Client industry:
Food

Employee size:
1001-5000

Customer Situation:

The Client is one of India’s fastest growing Agri-Tech companies, driving social impact while transforming India’s food economy. Founded in 2015, the organization has grown to INR 1000 crores in a span of 6 years and aspires to grow 3X year on year. The CEO carefully selected his N-1 leaders during the formative years, and they have contributed well to build the organization. The investors advised the firm to ramp up rapidly and transition from a startup to a scaleup by achieving 3X growth year on year. This transition posed challenges to the Senior Leadership team (SLT) and built pressure within the system. The CEO wanted to build a strong pool of leaders who could take the organization to the next level.

Our Engagement:

The Agri Tech player partnered with GCL to launch a coaching journey covering the SLT. Client conducted an internal assessment of its leaders, and the CEO shared his perspective on what is holding back the leaders. GCL paired the Coach and Coachee by maintaining clarity of distance.  For some of the coachees holding large P&L roles coaches with FMCG domain expertise were roped in. A simple 360-degree feedback was conducted for the leaders, and it was an eye opening for many of them. Goal setting using Critical Thinking Framework set the direction for progress. Coaching was conducted in an environment of constructive tension. GCL resorted to nudging of the coachees to stay on course and focus on the goals. Insights and Foresights to the client’s business was presented by GCL in the steering committee meetings.

Customer Outcome:

The client organized a reflection session bringing all the coachees and coaches together to retrospect the journey and share the experience. The outcomes achieved by each coachee was very different but there were common threads.  Typical of a startup, most leaders were racing with time coaching helped them to slow down to achieve more. They got clarity on the Urgent vs Important issues which helped them to prioritization. Effective time management helped leaders to achieve better Work-Life balance. Two of the coachees could claw back time every week to focus on their physical perspective which helped in overcoming migraine issue. Organized way of working reduced the stress level of some leaders whose behavior with their teams behave positive. Large P&L leaders received the benefit of coaching with mentoring which helped in reporting better numbers. Overall, there was a positive change in the outlook of leaders and an acceptance to the 3X growth aspiration of the CEO.   Encouraged by the slow but steady impact coaching had on the leaders- the client has decided to embed coaching as a part of leadership journey for its remaining leaders.