We asked Cisco, "What do you want to change?" – and then we did something unexpected: we helped them make the change.


Global Management

Situation

Cisco Systems is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco's Channels Organization is responsible for the B2B sales end of the business, collaborating with partners around the world to sell product to the likes of IBM, which accounts for 85% of Cisco sales. Faced with a severely competitive market and internal pressures to grow revenues, the Channels Organization needed to change the way it approached its business. Primary was preparing Cisco managers to become strategic partners as opposed to reactive vendors in the industry – to get to market faster by collaborating with, not just responding to their business partners.

Thunderbird Approach

To help Cisco managers learn how to facilitate strategic partnerships, Thunderbird worked side–by–side with the Channels Organization. Engaging the unique resources of the Thunderbird Learning and Consulting Network, Thunderbird turned a specific Cisco initiative – a project in Venezuela where they are building a new library system to provide reading for the masses via electronic books and indexes – into a "learning laboratory." The consulting began with a 4–day interactive workshop during which Thunderbird and Cisco leaders worked together to identify opportunities to improve the project. This unique learning consulting approach treats the project as ongoing, unfolding as needs are uncovered and goals are defined. In effect, Thunderbird asks Cisco, "What do you want to improve?" and then says, "We'll learn with you, providing the knowledge, expertise, and global background to make great things possible."

Cisco Result

In addition to helping Cisco channel managers develop the necessary new "hard skills" (improved marketing processes, customer engagement processes, sales processes, business planning processes, and peer strategy) as well as "soft skills" (fostering curiosity, ability to listen, interpret and understand, ability to lead globally), Thunderbird is actively helping Cisco gauge ROI:

  • Thunderbird tracks projects and knows their market potential in order to predict specific results for Cisco.
  • Sales revenue is tracked throughout the consulting process, so that Cisco hits its goal of a 20:1 return on investment.

Bottom Line

Managing change inside a complex organization is never easy, and is even more difficult on a global scale. Thunderbird's Learning and Consulting Network provides a unique growth and change management solution that gives you the best of three worlds: the deep thinking of strategic consulting, the action learning of the classroom, and results implementation of coaching and mentoring.

Related Links

Leading Global Projects for Strategic Results