Case Study
AstraZeneca

Over two years CLC, who developed 5DL, worked with AstraZeneca as the two global pharmaceutical companies merged global operations and specifically their R&D organisations, totalling around 10,000 people.

5DL underpinned this process. In particular developing leaders’ 1DL (self-awareness and capacity for self-reflection) and 2DL (awareness of impact on others, understanding difference and group dynamics) was critical throughout. There were two major aspects to the project.

One was a two-year programme supporting the global Clinical merger (involving 4000 people) primarily in Sweden, the UK and the US. This included ongoing individual and team support for the top 60 leaders globally, a comprehensive package that included:

• Trusted advisor support to the Global Clinical Head
• Ongoing 5DL Leadership Coaching to members of the Global Clinical senior management team and their direct reports in Sweden, the UK and USA
• Management team development
• Team support and development for the Clinical Project Teams
• Large group company meeting facilitation

This blend enabled each individual leader to develop their 5DLs and the various groups to integrate and develop open, relational, high performing teams.

The second aspect was the delivery of a specific restructuring and implementation project between AstraZeneca Corporate and their US subsidiary. For this piece of work CLC worked alongside the Head of R&D and partnered closely with McKinsey, who acted for the US company.

CLC helped design and build the new global clinical Operating Model, supported the change implementation using our unique ‘three-step’ model and set up and co-facilitated a project steering group. This approach ensured that the critical success factors to the projects were all properly attended to – including identifying the improvements in behaviours that would deliver the change goals and working with leaders to transform the emotional and attitudinal drivers that underpinned individual and group behaviours.

For AstraZeneca GCD, all synergies were achieved and efficiency and output were increased significantly. One cohesive Global Clinical Function was created that included the US with most clinical teams working globally. Common processes were developed and new, more effective metrics were introduced.

From a leadership perspective, a powerful, transparent and relational form of leadership focused on delivery replaced the old style of traditional management. The leadership and project teams developed a new maturity and understanding about the realities of change, which enabled an increased willingness to work with and take responsibility for culturally diverse groups.

“CLC made an enormous contribution to the achievement of our business change goals.” Dr Anders Ullman, Global Clinical Head, AstraZeneca R&D.