Examples of client work

Helaba, a commercial bank and organisation which operates across multiple and increasingly interlinked locations, recognised the fact that effective Virtual Leadership is a significant success factor. With this in mind the following two fundamental questions are particularly significant: With which specific methods and techniques do managers need to be equipped to work effectively in the virtual world? Which specific communication skills do they need in order to build trust-based relationships with employees?

Mindful of the objective to support the managers, not only on a technical but also on organisational and cultural level, Black Gazelle Consulting implemented the ‘Virtual Leadership’ training project at Helaba in 2015. Karsten Bich, Head of Human Resources, explains: “We would like to increase the managers’ awareness of what it means for employees when they feel isolated and to equip them with methods and techniques to foster successful virtual teamwork and collaboration.”

The International Federation of the Blue Cross (IFBC) is an independent, non-governmental health development organisation dedicated to preventing and reducing the harmful use of alcohol and illicit drugs especially among children, youth and families. Furthermore, it advocates evidence-based alcohol policy formulation and implementation on national and international levels. Through the activities and projects of its Secretariat and 42 member organisations (MOs), IFBC aspires to ensure that all people have the opportunity to knowingly choose and live a life free of addiction to alcohol and drugs. In addition, IFBC activities seek to provide people harmed by alcohol and drugs with access to the benefits of high quality and holistic treatment. Internationally, the Blue Cross is organised as a federation of local and national organisations of differing sizes, strengths and capabilities.

T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, ‘shapes the networked future of business and society and creates value for customers, employees and investors thanks to innovative ICT solutions’.

In 2012 and 2013 T-Systems commissioned Black Gazelle Consulting to design and run several Virtual Leadership Programmes as one stand-alone module and as a modular part of a broader Leadership Programme.

Participants described a culture, prior to the Virtual Leadership Programme, where there was the clear need to demonstrate a strong task focus, where time spent on reflecting was difficult to find and where relationship building was incidental rather than intentional.

Represented in almost 50 countries worldwide with nearly 143 million mobile customers and over half of its 60.1 billion Euro revenue generated outside of its home country, Deutsche Telekom is a global telecommunications powerhouse that is paving the way towards the future of virtual leadership.

Together with Virtual Leadership Expert Ghislaine Caulat and her vanguard team at Black Gazelle Consulting, Deutsche Telekom invited an exclusive brain trust of Vice Presidents, Department Heads, and Division Managers to participate in a three-day intensive Virtual Leadership Programme conducted remotely across the European continent. The objective was to help these already established leaders to become more focused, effective and impactful influencers when working virtually amongst their teams and throughout their industry.

Umicore is a global materials technology group offering materials and solutions that are at the cutting edge of new technological developments essential to everyday life.

One senior international team approached Black Gazelle Consulting with the aim of improving the effectiveness of their virtual team meetings. While the team concerned were somewhat unhappy with their current meetings, they were not convinced that training in working virtually was a good use of their valuable time. The senior level of the sponsorship and the very time efficient offering from Black Gazelle Consulting, convinced the client that it made sense to go ahead.