Situation/Problem [Challenges] 

Our client, one of the largest technology companies in the GCC countries, is driven by an ambition to harness its strengths and achieve Vision 2040. They aim to employ the latest technologies and digital solutions in telecommunications while fostering an inclusive culture that promotes well-being and career development. The client approached VCL, part of TTM Associates Group, seeking to fulfill the business needs of future work by upskilling the Middle management sales team. 

It was understood that the sales team was facing several challenges relevant to strategic thinking such as: struggling to make timely and effective decisions aligned with company objectives, difficulty in accurately interpreting data impacting their strategic planning, in addition to lack of essential problem-solving skills and methodologies to improve conversion rates and improve the total customer experience. 

Client Needs

Recognizing these challenges, the VCL solutions team ran several interventions with the client to dig deep behind the root cause of these challenges and surfaced the need for the managers to develop an enterprise mindset to deepen their understanding of the overall business environment and market dynamics for better strategic insights, to ensure alignment of their sales strategies with the broader business strategy, and improve their leadership skills to inspire and drive the team towards achieving targets and goals

The solution that the client was aiming for was to be a comprehensive integrated business approach, with expert facilitators that will guide and provide the managers with valuable insights and feedback to promote strategic thinking skills based on a 360-degree vision of the organization’s value chain.

VCL Solution

Recognizing the pivotal role of middle managers in shaping how the sales team members engage with and connect to their customer base and achieve positive financial results, VCL highlighted the imperative need to cultivate an Enterprise Mindset

Building an Enterprise Mindset is a timeless and critical requirement, it rests on three broad fundamental elements: understanding the organization’s strategy, market orientation, and financial literacy.

Therefore, VCL team advised to run a simulation-based reskilling and upskilling solution to help the managers overcome the aforementioned challenges through a practical hands-on experience tailored to the client’s unique needs to help them unlock their full potential.

Accordingly, VCL facilitated an online business simulation-based learning through the partnership with Capsim.

This program combined the essential skills, behaviors, knowledge, and experiences that managers need to succeed, with acquiring an enterprise mindset that breaks in silos and understands the importance of the cross-functionality specifically to integrate finance, strategy, operations through the following steps

• Analyse: Managers kicked off the simulation by analysing the industry, the markets, and their competition by reading reports.
• Formulate: they used the insights and data to formulate a business strategy to grow their business.
• Execute: finally they executed their key decisions across the four major functions: R&D, Marketing, Production, and Finance.

The simulation’s platform also provided an immersive and holistic environment where learners experience first-hand the deep and dynamic interconnectivity of making real-world business decisions across the cross-functional team about factors driving industry evolution as follows:

Outcome

The managers underwent an unforgettable business learning experience that mirrored their real-world scenarios and challenges. 

The approach was both innovative and practical, aimed at fostering a profound understanding of the core business and what it takes to achieve organizational goals and objectives in today’s competitive and dynamic business landscape.

• The managers crafted strategic business plans, aligning them with the principles of enterprise thinking and gaining insights into how their execution influences overall success, this understanding reinforced the importance of proactive implementation in an ever-evolving business landscape.
• The managers sharpened their decision-making processes; prioritizing customer needs and market demands through the lens of an enterprise mindset, this shift ensured that their strategies remained agile, relevant, and competitive in the face of constant change.

In conclusion, Business simulations are a transformative tool for developing strategic thinking skills in corporate training. By immersing learners in realistic scenarios, providing immediate feedback, and encouraging long-term perspectives, simulations empower participants to become strategic thinkers. VCL’s expertise in facilitating tailored simulations ensures that organizations can equip their employees with the strategic mindset required to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment.