John Mann
(Vice President, Robert Mann Packaging)

Executive Coaching Success Story

John Mann is Vice President at RMP, the largest produce packaging manufacturer in California. Mann runs one of three business units at the $120 million company and reports directly to the CEO. "RMP's rigid plastic business accounts for about 30% of the company's revenue and we expect it to be the most profitable segment over the next few years," says Mann.

A New Way of Managing

Growing and managing his business unit means a lot of responsibility for Mann and much of the company's projected success depends on his skills as a manager and entrepreneur."Things have changed quite a bit since I started with RMP ten years ago," recalls Mann. In that time, the business has grown from one plant to ten different locations. Mann knew the key to continued growth meant streamlining the entire manufacturing process and delegating more responsibility to his direct reports."What I didn't know was how to make these changes become a reality. Somehow, I had to completely transform the way decisions were made and how I managed the staff, especially my managers," says Mann.

When RMP held an executive retreat earlier that year, Mann met Kristi Royse of KLR Consulting who led the entire team through two days of strategic planning and team building. "The retreat was so successful that as soon as I found out KLR provided executive coaching services, I knew it was exactly what I needed. So, I called Kristi, signed up that day and we are still working together two years later," recalls Mann. "We started with a six-month executive coaching plan that enabled me to work on a wide variety of goals and challenges."

Executive Coaching Begins

After assessing his style and abilities, KLR worked with Mann to create a plan of action for developing his management skills and clarifying his vision for increasing the business. "KLR really worked with me and how I did things," says Mann. "They reminded me what I already knew and the best way to use those talents. Then, they helped improve my communication, delegation and other management capabilities." KLR used proven tools and exercises to help Mann develop the skills needed to further the success of his team and company.

KLR coached Mann on the best way to delegate the daily workload and lower-priority projects to his managers, while establishing clear communication channels for the team in order to keep the business running smoothly. "I moved from being chained to mydesk every day to working with Sales and customers on future strategies for growth," recalls Mann. "I was amazed at how quickly that change took place and how readily my managers adapted to having more responsibility."

Mann's business unit is working more efficiently due to the executive coaching provided by KLR Consulting. "I am communicating better and empowering my managers more, which means we are all operating ahead of the game now," says Mann."Instead of reacting to past events or issues, the entire team is looking forward and recommending solutions to problems that haven't even happened yet. I couldn't be happier with the way things are running."

Added Coaching Benefits

Mann is also realizing the benefits of the executive coaching in other parts of his life. "As soon as I started working with them, I could see that KLR would help improve my management abilities.What I didn't appreciate back then, was the impact their programs would have on my personal life," says Mann. "My co-workers and friends have noticed the change in my confidence level and I am much happier now because my stress level has been greatly reduced." Mann has been so pleased with his executive coaching program that he asked KLR to work with his assistant. "She's much more calm and professional at work," says Mann. "I can tell she's going to be a future leader in the company, if that's what she wants."

As John Mann compares last year's business goals to his current plan, he is astounded at the change. "My ambitions were so minuscule before KLR," quips Mann. "I was bogged down in the morass of the daily job with no idea of how to make the future happen. Since working with KLR, I have acquired the management skills needed to better communicate and empower my work force with direct, specific goals. I know KLR's executive coaching has greatly contributed to the 30% growth my business unit has experienced over the last two years."