All posts by 6two6admin

Senior Leadership Workshop

May 22, 2015Case Studies - Performance Improvement6two6admin

Amgen are a global, market leading, biotechnology company, specializing in therapies that extend patient life by valuable days and weeks. After a very successful year in the UK, Amgen are introducing some new products but also need to maintain sales on the core products of today. In parallel to this challenge the Global organization is re-shaping which may impact on UK jobs.

The UK General Manager was holding a Leadership Forum to provide the UK team information of the upcoming changes and to prepare them for a challenging 2015.

Akabusi Plus was contracted to run a facilitated workshop that would encourage cross functional working, identification of the challenges to be overcome and the key objective of fostering a greater understanding of the 2015 objectives.

We took the Amgen team through a series of exercises and frameworks that met the brief. The team worked in mixed groups all day and provided clear and unambiguous feedback on the key issues to be overcome is 2015 was to be successful. The 2015 objectives were reviewed, correlated to current understanding and improvement suggestions provided.

The style and energy of the day encouraged delegates to take action immediately in preparation for 2015.

The client, the HR Director and Head of Learning and Development, were able to ensure that the Leadership Team were involved and engaged in the key issues for 2015. Key messages for personal and team development were delivered within the workshop content that provided the customer with a platform on which to provide continued development in 2015.

Akabusi Plus is a partnership between The Akabusi Company and 6two6 Limited. We believe in using inspiration to achieve change in people. We gain clarity, engagement and alignment through facilitated workshops. Our customers are able to move forward positively and with more energy to achieve their strategies.

Divestment Support

February 25, 2015Case Studies - Problem Solving6two6admin

The client was a division of a UK PLC in the Environmental Service sector. Over the last decade the company has undertaken a significant change in strategic direction and continues to adapt to a rapidly changing market.The client has a track record of divesting in activities that are not core to the strategic plan.

The Group Board made the decision to divest the national waste collection activity to a major competitor. A deal that had to complete by a fixed deadline.

6two6 were contracted to support the divestment process. We took stewardship of one regional activity and ensured that “business as usual” was maintained throughout the process. We were required to ensure that the activity was structured for sale.

In order to meet this business problem we provided the following support:

Member of UK Executive Team – the positioning and presentation of activity
Review each operating business line to maximize value
Regular financial and operational reviews to ensure acquirer visibility
Implement KPI measurement to maintain performance
Implement a local ownership management structure for easy integration
Integral part of the divestment team to create and manage key relationships
Liaise on transfer requirements to maintain a constructive process
Manage operational transfer requirements at completion

Operational Assessment

February 25, 2015Case Studies - Problem Solving6two6admin

The client has a track record of investing in new technologies to stay at the competitive edge of turning waste into a resource through recycling and treatment processes. A recently completed process facility was fully operational and behind plan on performance.

The company leadership required faster progress on improvements and to eradicate unsustainable levels of operating losses.

6two6 were contracted to find solutions to the business problem by identifying what improvements could be made and to establish a reliable break-even position.

We approached the challenge via a number of interventions:

Assess current capability
Set up a project office and resource
Gain visibility of the key issues
Identify short-term actions
Implement a continuous improvement approach
Re-evaluate and negotiate commercial arrangements
Recommendations to the Group Board
Implement actions

The client was provided with an un-varnished and transparent appraisal of the current situation and likely future state. This enabled the Group Board to approve the recommendation to close and divest the facility in order to cap losses and recover value from the equipment and property.

Future Search Event

February 19, 2015Case Studies - Performance Improvement6two6admin

Berkhamsted School has a long history, formed in 1541, under license from Henry VIII.

In 1996 Berkhamsted School merged with other independent schools located in the same town, and over the last two years two additional prep schools have been acquired, which has enabled a restructuring project leading to the formation of Berkhamsted Schools Group. There has, therefore, been a period of significant change, both in terms of structure and with regard to internal practices, such as teaching and learning and performance management.

Much has been achieved, however more adjustment is needed as the school works towards its aims and objectives in terms of embracing change. The main aim of Berkhamsted Schools Group is to deliver a broad education with the highest possible standards of teaching and learning and pastoral care within and beyond the classroom.

To help solve this problem Akabusi Plus ran a Future Search event for the 200 strong teaching body. The event took the delegates through a process of reflection of past achievements, recognition of current concerns and envisaging future conditions. The question to be answered was – what makes a good teacher?

To prepare for the event insight was gained, from interviews and focus groups, to ensure the content was “on message” with a kick off session held to prepare delegates ahead of the event.

Akabusi Plus delivered an event where the delegates worked together to find answers to the questions above.The event was highly interactive to ensure that the outcomes were representative of the teaching group – their voice. Every delegate had their voice heard and made their key issues known – the event was high on energy and inspiration.

The customer, the Principal and Vice Principal, observed how their team worked on some tough questions and in mixed groups. The outputs from the exercises provided some new and valuable insights into the views of their team and what they considered important – the feedback was un-varnished.

Akabusi Plus is a partnership between The Akabusi Company and 6two6 Limited. We believe in using energy and inspiration to help people change. We provide clarity, engagement and alignment through facilitated workshops. Our customers are able to move forward positively and with more energy to achieve their objectives.

If you have a similar business problem to solve then please contact us to gain the benefits of a different perspective.

Contract Evaluation

February 19, 2015Case Studies - Problem Solving6two6admin

As one of the UK’s leading companies Whitbread takes performance seriously. Having out performed it peers in the FTSE 100, for creating shareholder value, Whitbread requires that all it’s stakeholders be on their game, in every area.

Whitbread has strong values backed up by challenging targets – they know where they are going and they are committed to getting there.

Environmental standards are very important to Whitbread and form a cornerstone of their strategy. They have already achieved many market-leading innovations in this area – but the job isn’t finished.

Whitbread has many long serving suppliers who have enjoyed the growth and loyalty few customers can offer. In exchange they work with suppliers to keep finding improvements that will make them a more competitive company. If all parties are aligned then all parties win.

Challenges were starting to appear in one key area, after several years of impressive progress. This was impacting on cost projections and sustainability targets.

6two6 were engaged to help Whitbread identify what was causing this business problem and to offer some solutions that would solve it.

The project required input from all stakeholders. Feedback information along with performance data enabled us to identify gaps in understanding and approach by the supplier but also some areas where Whitbread could make life easier.

The output was a report that was presented to all stakeholders including a joint presentation to the supplier and Whitbread. The report covered issues of contractual non-compliance, commercial impact and cultural alignment.

6two6 were able to offer an independent perspective of the situation and provide the customer with a transparent and unvarnished view of potential improvements.

If you have a similar business problem to solve then please contact us to gain the benefits of a different perspective.

Strategic Supplier Agreement

September 15, 2014Uncategorized6two6admin

1st Waste Management Consultants are the UK’s leading waste management broker. Their success is built on offering their customers competitive pricing, quality service, reliability and trust.

The ability for 1^st Waste to deliver their customers the highest service standard is dependent on the performance of their suppliers. They have excellent trading relationships with all of their suppliers and in return provide valuable volume without any sales cost. The market has some key suppliers that can offer a unique set of benefits.

The trading relationships with these suppliers were under-developed, this led to a lack of appreciation of the value available for both parties, and a transactional trading style.

The business problem to be solved was – to identify the conditions required for 1^st Waste to establish more strategic trading arrangements with these suppliers.

6two6 were contracted to engage each of the suppliers at Senior Management level and to establish a route to move ahead more strategically. The engagement was completed in three phases:

Phase 1

Interview each supplier and discuss their requirements
Consolidate the discussion outcomes and define a potential solution
Present the solution to the 1^st Waste Board – Approval for Phase 2

Phase 2

Target one supplier to work up an initial contract framework agreement
Establish Senior Management contacts and introductions
Negotiate the terms of the framework agreement on behalf of 1^st Waste
Establish trading arrangements for the initial parcel of work

Phase 3

Engage the remaining suppliers with the same framework agreement
Establish Senior Management contacts and introductions

1^st Waste have developed and are developing new trading levels with suppliers who haven’t supported them in the past – this is providing more flexibility and service options for their customers.

Additionally they have re-enforced trading relationships with all suppliers enabling more effective dialogue and understanding – this is providing more stability in the volumes traded between the companies.

Overall 1^st Waste are recognized as an important customer for the suppliers and have contact points and relationships at Senior levels – this is ensuring that communication channels are open for any issue that may occur.