Case Studies/Overview
Client Success Stories
“The workshop that Sean presented provided us with a new way of looking at coaching, gave us tools to use that are applicable in a variety of settings and lent insight into successful coaching practices. His enthusiasm for the subject is contagious.”
Susan Clifford, Director of Management Consulting
Kaiser Permanente
At Imaginative Coaching, we firmly believe in being part of the solution, not part of
the problem. We work closely with clients to make sure our coach training programs addresses your organizational needs to produce the best possible results. Below are a few client success stories.
Case Study #1:
The fourth largest bank in the state of California was about ready to roll out their new Power Bank initiative and discovered they didn’t have buy-in from their branch managers. How did they use coaching to get their branch managers to embrace the new strategy and dramatically improve performance and customer service?
Case Study #2:
The New York Yankee Player Development Group had arguably the best coaching staff in the minor leagues, yet their players continually performed below expectations. What did their coaches learn that helped propel their hitters and pitchers to the top of the charts?
Case Study #3:
Click here to read how Sean Brawley helped the USC football team win the 2005 Orange Bowl and become two-time National Champions.
Case Study #4:
The fifth largest talent agency in Hollywood was struggling with internal politics and squabbling that resulted in lower than expected agent performance and low employee morale. How did they get their people to pull together in the same direction and make the changes necessary to right the ship?
Case Study #1:
Union Bank of California used coaching to help ensure the success of its new Power Bank program.
Problem: The Vice Chairman at Union Bank wanted the new Power Bank program to be successful, but the initial roll-out was met with resistance by the branch managers. Also, a gap had been identified
Solution: We put over 140 regional, branch and customer service managers through a custom-designed “Coaching for Excellence” program that helped the managers move past their resistance and embrace the Power Bank program. They also learned innovative ways of helping their staff accept these changes, take greater accountability for their attitudes and results, and perform at a higher level. In short, they became better teachers and coaches.
Results: The Power Bank program was extremely successful. The regions participating experienced a significant increase in market share and profitability, and consistently high customer service ratings. Beverly Griffith, Director of Internal Consulting, said that “the Coaching for Excellence program was fundamental to the Power Bank program’s success.”
Special Report: Click here to read the Union Bank coaching program case study that was included in the over 200 page Employee Engagement report produced by Melcrum Communications, the well-respected London research firm.
UNION BANK OF CALIFORNIA: Coaching to empower employees
Download further information about the Union Bank Case study
(Melcrum Communications' report on Employee Engagement)
Case Study #2:
The New York Yankee Player Development coaches learned creative ways to help their hitters and pitchers dramatically improve.
Problem: The NY Yankee minor league coaches were arguably the best in the game, yet their players at all levels were performing below expectations.
Solution: The Director of Performance Enhancement, Tom Hansen, Ph.D., brought Sean Brawley in to teach the coaches new ways of communicating with the players that would greatly accelerate the learning and development process. For instance, Brawley worked with one pitcher who had been trying to correct a technical flaw in his delivery for nearly 7 weeks. Brawley was able to affect a positive change in less than 10 minutes.
After the 3-day workshop with the coaches and players, Brawley worked closely with Dr. Hansen over the next 4 months to help he and the coaching staff incorporate these new coaching techniques and accompanying drills into every day practice.
Results: “Our minor league teams’ results this year were nothing short of extraordinary as a direct result of Sean’s 3-day workshop and follow up consulting. By the end of the year, our players were at or near the top in every category measured in hitting and pitching, coming from the middle of the pack the year before. Simply put, we stopped micro-managing players with volumes of instruction and started focusing on what really matters to achieve excellence. Our coaches found Sean’s ideas and exercises very interesting and immediately useful.”—Mark Newman, Senior Vice President of Operations, New York Yankees.
Case Study #3:
Sean Brawley helps kicker Ryan Killeen recover from a midseason slump to perform well under pressure and win critical games that lands them in the Orange Bowl.
Problem: Kicker Ryan Killeen had shined the year before but had started the season 2 for 6 and was suddenly in a slump. The next game was one of the most critical of the season against conference rival and #4 nationally ranked UC Berkeley Bears. After that it was top ten ranked Arizona State, UCLA, and Notre Dame.
Solution: After receiving the call from coach Pete Carroll, Brawley worked with Killeen in the four days leading up to the Cal game helping him regain his championship form from the prior year.
Results: Killeen went 3-0 in the Cal game and made his only attempt versus ASU. Against UCLA, Killeen kicked a PAC-10 conference record 5 field goals and was given the game ball by Coach Carroll and the team. He followed that performance up with two long field goals in the Notre Dame game and made his only attempt in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma.
“Needless to say, I owe a deep debt of gratitude to Sean. He helped me get out of my slump and finish the year strong. Going 3-0 against Cal and 5-0 against UCLA helped us win crucial games that put us in contention for the national championship. Needless to say, I highly recommend him.” --Ryan Killeen, Placekicker USC Trojans, 2003-04.
Case Study #4:
The Gersh Agency learns how to become a championship team.
Problem: The Gersh Agency, Hollywood’s fifth largest talent agency, had always prided itself on its collegial atmosphere but found that politics and internal squabbling was getting in the way of agents’ performance and enjoyment of work.
Solution: We custom designed a two day off-site retreat for the leadership team, including owners Phil, Bob, and David Gersh, to help them learn practical ideas and tools for building a championship team. The leadership team committed to making several changes that they believed would improve the workplace environment and get people pulling in the same direction.
Results: The leadership team made changes that reduced environmental distractions, improved cross-departmental sharing of information, and enhanced collaboration among agents, all of which led to the team’s solid performance in an extremely difficult year for the industry.