Building Trust in a Newly Formed Executive Team During Transformation

The Situation

A global, publicly-traded company specializing in networking, security, and connectivity products was preparing to embark on a significant transformation. Operating in an increasingly commoditized market, the organization sought to reposition itself as an end-to-end solution provider in select strategic verticals. The company had partnered with LDW for more than a decade on executive assessment work and engaged LDW to support its senior leadership team as it prepared for this next phase of change.

The Challenge

The senior executive team was newly constituted and facing multiple challenges at once. The organization had a first-time, first-year CEO, along with several leaders who were new to the C-suite. Many team members did not yet know one another well, trust had not been established, and recent communication issues had eroded confidence. The team included a mix of long-tenured leaders and external hires, adding further complexity to the dynamics. While most leaders were generally supportive of the CEO-led transformation, some were more hesitant, raising concerns about whether the team could operate cohesively during a critical period of change.

The LDW Solution

LDW designed and delivered an interview-based 360 program paired with an onsite executive team-building session. An LDW Consultant conducted interviews with each executive, gathering perspectives on individual working styles as well as the leadership team’s collective strengths and development areas. Each executive received an individual feedback report prior to the onsite session. LDW then facilitated a half-day, in-person session in which executives shared their individual insights, surfaced team-level patterns, and worked together to address improvement opportunities as a leadership team.

What Changed

Following the engagement, executive team members reported increased self-awareness, greater trust, and stronger engagement with one another.

Impact

More than two years later, the executive team remains intact, the transformation has progressed through multiple phases, and the organization is on a steady growth trajectory. By investing in trust and cohesion at the outset, the organization built the leadership foundation needed to sustain a complex, multi-phase transformation.