Client Success Story: Financial Services

The Client Need

EP is proud to have been selected as the experiential learning partner for the largest provider of financial services in Africa. We were asked to partner with three other providers (some global, some local) to provide an integrated suite of learning interventions for their mid-level employee populations. The target population for these efforts was 5,000 to 6,000 mid-level managers who were segmented into three sub-groups.

The challenge for EP was to create and deliver learning experiences that:

• Provided a “laboratory” to practice and improve key leadership behaviors
• Improved “business acumen” around the markets in which they compete and the customer that they serve
• Were “level-specific” so that the challenge and complexity was commensurate with the skill level of the participant while still delivering a consistent set of key learning objectives at each level
• Provided an integrated experience across management levels, so that the learning in one course would build upon the learning provided in a lower-level program.

The EP Solution

EP provided a broad range of solutions to support the three programs. Three examples include:

1. A custom designed computer based financial services simulation using our Business Results Align Map process It was built to model the divisions of the company, their specific products, and their specific customers. The program provided instructional elements, practice sessions, simulation and debrief activities. A Business Planner used throughout the program was designed to help participants apply the newly acquired skills and concepts back at the workplace.
2. An immersion exercise (for junior managers) to provide them with a teamwork and collaboration “boot camp”, called “Take-off for Teams”. Participants were challenged to work together under time pressure, a rapidly changing environment, and in collaboration with other elements of the organization – exactly the type of challenge that new managers in this organization face on a daily basis.
3. A customized self-paced e-learning program to provide a foundational level of business and financial understanding called “How the Group makes Money”. Building from an established platform, this application was provided as pre-work to the session, allowing participants with less financial experience to increase their knowledge before the class-room based program. The application provided a pre-test assessment, experiential and relevant learning modules, and a post-test to measure retention.
   The development process was complex, with EP leveraging its partnering skills to work with other providers on three different courses. The providers were based on two continents, and had never worked together before. EP worked flawlessly with these partners and has created lasting relationships with them. The results were a seamless learning experience for the participants and a great result for the client!

Benefits / Outcomes

This program is the most successful program that the client has ever run. Since 2005, hundreds of classes have been run, and the client is expanding the program. EP has been asked to continue our involvement in the next stage of this companies learning journey.