DHL
Active Leadership
Working collaboratively in a multi-cultural environment to produce world-class performance.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” You might well apply this saying to DHL Exel Supply Chain. So successful were they as world leaders in supply-chain management that Deutsche Post World Network acquired them in 2005. Nevertheless, for the new DHL operation to provide first choice customer service, it would benefit from people working more collaboratively across geographical and cultural boundaries.
With this drive to improve their already impressive performance, they researched their leadership style and benchmarked themselves against other world-class companies. They decided to enhance the skills of their senior management by developing, what they called, Active Leadership. When considering their partners in this project they were looking for a company that had a track record in behavioural change programmes. Maynard Leigh fitted the bill. And after extensive planning and piloting the Active Leadership development programme was born.
The programme takes the form of two two-day modules with a follow-up event six months later. The first workshop is about: Coaching and Managing International Talent - a masterclass in getting the best out of a diverse workforce. The second focuses on Impact, Influence and Collaboration – a challenging and revealing workshop where leaders develop their communication and inspiration skills. The events take place in locations all over Europe to emphasise the multi-cultural nature of the business. A hundred and seventy managers attended the programme in the first year, with a further hundred and sixty expected in year two. They come together in groups of 12/16 participants.
In the workshops participants have the opportunity of exploring how you build rapport with people whose communication style is very different from your own. Collaborating with people of a different culture isn’t just about different countries. Even within an office building there will be many cultural differences, whether it be the HR, Finance or IT departments, who will all have their own ways of going about things.
Like many successful entrepreneurial organisations, DHL’s supply chain has always been very good at pace-setting and authoritative styles of leadership to deliver results. The area that needed focusing on was how to nurture and develop employees, how to coach people and plan for succession. And how to make the workplace attractive to a wider range of talented people.
Learning and Development Director Geoff Clare reviews the effectiveness of the programme through follow up conferences, feedback reports, and by talking to participants. “Maynard Leigh also provide regular reports for us on action that has been achieved as a result of attending the programme. It is clear that our leaders are beginning to change their behaviours which will benefit thousands of people in the company. Within our environment of constant change we are enabling our managers to develop skills which will become increasingly important not just for the business, but for advancing their careers.”
HR Director Susie Robinson says “there is evidence of real change coming through. People are behaving differently. There is more understanding of what’s needed in the new organisation and more ability to deliver it. “
