Case Studies | SMBmena Coaching & Consultancy

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In 2020, our client, one of the largest FMCG companies in Kuwait, took a challenging step to develop its leadership culture and improve business development services and the sales team’s effectiveness and professionalism.

The Challenge:

The Company Management faced significant challenges aligning its organizational culture with strategic goals. The existing culture exhibited weaknesses such as low employee engagement, poor communication, a silo mindset, and a lack of structured performance management.

Moreover, skill enhancement and continuous training were urgently needed to elevate organizational performance. These issues hindered business success and employee satisfaction, making a comprehensive culture transformation essential for long-term success.

Objectives:

1. Assess and transform the organizational culture.
2. Define mission, vision, and core values.
3. Build a competency framework and performance management system.
4. Develop succession planning and talent management.
5. Enhance employee retention, satisfaction, and leadership performance.

Methodology and Solution:

1. Comprehensive culture assessment — surveys, focus groups, stakeholder interviews.
2. SWOT analysis at the organizational and departmental levels.
3. Design and implementation of the competency framework and PMS.
4. Talent management, succession planning, and job grading.
5. Training needs analysis and 50+ targeted training programs.

Achievements:

• Culture: Conducted 100% comprehensive culture assessment.
• Assessment: Conducted 15 focus group sessions, 75 interviews, and five company-wide surveys.
• SWOT Analysis: Identified 4 key organizational factors.
• Pinpointed Weaknesses: Identified 5 key cultural weaknesses.
• Highlighted Strengths: Pinpointed 5 cultural strengths and opportunities.
• Defined Core Values: Defined and communicated five core values with definitions and associated behaviors.
• Competency Framework: Developed a 24-key competencies framework with definitions and evaluation metrics.
• Performance Management: Implemented a system based on managerial and non-managerial competencies for 5 divisions.
• Talent Management: Assessed and created a 100% talent pool.
• Succession Planning: We identified 2 successors for each role.
• Job Families: Created five new job families with over 100 tailored job descriptions.
• Job Grades: Improved decision-making process.
• Employee Retention: Increased retention by 40%.
• Employee Satisfaction: Boosted satisfaction by 35%.
• Leadership Gaps: Five leadership gaps were identified.
• Leadership Performance: Increased leadership performance by 60%.
• Sales Team Performance: Boosted the FMCG sales teams’ performance by 25%.
• Agility and Adaptability: Raised FMCG goals by 35%.
• Culture of Collaboration: Fostered a 100% collaboration culture by organizing weekly collaboration meetings.
• Internal Trust: Enhanced team trust and association by 20%.
• Internal Communication: Improved internal (departments) and External (Business Units) communication by 75%.
• Employee Engagement: Implemented 20 engagement programs and improved employee inclusion by 30%
• Training Programs: Conducted annual training needs analysis on all business units and provided 50+ training programs in 2 years.

Result: Employee retention increased by 40%, leadership performance improved by 60%, and internal communication improved by 75%. 

Our Client has operated for 12 years and has grown to become one of the leading Events Management Orchestration Companies in KSA, with annual revenue of over $75M, 120+ highly qualified and skilled managers, a technical team, and project managers.

The Challenge:

In 2016, our Client decided to transform their company culture and develop future leadership behaviors, employee engagement, and collaboration. Besides, they recognized the need to improve their company’s bottom-line performance as critical to the Group’s future success. To meet these objectives, it needed not simply to develop a new leadership-training program: it needed a partner who could help create the leadership team itself – and who could do so at scale.

The Commitment:

In collaboration with The Group, SMB designed the LEP – Leaders Empowerment Program to develop a top-level leadership team capable of transforming the organizational culture, growing the business, sustaining success, and contributing to the Group’s long-term objectives and plans.

It was to be a 12-month learning journey for the entire top level of the Group leadership, some 10 Directors, 20 Senior Managers, 30+ Managers, and the Managing Directors.

The L&D Initiative:

LEP developed leadership capacity at each level, focusing on the knowledge, attitudes, capabilities, and leadership competencies to prepare leaders for the future. Each participant will learn through Skill-Building Workshops in KSA, with group coaching for managers and 1:1 coaching for executives, along with on-the-job assignments and follow-up.

The key was to implant learning and empower participants to apply new approaches, skills, concepts, and behaviors in the workplace.

The Impact: By 2018, The Group achieved the following set objectives:  

1. Solved mischievous internal/external problems.

2. Established new Internal (Interdepartmental) and external (Vendors’) communication strategies.

3. Improved their team collaboration and teamwork spirit.

4. Developed a balanced workforce based on skills, talents, behaviors, and potential.

5. Cut fat, eliminate unnecessary financial burdens, and reduce direct and indirect costs.

6. Developed an innovative and effective workflow process and organized tasks and jobs.

7. Increased their market share, grew new opportunities, and opened new lines of business.

8. Increased their bottom line performance and the sales numbers generated from their services rendered in KSA.

9. Improved jobs and task quality, efficiency, and timetable.

10. Identified and implemented practical leadership styles that suit their organization’s culture and business field.

11. Defined and set clear short and long-term goals with practical strategic plans and action activities.

Changed the organizational culture to “leaders who focus on people and develop other leaders.” 

Client Testimonial:

“LEP systematic, profound, and impactful leadership coaching and training has transformed the way we think, plan, execute, and practice our leadership. I have already achieved many goals, including merging and restructuring departments, redesigning job descriptions, launching new services, hiring new professionals, designing work processes, and changing my team’s market perspective, among others. I’m very thankful for your unwavering support, the transformational coaching sessions, and the exceptional knowledge LEP has provided us. LEP literally helped us transform our organization, achieve our set goals, and steer the organization in the right direction for continuous growth and expansion.” – Yazeed Abo Jabal, Director Innovation & Technology.

Leadership and Performance Outcomes:

• Transformed Leadership Capacity
• Optimizing leadership practice across all divisions.
• Enhanced Strategic Thinking, Planning, and Results.
• Business Growth increased its Events Business in KSA by 25%.
• Building a coherent and Collaborative Team.
• Improved collaboration between different business sectors.

Result: Bottom-line performance improved by 30% and leadership impact increased by 45% — across a $75M organization. 

Our client is a mid-sized construction company with a solid reputation for providing residential projects for suburban Kuwaiti communities. However, facing increased competition and a desire for growth, they embarked on a strategic planning initiative to assess their competitive landscape, define their value proposition, and outline their growth strategies.  

The Challenge:

• Develop a comprehensive business plan outlining BC’s future direction
• Identify BC’s target customers and understand their needs
• Define a compelling value proposition that differentiates BC from competitors
• Conduct a competitive analysis to understand the market landscape
• Identify marketing strategies and social media channels for better positioning.  

The Solutions: A Comprehensive 12-Month Consultation Addressing the Key Areas.

Collaboratively Achieved the following Objectives Through Executive Coaching Sessions:

1. Business Planning: 

• The first step was to create a detailed business plan. This plan included an analysis of BC’s internal strengths and weaknesses (SWOT analysis) and an assessment of external opportunities and threats.
• The plan also outlined the company’s mission statement, emphasizing quality craftsmanship, customer satisfaction, and commitment to sustainable building practices. Financial projections were developed based on market research and the client’s historical performance.

2. Customer Identification: The client identified two primary customer segments:

• New High-end Private Residence Owners: This “young professionals” group valued energy-efficient homes with modern features and sought a streamlined construction process.
• They desired single-story, low-maintenance homes with accessibility features for aging in place.
• Real Estate Companies and Medical Buildings: Commercial property owners and tenants seeking property management, development, or construction services.

3. Value Proposition: BC defined its value proposition to cater to both customer segments. 

• Quality and Expertise: Highlighting their experienced team and commitment to using top-of-the-line materials.
• Customizable Solutions: Offering flexible plans and customization options to meet specific needs.
• Sustainable Construction: Emphasizing energy-efficient practices and eco-friendly materials.
• Streamlined Process: Ensuring clear communication and a transparent timeline for project completion.

4. Competitive Analysis: Identified key players in the market. They differentiated themselves by:

• Focus on Customer Service: Providing dedicated project managers and prioritizing open communication.
• Specialization Efficiency: Offering expertise in sustainable construction and green building certifications.
• Targeted Marketing Strategy: Tailoring marketing messages to resonate with the young professionals and Real Estate and Medical Buildings segments.

Conclusion:

The client’s strategic planning program resulted in a clear roadmap for growth. The company successfully targeted new customer segments, emphasizing its unique value proposition. Implementing a sustainable construction focus attracted environmentally conscious clients. The company has built stronger relationships with its client base through improved customer service and communication.

Lessons Learned: 

• Defining goals, analyzing the market, and identifying opportunities set the stage for long-term success.
• Catering to specific customer needs and preferences creates targeted marketing efforts and fosters loyalty.
• Identifying a unique value proposition allows a company to stand out in a competitive market.

Result: KWD 2M efficiency recovery achieved — with a 40% increase in organizational morale through culture realignment and strategic repositioning. 

Empowering an NGO in Lebanon Through Strategic Planning and Talent Development.

About the Program:

The NGO utilizes play-based interventions to empower children and youth affected by conflict and crisis. They require a robust strategic plan, effective change management strategies, and a well-structured talent development program to maximize their impact and adapt to a changing environment.

The Challenge:

• Lack of a clearly defined strategic roadmap aligning mission, vision, and core values with long-term goals.
• Difficulty adapting to the evolving needs of beneficiaries and the broader socio-political landscape.
• Need to identify, nurture, and retain top talent for program success.
• They need to increase their fundraising initiatives and engage donors.

The Solutions:

• A Comprehensive 7-Day Program Addressing the Key Areas. Collaboratively.
• Achieved the following Objectives Through Workshops and Group Coaching Sessions:

1. Strategic Planning:

• Identified the Organization’s core values and crafted a mission statement.
• Conducted a comprehensive SWOT analysis to assess Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
• Collaboratively set the Organization’s Strategic Objectives and developed a five-year strategic roadmap.
• Set the Organization’s short and mid-term goals and action plans.
• Learned to implement, evaluate, and review the strategic plan for continuous improvement.

2. Change Management: 

• Developed strategies for human responses to change and strategies to manage resistance.
• Designed effective communication techniques to ensure clear understanding and buy-in for their strategic plans and initiatives.
• Developed Methods for coping with stress associated with organizational change.

3. Talent Development:

• Developed and built a talent management program to identify, develop, and retain high-potential staff.
• Utilized competency-based management practices to assess and nurture skill sets.
• Designed development programs like coaching, mentoring, and leadership training for talent growth.
• Developed a comprehensive performance management system to foster employee engagement.

Our Achievements with the NGO:

1. Develop a Clear Strategy:   

• A clearly defined strategic plan with measurable goals and KPIs to guide the NGO’s future direction.
• Developed a robust Talent Management Program based on competencies and talents.

2. Created a Change Management Program:

• A more adaptable organization equipped to navigate internal and external changes.
• Clearly Defined Change Management Change Strategies.

3. Enhanced Team Effectiveness:

• A motivated and skilled workforce capable of delivering impactful programs for children and youth.
• Increased effectiveness and efficiency in program delivery.

4. Boosted the Team Morale:

• Enhanced staff capacity and morale.
• A sustainable and adaptable organization with a clear vision and strategic direction in Lebanon.

Result: A clearly defined 5-year strategic roadmap, a robust talent management program, and a measurable change management plan — delivered within a 7-day intensive engagement.