FREEPORT SALDANHA ORGANISATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
Crisis Leadership and Strategic Thinking Partner for the development of an Inclusive Economy.
Setting the 5 year Corporate Plan and gaining Alignment with a Fragmented and Conflicted Board to address the Systemic Causes of Crisis.
ORGANISATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
ADDRESSING THE SYSTEMIC CAUSES OF THE CRISIS.
At the beginning of 2019 a new acting CEO took up her position. Her first task over the next year was to set the strategic direction for the organisation over the next 5 years. The challenges they were facing required some really bold leadership on her part, which is always difficult when you’re in an acting position and therefore don’t have full support for your leadership from the Board. But she knew she needed to be bold.
Together we developed a process to achieve the following bold objectives and key results that we could facilitate over 2019 to put the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) and the CEO into a position of strength to lead bold change. Our process included interviews, 1:1 coaching sessions and group facilitation to successfully deliver on these objectives.
OBJECTIVES:
- SBIDZ Executive Leadership is developed.
- Table and adjust the direction of the SBIDZ for the next 5 year cycle from 2020-2025, taking into account social, economic and environmental dynamics and initiatives by external parties.
- Guiding role, commitment and cohesion of the Board is strengthened.
- Trust between SBIDZ Board Members, the SBDIZ Executive Management team and external parties is improved.
- SBIDZ Board and Executive Leadership is developed to enable success.
- Align performance culture of the Executev Team to meet the new strategic direction and demands in a way that can unleash team performance for success.
KEY RESULTS:
- The Board is aligned, au fait and committed to the 3 strategic objectives.
- SBDIZ Executive Management team showcase their international knowledge, and it’s application and relevance to the local context of Saldanha Bay Municiplaity.
- SBIDZ Executive Management team and experts table contextual reports.
- The Board members have an expanded understanding of the sector and context.
- A vision for the Board is clearly articulated.
- The strategy is co-owned by SBIDZ Board Members and the SBIDZ Executive Management team.
- The Key Performance Indicators are updated to align with updated strategic objectives.
- The necessary dependencies and linkages with external parties are identified/reviewed with due steps articulated.
strategic thinking
Building a new economic sector is challenging. Building a new economic sector that requires a highly skilled workforce in South Africa is even more challenging. Building that in the context of inclusion and a local community who rightly refuse to be excluded from potential opportunities is not only challenging but also extremely complex. Then add on top of that the need to be commercially independent as an organisation. Seemingly impossible?
But thankfully the commitment and determination of the leadership team doesn’t take impossible. They are committed to finding a way to make it happen, and doing it well. They have piloted many innovations and social engagement so are well aquatinted with the challenges and are willing to take them head on. During the course of the construction process undertaken in the Zone, it has become increasingly clear how difficult it is going to be to close the gap between the available skills in Saldanha and the required skills in the Zone. The SBIDZ needed to get really clear on its direction for the next 5 years to be successful at this.
For me, one of the biggest wins through this process has been that the CEO and the organisation have adopted that their primary purpose is the development of a successful model for an inclusive economy that is globally recognised.
In a country with the greatest inequality, if we can prove that it can be done, then we create something meaningful for the everyone else. And they are committed to doing this while also needing to become financially independent from government resources in the next 3 years.
Such bold leadership is being shown. The Board is aligned and the CEO has been appointed into her position and is fully committed to making this a reality and a success. So inspiring to be part of this magical journey. They will prove that the seemingly impossible is only impossible if you are unwilling to step into your bold leadership and lead the kind of strategies that will produce new realities and possibilities. Saying no to business as usual strategies is bold.