About Electra Limited
Electra Limited (Electra) is an electricity distributor that is 100% community owned by the Electra Trust.
Electra owns and operates the electricity lines and assets in the Kāpiti and Horowhenua regions and delivers reliable electricity to approximately 45,000 connected households.
Their Challenge
When Electra approached the Institute of Managers and Leaders ANZ (the Institute) their objective was to create a unified and collaborative Senior Leadership Team (SLT). They wanted to build stronger relationships within the team and develop an SLT that operated as a united group aligned to the organisation’s strategy.
Electra wanted their SLT and high performers to focus on creating a culture of trust. To be an effective organisation, Electra’s leaders needed to understand themselves and how they work with and understand one another.
Electra understood that investing in the development of their SLT was critical for business success. They also knew that by uniting the SLT first, they would then be able to unite all levels of the business towards a common goal.
The Results
Electra provided feedback that they’ve seen a definite improvement in communication amongst the team. The Senior Leadership Program helped the SLT learn about themselves and how to lead themselves and the business.
The program cemented the SLT’s understanding of the fundamentals of good leadership and that the foundations of the team needed to be strong to build a high performing team. It gave the SLT a common language and set of tools so that they could discuss things with each other that they might have avoided in the past.
The coaching component of the program was hugely beneficial, and the facilitator was praised for their adaptive and impartial approach during the program’s coaching component.
Electra have praised the Institute for creating a program that was unique to them. In particular, the team appreciated the session focused on creating the SLT Charter. This activity allowed them to become stronger as a team, create consistent language and ideas, and build trust. They’ve now been able to carry these themes into building and forming new teams.
Very valuable sessions. Better equipped to support team and work better together.
I’ve taken a lot away from these courses so far. Brian is excellent in his delivery.
Great content that can be used immediately at work.
Key Areas of Need
Our Solution
The Institute assisted Electra in identifying the following priority areas for development. These areas became the learning outcomes of the customised program that the Institute delivered to the SLT:
- Improve self-awareness and understand its impact on leadership styles.
- Recognise and reduce communication barriers and ensure shared understanding.
- Build a psychologically safe environment that fosters open and assertive communication.
- Provide real time feedback and ask for and be open to receiving feedback.
- Identify sources of workplace conflict and implement conflict management strategies.
- Develop skills to create a high performing team, including methods to motivate and engage teams.
- Understand and support people’s responses to change and implement a practical change plan.
- Align people and teams with organisational strategy.
The Institute worked with Electra to develop a customised leadership program for Electra’s SLT.
The program consisted of:
- Six full day face-to-face facilitated workshops.
- Four one-on-one coaching sessions.
- One diagnostic tool.
- Two post program learning circles.
- Post-program mentoring.
After the success of the Senior Leadership Program and to future-proof the business, Electra wanted to equip their up-and-coming leaders with a similar understanding and approach to operating as a high performing team. This led Electra to engage the Institute to deliver a standard in-house Foundations Program for their middle managers. Key elements from the Senior Leadership Program are covered to ensure a common language and set of tools across the business.
It was important to Electra that they partnered with an organisation that aligned with them. The Institute was engaged because we were able to build rapport quickly, we were open, flexible and authentic.
