The leadership team responsible for asset performance within a regional council needed to strengthen their leadership capabilities and raise their collective profile across the organisation. We partnered with them to develop a high-performing team culture, supporting enhanced team effectiveness and more impactful stakeholder engagement.

THE CHALLENGE

The team was responsible for a broad array of asset management functions and asset classes across the council. As a newly formed team, they faced several key challenges that were hampering their effectiveness and visibility within the organisation.

The team needed to establish a shared identity and build credibility with stakeholders across different departments. They were struggling to navigate multiple organisational perspectives across functional boundaries. This required strengthening their collective leadership capabilities. Additionally, internally the team lacked a shared understanding of healthy collaboration and resilient team behaviours, particularly when facing the challenges that are common  when managing an enterprise level function such as asset management within an asset intense environment such as a council.

These challenges were creating barriers to effective stakeholder engagement, limiting the team's influence, and preventing them from optimising their strategic impact across the council's operations.

THE SOLUTION

We developed a comprehensive approach to strengthen the team's leadership capabilities and enhance their profile across the council. Our human-centred methodology focused on building trust, establishing healthy team dynamics, and optimising performance through sustainable change.

Key steps:

1. Discovery & Needs Assessment - We conducted in-depth 1-on-1 interviews with team members to understand their specific opportunities and challenges. This was complemented by a stakeholder audit using interviews and a specially designed survey to identify stakeholder needs and inform our approach to team development.
2. Individual & Team Insight Development - We administered and individually debriefed leaders using The WorkPlace Big 5™ personality profile and the Resilience at Work® (R@W) personal workplace resilience profile. This was followed by administering the R@W Team profile to develop collective insight on team level resources and unpack factors that contribute to team resilience.
3. Facilitated Workshop Series - Based on insights gathered, we designed and facilitated workshops focused on developing personal and collective understanding of individual work styles, team interactions, and strategies for developing trust, belonging, identity, collaborative practice and resilience.
4. Stakeholder Engagement Strategy - We facilitated dedicated workshops to support the team in developing an effective stakeholder engagement strategy and implementation plan, enabling them to engage more effectively across the organisation.
5. Ongoing Coaching & Support - We provided follow-up coaching sessions designed to support leaders in dynamic troubleshooting and development as they applied workshop learnings and executed their stakeholder engagement plan.

Key features:

• Comprehensive personality and resilience assessments to understand team dynamics
• Tailored workshops designed to build on team members' individual strengths
• Practical tools for improving communication and collaboration
• Strategic approach to stakeholder mapping and engagement
• Targeted coaching sessions to reinforce new skills and behaviours

THE RESULTS

Through our partnership, the leadership team developed stronger leadership capabilities and a more cohesive team identity. The insights gained from individual and team assessments enabled them to leverage their diverse strengths more effectively and build greater resilience in the face of challenges.

The team established healthier and more resilient normative behaviours, leading to improved collaboration and communication. Their stakeholder engagement strategy helped to raise their collective profile across the organisation, supporting them to better fulfil their asset management function.

Leaders reported feeling more confident in navigating complex stakeholder relationships and more equipped to optimise their performance during periods of change. The combination of workshop learning and practical coaching support helped to embed new behaviours and ways of working, contributing to positive change for both the team and their stakeholders across the council.