Coaching for Organisational Transformation
Context:
When Two Companies Become One
How a leadership team successfully drove cultural change during a merger.
Initial Situation:
As part of a merger, two companies – A and B – were to work more closely together under a single corporate umbrella. The two had markedly different strategies and corporate cultures:
A – A technology-driven sales company, offering premium-priced solutions.
B – A cost-conscious supplier with a strong market presence.
The Challenge:
✔ Externally, A and B were to remain separate brands – but internally, they needed to operate as one cohesive team with a shared vision, strategy, and culture.
✔ The holding company was transitioning into a centrally managed matrix organisation.
✔ A unifying corporate culture had to be built – fully aligned with the group’s core values.
Coaching Goals During the Transformation:
✔ Clarify roles and achieve strong team alignment
✔ Develop a shared approach to leadership
✔ Foster constructive collaboration despite differing viewpoints
✔ Establish a credible, lived organisational culture
✔ Consistently deliver on the transformation objectives
My Role:
To guide the top leadership team through the transformation – by providing executive coaching, facilitating team workshops, and applying Hogan-based personality diagnostics, all closely aligned with the merger’s goals.
Approach:
1. Analysis Phase:
Conducted individual interviews with all members of the leadership team to uncover expectations, potential obstacles, and opportunities. Based on these insights, a tailored workshop and coaching plan was developed.
2. Implementation Phase::
Over the course of one year, a series of team workshops addressed cultural differences, personal styles, and responsibilities. Together, the team established clear communication and decision-making processes – supported by a shared understanding of leadership.
In parallel, each leader received monthly individual coaching sessions (three hours each), tailored to their Hogan profiles.
Results After 12 Months:
✔ Open and trusting communication within the leadership team
✔ Faster, jointly owned decision-making
✔ Strong commitment to shared values, vision, and strategy
✔ A visible transformation across the organisation – recognised and acknowledged by employees
✔ Leaders embodying the cultural change as credible role models
„We really work as a team now. We make decisions faster – with more trust, more enjoyment, and greater ownership.
Without external support, we simply couldn’t have achieved this in such a short time.”
– Feedback from a leadership team member
When Transformation Coaching Makes Sense:
✔ During mergers, acquisitions, or carve-outs
✔ When introducing a new corporate culture
✔ In digitalisation processes or organisational restructuring
✔ During cost reduction programmes or strategic growth phases
✔ When leaders need to provide guidance amid uncertainty
Are you planning a cultural change, strategic realignment, or integration?
I’d be happy to support you – with psychological expertise, team coaching, and leadership know-how.