Case Study: Global Aeronautics Manufacturer

Creating a Collaborative Culture

Aspiration

This multinational organisation wanted to accelerate the development and careers of new leaders and talent, enhance collaboration between different levels and divisions, and support the creation of a common organisational culture and values.

Approach

The Blue Ocean Company designed and delivered multiple mentoring workshops across the organisation for groups of 12 to 200 over a period of three years. Participants applied a unique and innovative card game that focused on the multiple roles mentors can play (going beyond the traditional advisor, sponsor, coach roles) and how these roles dramatically increase the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship.

Mentors learned how to choose which roles would best serve the needs of their mentees, and mentees learned how to ask for a specific role that would benefit them most, depending on the situation.

Action

More than 450 mentors and mentees now have a common understanding and approach to mentoring, and an solid foundation for a mutual learning process whereby not only the mentee benefits from the relationship, but the mentor as well.

The mentoring programmes became a strategic tool for the organisation. They encouraged relationships between experienced and less experienced managers/employees, creating new networks and new patterns of thinking. And they also influenced a learning culture by making personal and professional development everyone’s responsibility.