from strategy to execution: simplifying governance for organisational success in the energy sector
the challenge
Our client faced significant performance management challenges in a highly complex and demanding industry, including:
Driving the transition to a low-carbon energy system while overseeing a portfolio exceeding £1 billion.
A culture of frequent meetings without collective visibility of performance or strategic review mechanisms.
An organisational climate prioritising perfection over practical outcomes, resulting in extensive papers and discussions but limited actionable outputs.
Executives feeling overstretched and lacking alignment on critical priorities.
the results
The tools developed during the project are now used to structure the organisation’s next regulatory business plan and shape performance updates with the regulator.
Executives reported significant improvements, with one noting: “Of all the things we’ve tried to change in the last three years, this is the only one that’s landed.”
the process
Our approach focused on embedding a clear governance framework and improving performance visibility across the organisation.
First, we built a shared understanding of the challenges the client had to solve, through a review of the regulatory business plan, legislative accountabilities, corporate strategy, reputational risks, and the organisational climate. Next, we worked closely with the CFO to build and refine tools, developing a bespoke performance management approach that included tools, key behaviours, and skill-building initiatives.
To ensure executive engagement, we designed targeted, interactive workshops that allowed leadership to iterate on initial “straw model” materials, fostering alignment across the team. Over six months, we guided the executive team through the implementation process, helping them adopt a governance framework and build the organisational capability for sustained performance management.
The key to success? Radical simplicity.
By streamlining processes and tools to focus on what truly mattered, we reduced complexity and fostered clarity. Enhanced visibility also played a crucial role: we made performance metrics visible across the organisation, sharing them monthly and aligning them with executive priorities. Accountability and ownership were promoted through executive performance meetings, which became a driver of organisational improvement by cascading accountability throughout the team. Our iterative approach also ensured effectiveness by first understanding the underlying issues (“the why”) before refining the appropriate measures and metrics (“the what”).