How a national commercial bank strengthened leadership alignment, improved operational efficiency, and positioned itself for scalable success.
A fast-growing U.S. commercial bank had recently completed a significant acquisition, expanded its operations nationally, and was navigating an increasingly complex regulatory and competitive landscape. With over $40 billion in assets, the bank was transitioning from a consumer-led legacy to a commercially focused growth platform—requiring sharper strategic focus, better governance, and tighter executive alignment.
Internally, leadership faced mounting pressure. Decision-making roles across the board, executive committee, and senior leadership team were blurred. Standing meetings were lengthy, frequent, and often unproductive. Strategic initiatives were proliferating without clear prioritization or accountability, and the bank’s leadership team lacked a unified narrative about where the organization was headed.
OUR APPROACH
Our work began with a full diagnostic, including stakeholder interviews, trust assessments, governance audits, and a review of the project portfolio. We then led a series of immersive leadership workshops that served as both strategic planning sessions and working labs.
During these sessions, the leadership team addressed critical questions:
Through this co-creation process, the team aligned on new governance protocols, clarified leadership responsibilities, and began building a stronger internal operating rhythm. We introduced a prioritization framework to evaluate and manage strategic initiatives based on value, capacity, and readiness. We also helped the team develop new meeting structures and decision-making routines designed to reduce time waste and increase follow-through.
THE RESULTS
Operational Clarity
The leadership team implemented a new meeting framework that eliminated redundant sessions, reduced preparation burdens, and shifted the focus toward action and decision-making. Clear protocols around meeting types, agenda design, and follow-up helped reclaim executive time and reduce friction.
Leadership Alignment
With new behavioral norms, shared expectations, and greater trust, the team now operates with increased cohesion and confidence. Roles across governance bodies are better understood, and leaders are empowered to own decisions and communicate with greater clarity and consistency.
Prioritization Discipline
A structured intake and prioritization model was rolled out to better manage the bank’s most critical initiatives. Leaders now have visibility into the highest-value work, supported by clearer scoping, resource alignment, and accountability mechanisms.
Culture Shift
Perhaps most importantly, the leadership team began modeling a new way of working—anchored in trust, transparency, and shared ownership. This shift in behavior is already cascading through the broader organization, reducing noise and strengthening execution.
CONCLUSION
In today’s environment, growth alone isn’t enough. It must be accompanied by clarity, focus, and leadership unity. By rethinking how decisions are made, how work is prioritized, and how teams engage, this organization positioned itself not just for near-term success—but for sustainable performance and long-term strategic agility.
This external facing website is designed to showcase the culture transformation that Alexion underwent since 2017. The site utilizes an innovative scroll-based animation design, and also featured a cross-team effort that included creative, production, and digital teams.
