Creating a Culture of Climbers

Redefining Freescale. Accelerating Change.

The
Freescale Semiconductor
Client Story

Freescale desired to change their internal organizational culture to create an entrepreneurial mindset in the midst of one of the largest corporate spinoffs to date. The cultural shift focused on preparing employees for the organizational challenges ahead, to engage and inspire employees and managers to think differently in an ultra-competitive marketplace, and operate in their new role as entrepreneurial startup.

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What We Did

  • Corporate Communication Audit
  • Develop Leadership & Employee Portal
  • Senior Leadership Communication
  • Program Design and Creative Development
  • Executive Coaching Program
  • Employee Engagement Campaign

The Freescale Ascent Client Story

Strategy:

Freescale desired to change their internal organizational culture to create an entrepreneurial mindset in the midst of one of the largest corporate spinoffs to date. The cultural shift focused on preparing employees for the organizational challenges ahead, to engage and inspire employees and managers to think differently in an ultra-competitive marketplace, and operate in their new role as entrepreneurial startup.

Execution:

Created a multi-level, enterprise-wide culture development program. Two specific programs were created—a leadership development program, Freescale Global Forum, involving 100 high-potential executives, and an internal change communication campaign, Freescale Ascent: Creating a Culture of Climbers, involving 2000 managers and 22,000 employees.

Prior to program development, a thorough communication audit was conducted to determine current channel usage and to explore preferences for new and preferred methods of communicating inside Freescale. Two separate audits were conducted, one focused on leadership/managers and one focused on frontline employees.

Created a cascading system of communication tools, inaugural event, and a “Coach is In” program to provide situational leadership at the leadership level. Additionally, a system-wide, internal communication campaign was designed to create a flow of dialogue at the grassroots level. Based on our Ascent Framework ™, the key learning messages and organizational processes for leadership and employees were reframed in the metaphorical mountain expedition to summit Mt. Everest. Based on the audit findings new internal portals were developed in the same expedition format for the select leadership team and for the entire employee population. The Ascent portals not only communicated key messages and self-paced learning materials, but provided a collaborative space—BaseCamp—where leadership and employee teams shared project information as well as serving as a platform for dialogue and cross-pollination of ideas. Content was developed to support a digital newsletter communicating project information and early wins, engaging all levels of the organization. Through the initial period Accelerated Imagination provided much of the leadership communication through channels.

Results:

A clear message of support for those that chose to become “Climbers” in an effort to accelerate change and catapult Freescale into an entrepreneurial mindset, creating an ultra-competitive player in the semiconductor marketplace. The spinoff continues to create and compete in emerging markets.

Garnered the Silver Spur Award for the most effective internal communication program in Texas.