TAOLEAD RESTRUCTURING
TaoLead, headquartered in London, is a leading leadership development provider through blended learning, serving clients globally with offices in the UK, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, and Belgium. Georgia, the EVP of Sales and Marketing, proposes decentralizing their currently centralized structure to enhance customer focus and competitiveness. Her plan involves relocating national account executives closer to major clients and establishing regional teams, with primary resistance coming from salespeople over relocation costs and change management. Theo is the CEO and Peter is the COO.
Enlisting Credibility
Georgia: "Peter, I need your support to pitch this restructuring plan to Theo. He trusts you, and your endorsement will give me the credibility I need." Peter: "Georgia, I understand. Let's co-present it. I'll handle the key messages to ensure Theo sees our sources as trustworthy."
Preparing for the Meeting
Georgia (to herself): "Theo needs to feel confident in our sources. We’ll emphasize their credibility and reliability." Peter: "Make it clear we've consulted multiple reputable experts. That will help ease Theo's doubts."
Presentation with Credibility Emphasis
Peter: "Theo, we’ve analyzed our current structure and challenges, consulting experts you respect." (Points to a diagram on the whiteboard.) Theo: "What’s the basis for your proposed solution?" Georgia: "This new structure will enhance our competitiveness and customer focus. Multiple experts agree it's necessary." (Draws new structure on the whiteboard.) Theo: "What about the data? Who provided it?" Peter: "We have data from a recent marketing survey. You can discuss these results with local market-research experts for more details."
Addressing Skepticism and Ego
Theo: "I’m not convinced. This sounds too abstract." Georgia: "We’ve grounded our arguments in real-world specifics. For instance, relocating 200 employees involves closing our building on Hunter Avenue and subleasing the space, including the adjacent parking lot." Peter: "Remember, Microsoft made a similar move two years ago. It’s a proven strategy." Theo: "You’ve probably seen this before, but I need more assurance." Georgia: "As you know, Hewlett-Packard failed in a similar restructuring because they didn’t account for these factors. Our plan addresses those issues directly."
Final Proposal and Rebellion Appeal
Peter: "At the last senior executive committee meeting, you emphasized staying connected with our customers. Your comment inspired this restructuring idea." Georgia: "This reorganization bucks industry trends, reflecting your innovative approach." Peter: "Here’s our proposed action plan, with a schedule of milestones." Theo: "Alright, I see where you’re coming from. Let’s discuss the next steps."
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