BACKGROUND

Our client was from the Pharmaceutical sector which is undergoing rapid change with frequent reorganisation as companies merge and the drugs under development move through their development phases

What experience does Obsidian have in this sector?

Obsidian has worked for many years with large pharmaceutical companies and also with small more specialist companies operating in the sector.

Nature of client's problem

The client needed to develop two members of a restructured executive team.

Obsidian's experience in this problem area?

Development of senior manager often needs to be fitted in around a busy schedule and lends itself well to a coaching approach. Obsidian specialises in providing the 1-1 personal coaching needed and has considerable experience of coaching senior and middle managers.

Objectives of Product/service offered by Obsidian

The objectives of the coaching differed for each individual but were based around two themes:

• learning techniques of personal effectiveness resulting in improved time and self-management
• developing people skills to improve interactions and productivity in the workplace

How the assignment was carried out

The conduct of the assignment was based on a framework which provides Consultant input on Skills and Techniques; discussion on how this relates to the role of the individual; production/review of a Personal Development Portfolio and Individual Action Plan.

We held a series of one-to-one sessions with an interval of approximately 4 weeks between each meeting. The coaching differed in terms of topic and approach for each individual, indeed for every session, but each manager maintained a Personal Development Portfolio in which they logged progress and completed personal action plans

Benefits for the client

The commissioning Director commented during an Obsidian customer satisfaction survey that the coaching intervention had contributed greatly to the development of the individuals concerned; and the individuals felt this themselves, being very pleased with the development outcomes. He rated our quality of service as "excellent" and described the coaching as "a jewel" and "top of the tree".