Challenge

Autodesk Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) had just appointed an interim executive team, charged with producing the Area Strategic Plan for the coming two financial years. Historically, the planning project was regarded locally as an irrelevant, protracted exercise. I was introduced to turn this around.

Planning was traditionally top-down. Target growth rates were set globally. Divisional plans were populated with historic and projected performance data and collated to build Area and Regional plans. Despite a lengthy review process this resembled a “fill in the blanks” exercise with little room for strategy from the Area level. 

Solution

I tipped the hierarchical model on its side by highlighting the ANZ area’s current unique opportunity for change. I facilitated creative collaboration between the business unit leaders and their teams, and guided local market analysis efforts. My focus was to build a localized interpretation of the Global Leadership’s focus for the term.

Results

This direct engagement immediately fostered buy-in, and netted more aggressive targets. It championed local talent, relationships and market-specific knowledge. The process empowered a new identity, adding a collaborative force to teams that had previously competed and clashed internally. Regional and global leadership were impressed with the approach. 

The resulting ANZ Area Plan became
the global template for Area planning projects.

Additional Case Studies