Assignment Examples
I have worked for a variety of companies and sectors including: Air France Industries, Airbus, Airbus Helicopters, l’Ange Michel, Biotalys, Chicago Tools, CPAM, EDF, ENEDIS, Le Nid des Aidants 85, L’Oréal, MAIF, Mandalia Music, Seris, St Gobain Foams, Robovision, Hoffmann La Roche…
These customers are spread across different European countries.
You will find here some examples of assignments in the form of case studies in sectors as varied as the pharmaceutical, chemical, aeronautical, biotechnology and medical-social industries. I apply and adapt all my offers and methods to suit these sectors.
Pharmaceutical industry - Consulting
Deciding in the pharmaceutical industry can cost millions, so how can you improve decision-making?
I joined a multidisciplinary team as head of social sciences. Part of the team focused on data analysis for decision-making and how best to use artificial intelligence to make simple decisions. Another part of the team focused on individual behaviour: how to identify our cognitive biases and get to know us better so that we can make decisions based on an understanding of who we are.
> My part focused on complexity and how to make decisions in complex areas where cause and effect do not exist (Covid example).
I created an internal methodology based on the work of Dave Snowden and his Cynefin model, which enables everyone to find their bearings in the decision-making context and then choose the most appropriate decision-making tools. For complex contexts, I have proposed decision-making tools that are emergent and involve customers and stakeholders. I also developed face-to-face and remote training courses and games to give employees a better understanding of the Cynefin model.
As a team, we worked on a number of pilot cases, and I worked with one team in particular. I supported the manager in using the systemic approach to change his posture and thus address the human issues in his team.
CONCLUSION / BENEFITS OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The creation of a structure for taking decisions in a complex context with a methodology for seeking the views of people affected by decisions and who would not normally be consulted. This structure makes it possible to really understand what is at stake in the decision and to take the most relevant action, while assessing the evolution of trends and weak signals.
A team that’s doing well, refocused on its mission, and performing better!
Chemical industry - Continuous Improvement
Implementing a World Class Manufacturing (WCM) approach, but that’s not all…
Going into the field means seeing what’s really going on for the men and women who work there, in other words putting on their (safety) shoes and working conditions.
I worked at a plant employing around 60 people. The initial request was to implement a World Class Manufacturing (WCM) approach, but when I arrived at the factory, they were struggling to produce an order worth several million euros. So, we worked on the production process to guarantee a quality product at each production batch. To do this, I trained them in how to calculate the workforce, as they were always short of staff, and we identified the easy jobs for new recruits to enable everyone to be trained and develop their skills without penalising production.
CONCLUSION / BENEFITS OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
We delivered the client of this major contract in terms of quality, cost and delivery time, and launched a continuous improvement process for certain key production positions in order to start upgrading to WCM standards. I also identified areas for improvement in their quality system so that they could integrate automotive customers.
Biotechnologies - Management consulting
Managing polarities
Two different professions and ways of thinking that don’t understand each other and that each try to pull the other towards their own comfort zone and way of working.
I worked for a biotech start-up, at the strategic and systemic level. There were two very polarised and conflicting internal groups. One culture in the scientific team was based around the factual, the demonstrable, the certainty, and the other in the commercial team was based on risk-taking, opportunities and intention.
I noticed that they had a lot of polarities to deal with, but they were trying to solve them as problems. Once the diagnosis had been made, I trained them in polarities management, and we did a full-scale exercise to map the two cultures and see that they were two aspects of the same thing. Everyone saw only the disadvantages of the opposite pole to their preference. We looked at how to make the most of the advantages of each position and this unblocked the situation.
CONCLUSION / BENEFITS OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
When faced with a problem, we often do more of the same. In this case, it was creating more tension between the teams, to the point of pushing some people to leave.
Validating everyone’s position and the way they worked and giving them a perspective on the advantages of the opposite polarity, helped to smooth things over, reassure them and allow them to take a step aside. Coupled with the recruitment of a manager capable of acting as a link between these two communities, this intervention helped to restore serenity and focus energies on product research.
Industrial machines manufacturer - Management Consulting & Training
Perfomance management training
Whatever the product, there are always people behind it.
In family-run businesses or small to medium size companies, people in management positions often don’t benefit from the same training budget as those in large groups. They find themselves doing their best, and some conversations are difficult, particularly those with their staff about performance.
I came in as a trainer to explain the basics of performance-based management to the management committee. It was an action training course spread over several weeks. After each module, the participants had to put the concepts they had learned into practice with their teams and report back on their successes and difficulties at the next session.
We explored what they needed to put in place to talk about performance: a clear framework, relevant objectives linked to everyone’s work and drawn up with the people involved.
CONCLUSION / BENEFITS OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
Each member deployed his or her objectives in his or her department while maintaining cohesion at plant level in order to achieve the year’s ambitious objectives. The participants learned how to create a cascade of objectives and put in place the conditions to create and manage the performance of their teams.
Industrie Aéronautique - Accompagnement Managérial
Aerospace industry – Management Consulting
I’m lucky enough to be able to see industrial processes up close, but I also have a duty to keep them confidential. I’m not showing you photos of the magnificent parts of this production unit, but rather an ancestor.
My client had an industrial crisis situation in a 250-strong machining and assembly workshop. Technical changes meant that there were regular outbreaks of fire on the machining centres, the operators were under stress, the production rate was rising at a rate that was difficult to maintain and everyone was under stress. This led to increasingly serious accidents, and the management feared that if the trend wasn’t reversed, it would be fatal.
I’m not qualified to solve process problems on the machining centres, but we did work on management and how to provide direction, stability, and confidence to the teams. The management team was young, with a lot of members coming from production and a bit rough in their ways in dealing with people, especially when under stress.
I created and led a Lego® Serious Play® seminar to create the future vision of the production unit and the type of management we wanted. From this we deduced the behaviours to be implemented daily. The management shared the Lego vision and their commitments with the 250 workers in groups of 10 people, leaving room for questions and dialogue. We brought down the steering committee for the improvement projects in full view of everyone in the workshop, and everyone was invited to take part or find out more. Management was going to integrate the major feedback into the production briefs.
After that, I supported each manager on a day-to-day basis. I monitored the meetings and discussions, and we debriefed on what was working well and in line with commitments, and what needed to be improved.
CONCLUSION / BENEFITS OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
In 9 months, the situation calmed down, the workshop regained confidence, settled down, the accident rate fell (the technical problem was managed at the same time) and the increase in production rate was secured. The managers have all grown and some have been promoted to greater responsibilities.
Testimonial: another manager I coached in the aerospace industry.
Social care sector – Management Consulting
From team building to strategic coaching
Coaching the coaches of coaches! We all need help sometimes.
A support organisation, represented by its two managers, came to me with a request for proposals for a team-building workshop. The budget was tight and below my usual rates, but the cause was a good one and I made them a proposal.
When I explained my proposal to them face to face, new elements came to light and I dug and dug, and in the end told them that I didn’t think the problem was team cohesion. It seemed to me that they needed to work on the basics of their management to clearly define the roles and objectives of each person, and to put some framework back into a situation which, for many valid reasons, had let the employees do a better job.
The clients came back to me saying that the exchange had reframed the problem and that they wanted to work with me on their management before working with the team. We worked remotely, with regular meetings where they would come in with their situations and we would discuss them. They would leave with actions to take between sessions.
It was an immense pleasure to see their attitudes change, to see them put in place a new framework, to support them in managing the turmoil with humanity, and to create new possibilities.
CONCLUSION / BENEFITS OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
At the end of this support, these two people are transformed and have a clear vision and an alignment that enables them to implement new services. Their work during the coaching enabled them to be recognised within the group for which they work and to become transformation referents to inspire and guide the group’s other divisions.