case study

Human Resource Management Across Cultures. Workshop Cultural Diversity (Life Science)

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Scenario

The client was a global corporation, specialising in diagnostics, life science research and environmental and industrial testing, operating in 150 countries.

Client Challenge

The client had several individual Human Resource departments based in different countries in Europe. They needed to develop strategies for cooperating and supporting a new Central Support Centre based in South Poland. In order for the Central Support Centre to be successful, they required an opportunity to increase cultural awareness and develop a strategy to support Centre in all HR-related matters.

Our Way

A one day workshop delivered in English for an international group of Human Resource professionals. The workshop started with a team-building exercise, then there was theoretical input including the impact of culture on our brain and cognition, cultural standards and their impact on behaviour and how we deal with cultural diversity. Finally, there was a World Cafe session (an opportunity to identify future action) which included discussions on the challenges of leading teams and working globally and resources for working with other locations and cultures.

The session was led by Magdalena Kishizawa, who not only worked with the client before but also delivered several intercultural awareness trainings for the managers of the Central Support Centre. Magdalena has 20 years experience in working globally and has worked with participants from more than 20 different cultures. She lived and worked in Germany, Irland, United Kingdom and Portugal and is very closely connected with Japanese culture via her family links. 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 works in English, German and Polish.

Individual Development Program of Managing Director (Finance)

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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.

Effective Communication in Matrix Organisational Structure. Leadership Program. (Logistic)

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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.

Clients Challenge

The company managers required a training program to assist with the transition to leadership within a matrix organisation. They needed a training program that would equip 120 managers from operations to lead change within their departments.

Our Way

Two day leadership training in Polish. Topics included; challenges in matrix organisation, leading and influencing direct and non-direct reports, effective communication (from giving feedback to effective email communication), working in a virtual environment, motivating others and managing change. Additionally, three months later we delivered a group coaching session which addressed case studies brought by the participants. Individual coaching sessions were also provided for managers working in operations where they had to strengthen their influencing skills.

Training Programm was delivered by Magdalena Kishizawa. She is an experienced trainer with 20 years of experience in training of managers different levels: from team leaders to executives. 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 training in English, German and Polish. With her dynamic, optimistic and empathic approach, Magdalena brings teams together, set a safe space for exchange and support participants while they are trying new approaches and overcome challenges. She worked herself in a global matrix organisation and knows challenges, which managers face while leading their teams in a matrix and a fast-growing environment.

Cross-Team and Cross-Cultural Collaboration. Series of Workshops (Aerospace)

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Scenario

The client was an expanding German production company with sites in Germany and Poland. They required a German and Polish speaking trainer to deliver training on working in a global environment.

Client Challenge

The two teams needed to work together, but remotely, on many projects. Not only did they need to overcome cultural differences, but they also needed to address the very different characteristics of each site. One was very traditional and experienced whilst the other was very young and dynamic. They needed to build a sense of team spirit and identify ways to collaborate and communicate effectively.

Our Way

10 two-day workshops were delivered in English, Polish and German. The workshops centred around cultural awareness and defining rules for successful intercultural communication and cooperation with each other. Additionally, participants participated in an exchange through a series of cultural events.

Series of workshops was led by a polish speaking consultant, Magdalena Kishizawa, who not only worked with the client before and knew all global company sites but also delivered international development program for high potentials. Magdalena has 20 years experience in working globally and has worked with participants from more than 20 different cultures. She lived and worked in Germany, Irland, United Kingdom and Portugal and is very closely connected with Japanese culture via her family links. 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 works in English, German and Polish and during workshops she worked simultaneously (as required in this project) in all three languages.

Safety Culture Workshop (Transportation)

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Scenario

The client was a large international engineering company with sites around the World. As a part of the worldwide project, we were asked to support a production site in Poland.

Clients Challenge

The client needed to strengthen a culture of safety consciousness and safe behaviour by getting the employees involved and participating rather than taking a passive role. They wanted to encourage proactive safety thinking with employees agreeing on rules which are more likely to be identified with and followed than those which have been imposed.

Our Way

We delivered an initial workshop with the management team to introduce JSA (job safety analysis), a systematic safety tool, to identify and assess work-related risks, and agree on the process of delivery. Afterwards, the tool was introduced to all team leaders and managers in a series of workshops. Participants were able to try and learn the method in role plays. 3 months later, our consultant observed participants using JSA method in the workplace and gave them feedback with advice on how they could improve while discussing with their employees dangerous behaviors.

The training was delivered in Polish and English by two experienced trainers with psychological background. Both trainers have worked within production and transportation industry for over a decade and have a very good overview of the specifics of the polish market. This project and other safety culture projects are delivered in cooperation with MIT GmbH in Poland, Portugal and Spain and South America by a native speaking industrial psychologists. 

Working in Portugal. Individual Training for Expat (Finance)

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Scenario

The client was working for a global bank operating in 77 countries with a new Shared Service Centre in Lisbon, Portugal. He was establishing a new team with a new reporting structure and it was his first experience of working with a Portuguese team.

Clients Challenge

He was a recently appointed manager with no prior experience of living and working in Portugal. He required specific cultural information to help him in his new leadership role, particularly how to lead a Portuguese team but also information that would help him manage his personal situation in a new country.

Our Way

6 hours individual session delivered in English. In this session we explored general information about living in Portugal and more theoretical cultural insights such as different communication and leadership styles in Portugal and low context versus high context in giving and receiving feedback. This was to help in how he communicated and managed business in a work and personal context.

The session was led in English by a consultant, Magdalena Kishizawa, who lives and works in Portugal since 8 years. Magdalena has 20 years experience in working globally and has worked with participants from more than 20 different cultures. She lived and worked in Germany, Irland, United Kingdom and Portugal and is very closely connected with Japanese culture via her family links. 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 works in English, German and Polish.

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

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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.

Sales Skills Academy (Retail)

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Scenario

The client was an association of wholesalers of household goods which was founded in Germany in the seventies. It is composed of more than 100 independent partner companies and is active in Germany and 16 other European countries.

Clients Challenge

The German mother company already had a sales and leadership skills academy. However, with the growing business in Poland, it was decided that this should be locally introduced for the companies within the Polish network. They required Polish trainers with an understanding of the needs of the Polish market and workplace rather than taking German trainers from the German Sales Academy.

Our Way

First we had interviews with the company owners within the network to understand their needs. Then we ran a workshop with company managers about their needs and conducted observations on the job with sales, office, technical support and retail teams. Using this information, we set up the training process (with participant preparation and after-training support) and suggested 10 training topics to start. The training academy has grown since 2014 and delivers courses on over 50 topics in cooperation with freelance trainers. The training analysis and communication was carried out in Polish.

Magdalena Kishizawa, was a part of the consulting team and works since 2014 as a trainer for a Sales Academy. She delivers trainings on personal development for employees and managers of the association. It is a polish speaking project and all trainings are delivered in Poland. Magdalena brings great experience and business integrity to this project. She motivates participants to make perosnal changes and gives an advice how to overcome personal bareers and challenges. She delivers trainings: Productivity in VUCA Environment, Assertiveness and Personal Impact and Branding.

Executive Coaching of Managing Director (Confectionery)

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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.

Life Coaching of Country HR Director (Oil and Gas)

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Scenario

This coaching client was a female executive based in Poland, the HR director of a major oil and gas company, with more than 15 years of experience in her current position.

Client Challenge

The company policy is to transfer staff to different positions from time-to-time. This meant that the client had to move to the company headquarters out of Poland. As she had her whole life based in Poland, including her family, she was feeling reluctant about making the move. The goal for the coaching sessions was to identify her personal career and life ambitions and to set a two year target to make a positive career move and achieve her expectations for personal growth.

Our way

Coaching was provided through 10 phone sessions at 60 minutes each over a period of three months. This life coaching was delivered by a polish-speaking coach experienced in coaching women in business.

Life Coaching was conducted in Polish by a coach, Magdalena Kishizawa. She is an experienced coach with 15 years of experience in coaching of female managers different levels and cultures. She has systemic background in coaching, coaches internationally for large corporate clients and private clients and delivers her coaching in English, German and Polish. With her international business experience as a woman and a manager, Magdalena brings a lot of insight how to develop own charismatic impact, show confidence, achieve sustainable results and increased personal effectiveness.