Three weeks prior to the Global Leadership Team Meeting, the Global CEO had announced his plan to dismantle the shared services structure they had formed a few years before, supporting 20 IBUs. The North America CEO felt the Shared Services Model was working effectively that it was worth a ‘fight’ to save it. Contacted by the CHRO, we had to quickly move into action. We customized a survey tool to their structure and strategy, assessed the viability of the various shared services functions, explored various solutions with IBU presidents and compiled objective and subjective data.
Our report to the CEO was delivered a day before the deadline and included a report card on each function including strengths, gaps and a roadmap of recommendations for short and long term performance elevation. The N.A. CEO left for the global summit, was able to negotiate the preservation of the shared services model and became regarded globally as a leader in the re-development of shared services structure and to build greater credibility and collaboration with the IBU presidents. The CEO’s response? “Your report was far more thorough and insightful than I had ever imagined receiving.”