RTC (Real-Time Centre) is based in Berne and was founded in 1973 as an outsourced IT centre for BEKB providing software products, outsourced solutions, operations, support, and training to a number of partner banks as a shared resource.

When we started working with their high potential talent team the company was in a high state of turbulence and stress.  The leadership wanted the business to transform from a dependent shared service and cost centre to an independent profit enterprise. This would require a significant mindset and behavioural shift across all management levels.

The board’s focus was around the paradoxical management of two opposing dynamics:  How can we re-structure to become a leaner efficient organization and, at the same time, keep all of our innovative spirit and momentum going for a successful new product launch?  This new product was called ‘IBIS’ and it became known as the product that would either make or break the company.

CuriousLeaders encouraged the next generation of RTC leaders to become resilient through a time of great ambiguity and relentless deadlines.   Our leadership programme was the catalyst that helped RTC form a strong and committed network of highly motivated managers. Their new product was successfully launched as a result.

By the end of 2006 IBIS was in use by 70 banks in Switzerland and was the platform with the highest market share in Switzerland

This ultimately led to RTC being integrated into HP Switzerland as a profitable Competence Centre for Banking Solutions in 2010.

The Corporate University is a wonderful place where the top 2000 leaders across Telefónica’s institutional and commercial brands (O2, Movistar, Terra, Vivo and many others) have an opportunity to come together as a network and learn about each others’ regions, markets and strategic developments.  It is where the company’s CEO’s, Directors and high potential talent have time to reflect and continue to hone their ongoing personal development skills.

Our relationship with Telefónica started in 2009 when we were asked to design and deliver a four day intensive programme called ‘Leading Transformation For Profitable Growth’.

It was clear that they were not looking for a ‘business as usual’ approach. We knew we were competing with Deloitte and a number of excellent business schools for the initial project.  At the time, nobody had heard of us, or the strategic alliance partner (Shirlaws Corporate) we invited to collaborate with us.  In an environment dominated by faculty members with heavy duty academic credentials we were a complete ‘wild card’ choice.

We won the assignment and as a result of its success were asked to develop another four day programme called ‘Customer Focus’ in 2010. This is about designing and delivering end-to-end branded customer experiences on behalf of Telefónica globally.  We put together a team which includes the former head of customer services for Virgin Atlantic and the global head of IBM’s client services for Telefónica. The programme combines CuriousLeaders founders’ expertise in customer insight, CRM and branding with Shirlaws business coaching models, Telefónica’s tools and storytelling by people who share their personal experiences (both good and bad) along the customer journey.

Walking your brand talk

In a corporate world dominated by endless processes and reportage we understand it’s sometimes hard to focus on what really matters. We offer contextual business tools, diagnostics and business coaching approaches that help simplify complexity.

We facilitate learning and transfer skills to help our clients become more self-aware and effective at engaging others in living the brand culture they wish to represent.

We found it enormously valuable to have an honest, focused space to explore and reflect upon the challenges of co-leadership and specifically, our own personal relationship. With your help we began to articulate how to move forward.  You created a thoughtful and careful space for Tim and I to discuss issues in a way that helped us to feel supported without being led. Thank you.

Josephine Burton and Tim Supple, Co-Artistic Directors, Dash Arts Limited

Who you are and what you stand for is based on what you value.

At an individual level they provide the building blocks to one’s personality. At an organisational level, brand values create cultural capital.

Innovest Investment Research cites that intangible value drivers represent 60%-85% of a company’s market value.

The value of a brand’s identity goes far beyond external communications and design. It’s an energy that gets translated into everyday processes and behaviours by the people who represent the brand itself.

While it is important to be clear about what your brand values mean, it is also important that your stakeholders have a consistent experience of them.

CuriousLeaders helps re-energise people behind a brand’s direction and expression. We facilitate the transfer of business coaching tools that enhance leadership development skills so that our clients can role model the brand culture they wish to see.

Bottom line, you can either manage your culture or have it run you.

“The feedback from our team was that this ‘Happening’ week was very special for them. It was an extra-ordinary time with an outstanding team. People often reference back to this event. I myself will never forget it and whenever we talk about Innovation I share the results and reference back to it.”

 

B. Schandl, Senior Consumer Insight Manager – EEMA, Kraft Foods International

We believe that every client and team is fundamentally capable of solving their own problems in ways appropriate to their own culture. Our role as business coaches is to help facilitate clarity and strategic alignment so that renewed energy can be put to use to increase positivity, productivity, revenue and equity value.

• Diagnose the gaps between personal and cultural values
• Assess productivity and positivity in teams
• Evaluate personal and leadership development

Our business coaching team draw from extensive qualifications and training credentials through Shirlaws, The Coaches Training Institute (CTI), Team Diagnostics, Culture Transformation Tools and The Center for Right Relationship.

We were intrigued by the concept of a consultancy founded by ex investment bankers wanting to address core social problems such as long-term unemployment, poverty and social exclusion in the U.K. The idea of going beyond traditional CSR tick boxes to measure Social Return on Investment (SROI) was of particular interest.

Initially we were invited in to mentor the boards of small companies involved in Equal-Invest. This was a development project for social enterprises funded under the U.K. government’s Equal Initiative. One of the companies (Inclusive Solutions) was engaged with educating corporates on diversity practises involving people with disabilities. Another was the Community Development Agency (CDA) for Hertfordshire which wanted to promote a community project seeking investment to convert cooking oil from restaurants to biofuel.

Eastside then asked us to work with them on a new initiative called Spark (igniting social enterprise to prevent homelessness). The idea was to engage high potential talent in large corporations in a knowledge exchange with social enterprises as part of their leadership development curriculum. The corporates would get a better understanding of social enterprises and in return, these small companies would receive business consultancy services.

CuriousLeaders acted as workshop facilitator on behalf of Eastside in support of a number of social enterprises such as the Chester & District Housing Trust. We ran workshops between PricewaterhouseCoopers ‘young leaders’ and the Chester & District Housing Trust in Chester to help this enterprise create more operational efficiency in managing housing estates.

As our relationship with Eastside Consulting grew, we were asked to facilitate a number of their own management meetings and offsites. In 2011, the CEO asked CuriousLeaders to join the organisation as non-executive directors of the firm.