How structural change at the Audit Commission led them on a journey towards cultural transformation.

The client...
The Audit Commission - 2,200 staff employed throughout England.
 
The issue...
Major structural change within the Audit Commission resulted in the creation of a new, single internal delivery directorate named Operations. The Commission wanted to ensure that the newly formed teams were performing effectively as soon as possible.
 
What we did...
Working closely in partnership with the Commission, we developed a tailored solution designed to deliver an enjoyable programme with business-focused outcomes. Our key contribution was in challenging and facilitating the issues that lie in the way of effective team performance.
 
What happened as a result...
We have rolled out 25 training events to date; with phase 2 now underway for more developed teams.

However the programmes have been so well regarded and threw up so many ongoing issues that the relationship with the Commission has deepened. Subsequently we have supported its leadership in a major review of the organisation’s culture and values, involving the measurement and diagnosis of the organisation’s culture using a set of integrated and quantitative based instruments. The nature of the measurement has put many "hard numbers" around "soft issues" and helped the senior management to re-think exactly what they mean by culture.

Our expert analysis and interpretation caused the organisation to consider carefully how managers and leaders should influence positively, changes in staff’s patterns of thinking, believing and behaving. Many of their hard systems and mechanisms had hitherto been utilised sub-optimally and there is now a thirst for process improvement, modernisation, and joint problem solving which are starting to yield results in our local outputs.

Denison Williams Consulting continues to advise, facilitate and support the Commission’s management layers to work more effectively.

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