A senior executive was faced with changing the strategic direction of his 65-member, quality organization. As a senior vice president in a $19B pharmaceuticals and medical products company, he wanted to encourage a greater sense of team spirit, leadership, improved communication, and respect among the different groups in his department.

KGA worked with the executive and his team to examine the organization's strategic direction and to understand the vision that would ultimately guide them into the future. We then led the team through a series of exercises that enabled the group, in a compressed time period, to experience the various steps in completing a successful project. This process involved taking on a specific challenge, formulating a plan to address the challenge, executing their plan, and then debriefing the outcome of their efforts.

The project resulted in identification and improvement of key skills and behaviors that would ultimately help execute the team's changed mission, including:

• Planning and decision making
• Team leadership
• Communication between members of each team
• Collaboration in small groups
• Trust among members of the organization

Antigenics, Inc. contracted with KGA to provide team-building services at an annual staff retreat in order to make changes in the overall communications of a team of senior leaders. KGA helped this organization focus on increased cooperation and information sharing within the group. As with many types of changes that take place in organizations, there was a high level of emotion associated with the behavior change within this organization. KGA consulted with the leader of the group and designed the retreat format to focus on the change that was required and on the building of communications competencies within the team.

Roman M. Chicz, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Research & Preclinical Development of Antigenics Inc, commented on the process and the results.

"The… activities were well designed and executed and fit with the overall scope of our retreat. Even in difficult moments, Gabrielle was able to pull everyone together and get the team back on track. My staff left the retreat with a greater level of understanding and respect for each other."

When a small non-profit museum was facing layoffs and downsizing of space, an executive turned to KGA for assistance. Many employees knew that their jobs were at risk after learning about the financial concerns of the Board of Directors. The director of the museum approached KGA through their outplacement firm to formulate a strategy for assisting workers during the process.

KGA designed a two-part program around managing stress during times of change. The first part was a didactic group experience for the entire museum staff. Upon completion of this facilitated discussion/training, each team member set up an individual session with a counselor to discuss his or her concerns and receive some support. Some employees focused on their career concerns, while others expressed difficulty with stress and family issues. When appropriate, referrals to community and private resources were made during these individual sessions.

The overall result of the intervention was that the managers within the organization could proceed more effectively, knowing that their employees had received some extra support.