like what hours others are working, when breaks are taken and who is talking to who, the pressure of the unknown had created an ‘always on culture’ in their teams. People were not switching off, overcompensating, and had poorly contracted around boundaries.
The Directors first needed to get back in control themselves, to improve their cognitive performance and be able to see the opportunities they had to rebalance how they worked in a new environment. As experienced leaders, many behaviours were engrained. Change was needed, not just in how they looked after themselves but in how they could effectively support their teams. The OwnLife programme gave them an approach to development that hadn’t been offered to leaders before within the bank.
The results were great, with collective productivity up over 10% and massively reduced burn out markers. People were enabled to make change to limiting and unsustainable habits. Mental and physical exercise improved, sleep was prioritized and stress dropped dramatically. With form improved and a new importance put on their now ‘non-negotiable’ routines, these leaders started to recontract with peers. The programme gave them the help they needed to have conversations with others to agree the boundaries, ground rules, and ‘time outs’ during the day that would maximise performance.
With this new focus on form, the Directors are now running our “perf4rm well” programme with their teams to help create the language, structure and data needed to be able to talk about wellbeing in a safe, trusted and non-judgmental environment.
“
The Programme has made me really conscious of the choices I have and really aware of the difference form makes to the outcomes at work…also I switch off better, it’s re-enforced lots for me, really impactful
“
I thought form was just my mood, good or bad, there is so much more to it, I loved the data approach, complete lightbulb moments, I challenged my myths, I now don’t shy away from difficult calls in the morning, I have opened up more time, it’s really exciting
100%
Reported improvement in overall productivity
78%
Experienced a permanent shift in mindset
10.5%
Increase in situational leadership performance