Webinar: Charismatic Leadership of Virtual Teams

Scenario

For the German-Polish Chamber of Commerce, we delivered a webinar about charismatic leadership in the time of Covid-19 pandemic.

Clients Challenge

Exceptional circumstances require unique resources … For many managers, virtual meetings and workshops are already part of everyday life. However, managing a virtual and distributed team is an even greater challenge. The webinar, which we conducted in cooperation with the Polish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, supported those managers who have had little experience in the management of dispersed teams so far. We showed methods and tricks for managing a virtual team. Managers often have a natural fear of working online. Especially when it comes to such personal and difficult topics as delegating, motivating, encouraging employees to accomplish and follow directions. The webinar aimed at the management style and how to adapt it to the conditions of virtual work. The target group were members companies of Polish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which during a crisis (Covid-19 pandemic) faced the challenge of working from home and wanted to prepare for online work with a distributed team.

Our Scenario

Our webinar discussed which leadership styles work in virtual work. It also looked at how you can use personal attributes/personality traits to your advantage while having a limited impact due to the virtual environment. Also, it explained what elements of charisma work well online and translate into team effectiveness. Key concepts discussed: leadership styles, authentic leadership, charisma and leadership, exerting influence in a dispersed team. Magdalena Kishizawa led the webinar. She is a consultant with twenty years of international experience and ten years of experience in working with teams spread around the world (for companies such as Bombardier, Porsche and Perkin Elmer). She is a coach, trainer and also works during a Covid-19 pandemic as a crisis psychotherapist.

Individual Development Program of Managing Director (Finance)

Scenario

The client was a German financial leasing company based in Germany. Polish subsidiary in Warsaw required a Polish- and German-speaking consultant to set and deliver a personal development program for the Managing Director in Poland to identify ways to manage her team and develop the company.

Client Challenge

The MD needed to work on her personal and leadership potential to better manage the team and company targets. She wanted to gain an increased understanding of how a team works and which roles are given within a team and how this affects the dynamic and performance. She also wanted to explore personal and company goals and identify key milestones for the year ahead.

Our Way

Individual Development Program was composed of five elements; orientation and assessment, face-to-face coaching (6 two-hour sessions), in-between assignments with online coaching tool, feedback and learning activities.

Development Program took about six months and was delivered by Magdalena Kishizawa. Magdalena is a Polish speaking trainer and coach with an experience in financial industry and knowledge of the Polish and German market. She worked for major German and Polish banks on Learning & Development projects.

Arriving at Your Own Leadership Style: Discover Your Strengths. Workshop (Logistic)

Scenario

The client was a Polish logistics operator which had undergone many changes in the previous ten years which included being privatised and then being sold to a total equity company.

Client Challenge

The managers working in the headquarters needed to change their leadership styles to suit their changing roles and company values. They had to focus more on developing relationships and influencing rather than issuing direct orders.

Our Way

The managers had previously participated in communication and leadership workshops with us. In this two-day workshop, we focussed on personal development and potential. The consultant had analysed their Hogan assessments to be able to give individual targets and explain how they can influence and recognise their own limitations. For the group coaching session, we used the Blue Ocean Leadership Grid as an inspiration for how to approach personal changes. The workshop was delivered in Polish by a Hogan Assessment certified leadership trainer, Magdalena Kishizawa.

Magdalena is an experienced trainer with 20 years of training of managers different levels: from team leaders to executives. She works internationally, with different cultures and within different organisational structures. She has experience working in a global matrix organization and with logistic industry. She studied at the University of Heidelberg in Germany (Diplom-Psychology), Catholic University of Lublin in Poland (Education Science) and School of Management of University of Bradford (Master of Business Administration). She delivers her trainings in English, German and Polish. With her dynamic and enthusiastic approach, she creates an open environment for exchange and pushes participants to test their limits and overcome barriers and try new things.

Executive Coaching of Managing Director (Confectionery)

Scenario

The client is a privately held global manufacturer of confectionery. Its corporate headquarter is in Netherlands. The organisation in Poland had undergone many changes in the preceding years (e.g. production had been moved to another country and many workers had been made redundant). The entire site function changed from production to sales. A new polish MD, without previous MD experience, was moved internally and the newly appointed management team needed to be consolidated and to establish new ways of working together in this different environment.

Client Challenge

The development areas identified were assertiveness, decision-making and prioritisation, and the implementation of actions in an insecure environment. Later, we worked on change management and team development. The MD needed to improve his image as a manager and required leadership coaching, to be perceived as assertive and gain respect. This could then lead to the establishment of a fully-functioning management team capable of implementing the required changes within the organisation.

Our way

The coaching process was composed of five elements: An orientation and assessment session, face-to-face sessions (4 sessions at 2 hours each), in-between assignments (followed up with online coaching platform), telephone coaching (5 sessions at 1 hour each), and a feedback and development session. Coaching took place over eight months and was conducted in Polish by Magdalena Kishizawa.

Magdalena is an experienced coach with 15 years of experience in coaching of managers different levels: from team leaders to executives. She works internationally and with different cultures. She studied at the University of Heidelberg in Germany (Diplom-Psychology), Catholic University of Lublin in Poland (Education Science) and School of Management of University of Bradford (Master of Business Administration). She has systemic background in coaching, coaches for large corporate clients and private clients and delivers her coaching in English, German and Polish. With her dynamic, optimistic and empathic approach, Magdalena brings great experience and business integrity allowing her to work closely with coachees to achieve sustainable results and increased personal effectiveness.