Leadership Training Case Studies

Case Study 3: Integrating Teams
After Downsizing

Because of downsizing and layoffs at his regional insurance office, Pascal got a new department to manage. Previously he had managed the claims department for auto insurance but now he has been assigned to manage the homeowners insurance claims department as well. Both departments were hit by the recent layoff and are still reeling from those changes.

Now he has to merge both departments into one unit. He also had a lot to learn because it has been many years since he worked in homeowners insurance claims.

You are Pascal, and you need to understand and unify two separate departments into one entity. What would you do to help forge a strong and unified team in the claims area for your company in the days and weeks to come?


For the Trainer or Facilitator
Pascal could:

• Hold regular meetings with all employees (weekly or even twice-weekly to begin)
• Meet with his new employees individually to get to know them better
• Ask questions of people about what resources they need, what’s holding them back, and listen carefully to their ideas
• Ask questions, observe, and learn new procedures from the homeowners claims area with which he is less familiar
• Network better with new employees, customers, and vendors
• Ask each of his separate areas to present “mini-training” sessions to the other area to increase the depth of general knowledge in both areas
• Create cross-functional teams whenever possible to work on specific problems in order to promote additional understanding and teamwork

Your group may think of additional appropriate things that will help unify these two functions.


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