Challenge:
The 425 employees of U.S. clinical operations at a major pharmaceutical company meet annually to discuss business issues and upcoming plans. Armed with input gathered from these employees and recent engagement survey data, the group's management team decided to reshape the meeting. The goal was to move from presentations to an interactive, engaging session that would improve communication among employees.

Solution:
Davis & Company worked with the planning team to develop a new approach for the meeting's first day: a focus on improving interpersonal communication skills. The agenda included:

• An opening session for all 425 attendees that focused on communication roles and responsibilities
• Role-targeted training: Communicating Change and Facilitating New Ideas for leaders, Making Meetings Work and Motivating for managers, and Responding Effectively and Managing Information Overload for field/frontline employees
• Breakout sessions for all attendees: Leverage Listening, Communicate via E-mail, Deliver Information Effectively and Communicate Persuasively
• A closing plenary session to bring it all together: a facilitated reflection about what would change and how

Results:
In a follow-up survey, the meeting received the highest rating in four years. Open-ended questions included comments such as, "The best meeting in many years," and "Breakouts were great...gave practical info with an opportunity to develop a plan..."

For the leadership team, the real benefit was seeing the information stick. Following the meeting, leaders observed that employees:

• Used e-mail more effectively by consolidating their messages
• Were more proactive about presenting possible solutions to communication challenges