THE CLIENT: Paint Manufacturer

THE CHALLENGE

Assume the full time role of interim corporate controller during a leave of absence. The mandate included the normal responsibilities for this position with special emphasis on coaching the individuals under his direction and re-establishing a healthy work environment and team spirit. Of particular interest to management was the Osborne principal’s ability to lead his team through a transition from strictly providing financial controls to providing support and assistance to all managers in the company in their
decision making.

THE APPROACH

Management realised the benefits of hiring a senior executive who could motivate his team, help them to reach their full potential, and teach them to appreciate the significant impact they could have on the entire organization.

THE RESULT

Without delay the Osborne principal accomplished the following:

· Reorganisation of the roles and responsibilities, resulting in the improved performance of the department.

· Better scheduling and coordination of activities to ensure deadlines were met and resources allocated effectively.

· Important modifications were made to the management reporting system placing greater emphasis on executive summaries, key indicators and suggesting possible courses of action.

· Financial presentations to the management committee drew upon the past experiences of upper management and therefore were more focused and beneficial.

· The influence of the Finance department increased as a result of better financial reporting and analysis. This resulted in a greater role for the department in budgetary planning, and improved communications resulting in a more stimulating environment for decision-making.