Streamlining Management Practises at William Smith

Introduction

William Smith, a leading supplier of self-adhesive film, faced the challenge of ensuring consistency in management practices across its various sites. With a team dispersed across multiple sites, the company needed a unified approach that all managers and leaders could adopt as the standard for team management, thereby enhancing overall operational efficiency.

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Insights

In response to this need, William Smith introduced ‘Perform’. Starting with a company profile that provided management with a view of behavioural trends across the business, the senior team were able to alter their leadership according to the way their team needed to be communicated with for maximum impact. The platform was then integrated as the baseline for team management activities across the company. Implementation ranged from integrating the behaviours into company values to bring them to life for team members, to utilising behavioural data in annual appraisals and culture development. The tool was embraced by managers and leaders who found it intuitive and easy to implement. Training modules were developed to cover essential management skills, including navigating change, conducting difficult conversations, and resolving conflicts. These initiatives gave the leaders a clear framework and actionable strategies to manage more effectively.

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Outcome

The introduction of this unified management tool has had a transformative effect on William Smith. Managers and leaders report that previously challenging situations, such as driving change and managing difficult conversations, are now handled with greater ease and effectiveness. This has led to better resolution of conflicts and a smoother process of change management across the company. The standardised management framework has ensured that all levels of management operate from a consistent knowledge base, significantly improving ease of management and operational consistency across all sites.