Translating Leadership & Strategy into Action at ECONO FOODS
ECONO FOODS, a leader in the food wholesale industry, known for providing top-quality products at the best prices with a strong focus on customer satisfaction, recently teamed up with CreateConsulting.
Led by Melanie Kiley, lead facilitator and executive coach at CreateConsulting, the Executive team embarked on immersive Strategic Planning Workshops, underpinned by Whole BrainⓇ Thinking and the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDIⓇ).
The workshops were a significant milestone for the Econo Foods team, as expressed by People Operations Executive, Esther Geldenhuys:
“Adopting the Whole BrainⓇ Methodology has revolutionised our organisational practices. It has played a central role in establishing our distinctive company culture, known as HO HOLA (growing together as one) – symbolising growth and unity. Its integration across all facets of our operations, from training to sales to overall business development, has been instrumental. At Econo Foods, our ethos revolves around creating an enriching workplace for our diverse and vibrant team members, underpinned by an unwavering commitment to our purpose – We Improve Lives. CreateConsulting's support, coupled with Whole BrainⓇ Thinking, has fortified our customer-centric approach, elevating customer service to a core competitive advantage.”
Why the workshop was held
To build a strong, cohesive and aligned Executive leadership team at Econo Foods. With the guidance of Melanie, the team embarked on an interactive process to establish clarity and alignment on their future strategy.
Who was involved
The journey began in September 2023 with the newly formed Econo Foods Executive team. Aligned to their People Enablement Strategy, the Executive team plan to expand the understanding and framework of Whole BrainⓇ Thinking and the HBDIⓇ to their leadership teams across the organisation.
How it unfolded
The Strategy journey began with an immersive 4-day Strategic Planning session, split between two days at the end of 2023 and two days in January 2024. The cornerstone of our approach was the integration of Whole BrainⓇ Thinking within the strategic planning framework. By employing the Whole BrainⓇ Model as a lens, we revisited Econo Foods' Vision, Mission, Purpose, Culture and Values, leading to a significantly enriched strategy.
Why Whole BrainⓇ Thinking for Strategy Development
Whole BrainⓇ Thinking offers a dynamic framework that taps into diverse thinking styles to foster innovation, collaboration and strategic excellence. Leveraging the strengths of analytical, practical, relational and experimental thinking preferences, the Econo Foods team was able to develop a robust strategy and enhance leadership alignment to drive growth and unity. This provided them with a comprehensive approach to achieve success in today's dynamic business environment and was critical in laying the groundwork for future success.
Visit our resource hub to download a practical Strategic Planning Hack. For more information on the Whole BrainⓇ Thinking Model and HBDIⓇ, click here.
A word of thanks
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to Henk Smith, CEO, and Esther for their trust and collaboration. Esther’s testimonial speaks to the impact of the journey to date:
"Your role in ensuring the seamless integration of these elements throughout our organisation cannot be overstated. This alignment fosters shared goals and a cohesive approach. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to count CreateConsulting as our strategic partner, guiding us with unparalleled coaching, mentoring and facilitation. Without your contribution, navigating the transformative journey we're on would be considerably more challenging. We extend our deepest gratitude for the profound impact you've had on our organisation and the lives of our employees, suppliers and customers. We wholeheartedly endorse CreateConsulting to those seeking to cultivate sustainable, people-centric, and customer-focused enterprises."