Team Coaching in Top Management

The Occasion:

When rivalry turns into real teamwork –
How top executives from four countries bridged their differences –
and now work toward a shared goal with genuine trust.

The Starting Point:

Following a restructuring at a multinational corporation, four Scandinavian country managing directors were expected to work more closely together – alongside two German chairmen. The goal: to capture synergies across country and brand boundaries.

But instead of cooperation, the atmosphere was marked by mistrust, power plays, and cultural misunderstandings. Meetings were dominated by tension, disagreement, and covert competition. Everyone preferred to focus on their own country – rather than on the bigger picture.

What made it especially challenging: the two chairmen had completely different leadership styles. One – conservative, experienced, steeped in tradition. The other – dynamic, modern, open to change. These tensions rippled through the entire team.

My Mandate:

Build trust, develop a shared understanding of values, and strengthen collaboration at the top-management level.

The Approach:

Through individual interviews and regular workshops, we made personal, cultural, and structural differences visible – and open for discussion.

The executives learned to address conflicts early, recognize common ground, and use differing perspectives as a resource.

The Outcome:

After twelve months, a loose circle of executives had become a real team.

✔ A clear, shared understanding of goals and values
✔ More openness and trust in working together
✔ Noticeably lighter meetings – more efficient, more constructive
✔ Agreement on a joint approach to executing strategic goals

“Today we work as a real team. We no longer waste time on political games – and even the numbers have improved.”– Feedback from one of the chairmen

When Team Coaching Makes Sense:

✔ When tensions or conflicting goals are blocking collaboration
✔ During mergers, restructurings, or across cultural differences
✔ To strengthen a shared understanding of leadership
✔ When teams are newly formed or strategically realigned

Do you see yourself in this?