The Harwoods Group

Strategic alignment, change management and internal communications for the Harwoods Group to align the leadership team, embed new practices and improve staff and customer engagement

The brief / challenge
Harwoods is a well-known UK automotive retail group representing premium brands such as Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Audi. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) enlisted our support to identify their strategic priorities and improve staff and customer engagement with the Harwoods brand.

The solution

We used the c@ps methodology to create a coherent strategic plan for the Group within consulting and coaching for the SLT. They then cascaded the strategic plan throughout the organisation in order to win hearts and minds.

In parallel we provided change management support to the Group to map their current (‘as is’) customer journey and based on customer and internal feedback to identify improvement areas to enhance the Harwoods customer experience.

We also helped the organisation to create a practical internal communications strategy to ensure staff are aware of new strategic priorities and are engaged with changes to come.

The results

Whilst the change programme is ongoing, early milestones (creation of the strategic and operational plans; aligned leadership and communication about changes) have been well-received within the organisation, with the SLT and heads of retail units eager to lead on new initiatives.

Juniper was engaged by a privately owned UK-based automotive retail group to design and deliver a leadership development programme for eight senior participants (four executives and four area directors).

The brief/challenge

In the context of a rapidly shifting external landscape and an internal cultural change programme, the goal of the leadership development programme was to equip leaders to refine and deliver the organisation’s Vision 2025.Juniper was engaged by a privately owned UK-based automotive retail group to design and deliver a leadership development programme for eight senior participants (four executives and four area directors).

The solution

Juniper’s existing relationship with this company helped us to design a bespoke leadership development programme, which gave the opportunity for the two groups (executives and area directors) to work as sub-sets and together.

Delivered virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions, the programme included sessions that challenged the participants to increase their self-awareness and to take responsibility for their progress.

Centred around Juniper’s 3P leadership excellence model (purpose-directed, people-centred and performance-driven leadership), the programme introduced the leadership team to the concept and benefits of emotional intelligence, and provided a safe space for the team to start to use the models and techniques they were exposed to, notably in the following areas:

· Developing personal brand
· Communicating with purpose
· Planning positive influence
· DISC personality profiling and understanding motivation
· Conflict management and negotiation
· Assertive communication

The participants also benefitted from coaching, which allowed them to identify and pursue goals related to their personal development.

The results

A cohesive team, who were able to recognise and play to their own and each other’s strengths. In addition, the team gained key skills to motivate and upskill their own teams, resulting in a more “joined up” approach to achieve Vision 2025 as an organisation.