Talent Strategy Case Studies

Driving Business Transformation Through Better Leadership

Effective change leadership is a competitive differentiator that enhances business strategy, boosts followership, and strengthens team resiliency. MDA Leadership and PEER 150 invited HR executives from Macy’s, Inc., Marvin Windows, Polaris, and Thrivent to Minneapolis for a panel discussion to share best practices for navigating transformation. They shared five key benchmarks for success, offering actionable insights to align business and talent strategies, empower leaders, and drive sustainable growth.

Driving Business Transformation Through Better Leadership (1,309 KB)

Learn How Otter Tail and Polaris Drive Business Transformation

MDA supports organizations with business transformation by aligning their business and talent strategy and leveraging best practice solutions. Read this Twin Cities Business article to learn how we supported Otter Tail Corporation and Polaris Inc. with this important work, leading to extraordinary growth and success for both organizations. Read the article here.

Polaris Case Study: The Predictive Potential of Assessment

Joe Wollan, Director of Talent Acquisition, Polaris, describes how talent assessment plays a critical role in the success of their business strategy. You’ll walk away with new ideas to strengthen your organization’s assessment strategy, scale assessments cost effectively at lower levels, and leverage the latest in talent analytics.

Case Study – Polaris Case Study: The Predictive Potential of Assessment (351 KB)

C.H. Robinson: Leveraging Assessment to Create a World-Class Leadership Culture

Leading organizations leverage assessment to create a world-class leadership culture. Here C.H. Robinson explains how they created a global leadership strategy designed to identify, develop and retain high-potential employees; create a strong leadership bench; and develop the next generation of diverse leaders who empower teams to deliver exceptional results.

Case Study – C.H. Robinson: Leveraging Assessment to Create a World-Class Leadership Culture (158 KB)

How MDA Leadership helped Sleep Number identify and develop the leaders responsible for its record-breaking results

While several factors have contributed to Sleep Number’s success, the company’s leadership credits in particular an ongoing, decade-long effort to unite employees behind a vision to improve peoples’ lives through personalized—and better—sleep experiences. To get there, Sleep Number, with MDA’s help, needed to identify and develop leaders capable of achieving transformative cultural and business results. Learn how they did it.

Predicting Success: How ARS Identified High-Performing General Managers to Drive Business Growth

ARS approached MDA Leadership to improve performance consistency and business growth across its geographic footprint based on the leadership capabilities and impact of its General Managers (GMs). By smartly and effectively identifying those most likely (and least likely) to succeed as GMs, ARS is now much better prepared to achieve predictable business success and enjoy a higher likelihood of long-term, sustainable growth. Learn how they did it.

Case Study – Predicting Success: How ARS Identified High-Performing General Managers to Drive Business Growth (773 KB)

Leading Organizational Transformation: The View from the Top

As companies of all types and sizes are battered by the waves of changing technology, customer demands, and threats from potential disruptors, how can executives successfully transform their organizations? Organizational transformation can be daunting, but readily attainable, through strong leadership and solid change management practices, according to a panel of highly respected CEOs. Learn their seven organizational and personal success factors here.

Case Study – Leading Organizational Transformation: The View from the Top (2063 KB)

Assessment Becomes Critical Component in High-Growth Organizations

With companies facing a record pace of leader retirements and talent shortages, they need sophisticated assessment-driven strategies to identify top talent and accelerate leader development. Learn how Ecolab and Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. are leveraging assessment to accomplish their ambitious business goals.

Case Study – Assessment Becomes Critical Component in High-Growth Organizations (1603 KB)

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C-suite Selection and Succession: Delivering Leadership Excellence for the Future

MDA Leadership helps CEOs articulate executive leadership needs, identify top talent, and accelerate C-suite transitions.

Senior Executive Blueprinting ™

Succession planning begins at the top. CEOs, in partnership with human resources and their boards, must think carefully about the talent they need for the future in key leadership roles. Similar to CEO Blueprinting™, MDA Leadership helps our clients articulate the executive leadership they will need to successfully navigate emerging business challenges and drive evolving strategies.

C-suite Selection and Succession

Not all C-suite hires and promotions achieve success. We help CEOs select the right executives by bringing an informed, experienced, and objective voice to the table. Based on a CEO’s criteria and an organization’s norms, we assess and analyze executive candidates to provide definitive and well-grounded promotion and hiring recommendations.

C-Suite Transitions

About 60% of executives say they were not prepared for the strategic challenges they faced in their new senior leadership roles.3 MDA Leadership accelerates effective transition into the C-suite. Through a unique discovery process, we help executives gain deep insight into what it will take to be successful given stakeholder expectations, team dynamics, and the nuances of C-suite leadership. Our seasoned coaches guide leaders in designing and executing highly relevant and engaging onboarding plans.

Board Services: Enhancing Board Effectiveness

MDA Leadership helps boards strengthen their governance roles and internal dynamics.

Board Evaluations

Most boards are required to evaluate their own performance on an annual basis—an exercise that can range from “checking the box” to an experience that truly engages board members in the right conversations. Our services include full board evaluations, individual director reviews, peer feedback, chair role transitions, and action planning.

Board and CEO Consultation

Creating strong board and CEO collaboration requires mutual trust and respect. Forging and maintaining productive relationships cannot be left to chance. MDA Leadership provides trusted advisor consultation for CEOs and their boards to foster alignment in critical areas such as decision-making, role clarity, governance, and communication.

CEO Coaching and Trusted Advisor Consultation

Two-thirds of CEOs don’t receive any outside advice on their leadership skills, and yet almost all would be receptive to suggestions from a coach.4 Since a one-size-fits-all playbook for CEOs doesn’t exist, MDA Leadership provides CEO coaching. Whether business performance is hitting the mark or not, even seasoned CEOs benefit from the safe place and counsel we provide to help them evolve their leadership.

Let’s begin a conversation.

At MDA Leadership, we know there are no one-size-fits-all solutions for every organization. We take the time to get to know your business and your leadership needs and recommend a range of options that are the best fit for your growth goals. Let's see how MDA Leadership can optimize your Talent Strategy for the Long Run®.

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