Case Study
Becoming a Responsible Business - developing and implementing a roadmap
The Challenge
Thakeham Homes is one of the leading housebuilders in the South of England with an innovative approach and a focus on building sustainable homes and creating thriving communities.
A business with over 235 employees, they recognised that to achieve their vision for UK homebuilding they needed to cascade the company business plan through the business and empower their teams to turn the words into action and tangible results.
To achieve this, they asked us to work with them to develop and implement a framework and set of tools for operational planning, budgeting and reporting.
The Approach
We established a core project team with key members from across the business whose involvement was pivotal to ensuring the new ways of working continued once we stepped away.
We then approached the project in two phases:
The first phase saw us deeply embedded in the business, working alongside the Executive Team to develop the framework and tools that were needed. Once the tools had been developed and used for the first time, we shifted our approach to a coaching model (phase 2). This phase saw us stepping away from the day-to-day and meeting at key touchpoints to answer questions, unblock issues and help to build confidence as they used the new tools on their own.
"Good support and advice, and able to introduce positive outlook and processes for the business"
Over a seven month period we worked with them to:
- Crystalise their plan into three core priorities that gave them a clear structure for communicating to staff;
- Develop team business plans that articulated "what does it mean for me?" for each part of the business;
- Design and build a top-level dashboard of key performance indicators that they now use to track the performance of the business;
- Establish a coordinated, cross-business change programme to design and implement changes to make their internal ways of working more efficient and scalable; and
- Establish a new meeting rhythm that enabled them to work effectively as an Executive Team.
We also facilitated sessions with their management team to create an environment in which change could thrive by engaging them in the changes and new ways of working that were being rolled out.
Results
- Leadership team alignment on a core set of priorities, which enables the rest of the business to focus collectively on achieving them.
- Confidence to implement the plan.
- A framework for business planning that enables them to involve and harness the people across the business.
- A set of tools that can be used to track and manage performance throughout the year.
“I'm really happy with what we've achieved. We couldn't have done it without you. We couldn't have done it without your guiding, steering, supporting.”