CASE STUDY

We’ve had great success helping clients who were experiencing flat or decreasing revenue performance – what can we do for you?

 

Client Testimonial: “ClearWater Performance Group facilitated major organizational change for us. Over the past several months they have helped me and my team generate positive and meaningful revenue results in these challenging economic times.”
       - Director of Sales for major U.S. Radio company

The Scenario:

In 2009, a previously successful Top 20 revenue-generating CBS radio market faced a critical challenge. Sales and revenue had been down for over a year within their operation. The stations had not outpaced the market since Q1 2008. The staff was demoralized and complacent. There was a low level of belief in their ability to achieve previous performance and “win”. Recruiting quality talent was increasingly challenging. The President of the radio station cluster contracted with ClearWater Performance Group, assigning us the task of creating a cultural turnaround designed to energize and engage the workforce in order to achieve budget and market revenue goals.
 

The Solution: Phase 1

ClearWater began the project by executing our “95-Day Accelerated Performance Program”. We then developed a strategy session to be held on-site with the leadership team to facilitate and align focus on the cluster’s key goals. Goals were clarified and used to create time-specific action plans to track progress and accountability.


We then assisted the development of a communication plan designed to rollout the critical initiative to the workforce to drive early engagement. This plan served to cascade the vision of the leadership team while energizing the employees with a relevant ‘mantra’ they could immediately relate to, embrace, and act upon.
 

Performance Coaching:

We began our 13-week Accelerated Performance Coaching engagement with key members of the leadership team. These engagements began with the development of specific coaching goals and an action plan for each individual. Much like a personal athletic training program, our 30-minute coaching calls with senior leaders were conducted weekly or bi-weekly with the goal being continuous support of the plan, the culture change, and increased level of accountability.
 

Results within 95 Days:

Momentum developed quickly. Marginal employees decided they did not want to participate in the new culture and opted out. New “A” players were brought on board. Within the first 30 days revenue performance began to improve. Within 60 days, the cluster began to outpace the market and revenue goals were achieved. At 90 days, the cluster had achieved corporate estimates and exceeded budget.
 

The Solution: Phase 2

A series of half-day meetings were designed for the management team and individual station sales teams. The goal was to introduce the concept of “peer-to-peer accountability” and get the salespeople to determine how to operate as a team even though they are compensated by individual performance. The management team continued to break down department silos and identify gaps that were still slowing or hindering performance of the cluster.
 

Assessment of Success and New Commitments:

At the end of Phase 2, two customized half-day sessions were held to celebrate the signifi cant milestones reached throughout the two-part program. These sessions were designed to: acknowledge cluster success, officially end the 8-month program, and assess what remaining gaps still exist and new milestones. In this case, new coaching engagements with additional key leaders were established for 2011 and a series of short half-day sessions are in development to continue to drive engagement and performance within the established “winning culture” of the organization.

Directly related to the concept of a personal trainer, ClearWater Performance Group did not “do” the job of the executive leadership team. The managers and salespeople did the heavy lifting to achieve their goals. Our job was to help create and support an environment where the Market President and Director of Sales could lead most effectively.
 

Final Proof of Performance: RESULTS

• Cluster hit Market Share goal in October 2010 and continued to outpace market, doubling the market rate.
 

For more information about our Accelerated Performance Program, contact our Managing Partners directly:

Gayle Treichel Bunge • 507-467-3062 • gayle@clearwaterpg.com

Heather Richetto-Rumley • 918-298-4185 • heather@clearwaterpg.com