Case study

Air TRAVEL AND LEISURE is the foremost serving the Maltese Islands – Malta, SECTOR Gozo and Comino. It flies to several major cities across and the wider Mediterranean, and works with partner to connect with Business needs many other destinations. Air Malta springs from the heart of the Leadership development Maltese Islands, differentiating itself from competitors with its Organisational change experience working with Maltese people, culture and places. Development budgeting Future-proofing

Benefits Increased efficiency and profit Enhanced understanding of customer needs and expectations Greater self-awareness and assessment of abilities Insight into people issues and cultural attitudes

Project background Air Malta is 98% government- of commercial know-how. owned, and for many years enjoyed It was at this point that OPP was a monopoly on flights in and out of brought in, to provide structure for

Malta. But when the service the key issue of leadership opened up to competition, the development. Air Malta had built Our development work with airline began to struggle. Radical up a strong relationship with OPP OPP has helped managers organisational changes were during the scoping phases of the to realise where their own needed, the problem underlined by project, and asked for their losses in 2010 of €30 million and a faults are, and to help them assistance in delivering the initial correct them. It’s a bit like bail-out by the Maltese development phase. government. standing in front of a mirror Many of the Air Malta managers with no clothes on and Some of the more obvious had been with the company for operational issues were addressed being able to look yourself several years, and equipping them in the eye and make an immediately, but more work was to lead the business through times “ honest judgement. This needed to make the business of change was a priority. The helps you be a good competitive. As part of the decision was also made to recruit a restructure, the company head- new Senior Leadership Team. mana ger, by being true to count was slashed from 1,400 to yourself. 850. Peter Davies, a man renowned The solution Peter Davies, CEO, Air Malta for troubleshooting airlines, was “You have to realise that as an

brought in as the new CEO, airline you’re on public show all the spearheading a revitalised culture time”, comments Peter Davies,

”

CEO, Air Malta. “The customer sees the nuts and bolts PDPs. It has become a blueprint for how we manage of it when they take a flight – the fuel being loaded, people in the future.” the luggage going in, the security process, and so on. Feedback was very positive, and the 16PF reports, This means we are very exposed as an organisation. administered online, made a great impact. People Unless a manager understands this customer engaged with the process and were happy to share perspective, it’s impossible for them to relay priorities information with managers, and to ask “what’s next?” to staff.” “The organisational report was exactly what we In the light of this, OPP’s first task was to develop an wanted”, says Jane-Claire Dennis, the new head of assessment process for the 34 members of the wider L&D at Air Malta. “I read it from beginning to end, leadership team. The emphasis was on people driving which is something I wouldn’t normally do. The their own development journeys, with each manager information was pertinent and relevant, and a really making an honest assessment of their strengths, good basis for planning – I am now writing a expectations and skills gaps. management development programme for this Most of the participants had never been through any community of managers to plug the cultural gaps process like this before. Complete transparency and identified in the report.” trust were essential. The company has achieved its initial goals of OPP created a one-day development centre, involving consolidation and general redevelopment, but is keen a mix of written, role-play and group exercises, plus a to keep up the momentum. It is now in a position from competency-based interview using the 16PF. Tailored which it can look at long-term approaches rather than reports were generated for each participant, putting together short-term solutions. combining themes from the exercises, plus personality “We’ve caught most of the low-hanging fruit”, says data. These reports were sent to the individuals, and Peter Davies, “but now we need to work on stamina. the onus was on them to share the information with It’s the subtle factors we have to think about, such as line managers and L&D. The reports were followed up root causes of cultural attitudes in the company.” with a one-hour coaching call. An Organisational Report was put together too, giving the combined The change has been radical, and the development leadership team an overview of the trends identified programme has been successful, but there is still work and making recommendations for next steps. to be done to build on Air Malta’s profitability. The early signs are encouraging: the business looks set to Peter was the first to go through the process, and it break even in the financial year 2013-14, a massive was then cascaded down the leadership teams. It was turnaround from the earlier losses, and a great a very collaborative process, with OPP involved at all vindication of the process so far. stages, from initial groundwork to implementation.

Results Peter describes the development work at the heart of the airline as nothing less than “a revolution”. “Our development work with OPP has helped managers to realise where their own faults are, and to help them correct them”, he comments. “It’s a bit like Established in 1989, OPP is one of Europe’s largest standing in front of mirror with no clothes on and providers of business psychology solutions. Its market- being able to look yourself in the eye and make an leading personality assessments include the Myers- honest judgement. This helps you be a good manager, Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®), FIRO®, TKI™, EJI™ and by being true to yourself. This, in turn, creates a better Strong™ instruments. environment, where we have the right conditions to This portfolio supports high-impact results for succeed. unlocking business potential and personal “The assessment process the leaders went through development, including team and leadership provides a framework and point of reference for development, improving communication, building discussion about individual performance. It’s the resilience and conflict resolution. foundation of a mentoring structure – a rational, To find out how OPP can help your organisation, call specific, proactive framework for ongoing coaching. +44 (0) 1865 404500 or visit www.opp.com.

We’re now using the reports to work individually on

t: +44 (0) 1865 404 500  e: [email protected]  www.opp.com Oxford, UK  , France  Diegem, Belgium  Amsterdam, The Netherlands