AB Agri Case Study | Driving High Performance

The Brief

In March 2007 looking to drive higher and better results across the business, AB Agri approached NKD to help engage its managers with the High Performance agenda. Whilst progress was being made, AB Agri wanted to realise results more quickly, getting managers to recognise Performance Management as a strategic business priority and key lever to drive bottom line results. The Board also wanted to use this opportunity to launch a set of leadership ‘Minimum Standards’ to clarify its expectations regarding professional, engaging people management.
 

The Solution

A 2-day ‘Driving High Performance’ workshop was developed and designed to help managers engage – both intellectually and emotionally – with the Performance Management agenda.

Prior to the workshops, NKD conducted research with Board members and the wider leadership team to identify the existing levels of ‘skill’ and ‘will’ (motivation) across the whole management team. This was especially important given the number, and likely range of, experience, of the target leadership audience.

The solution had three stages – firstly, a ‘Top Team’ workshop for the Board to develop and agree the ‘Minimum Standards’, and to familiarise and engage them with the manager’s workshops. Secondly, a workshop tailored to Senior leaders and thirdly, a specific workshop for Middle managers.

Using external research and best practice, leaders benchmarked the organisations and their own individual performance to get a realistic, objective ‘fix’ on current strengths and development areas. Plenty of opportunity to discuss the realities of managing others led managers to ‘open up’ about difficulties they experienced when managing performance, including the challenges of managing across shifts and at remote sites. Practical skills development sessions gave managers the opportunity to hone their abilities further in key areas of setting objectives, conducting appraisals, coaching etc. The workshop concluded with managers identifying how they would improve their performance in up and coming performance reviews.
 

Results

Both quantitatively and qualitatively, the feedback from all workshops was extremely positive, with the event scoring an average of 4.5 out of 5 in post-event surveys. The business achieved their objectives with managers saying they left the workshops clear on the High Performance process, the Board’s ‘Minimum Standards’ and feeling more confident in their ability to manage performance issues.

Additionally, the workshop discussions generated many useful ideas and feedback for HR and the Board on related topics e.g. span of management control, reward and recognition schemes. These have been considered and progressed since the workshops helping accelerate the High Performance agenda further.