“As an SME, we had been through a significant period of change following the death of my father in 2022, who had been the sole shareholder and director. Since then, my mum and I took over the business, and within three years we relocated from Hyde to Hull and restructured the entire office team, including creating and filling several new roles.
However, our roles, particularly at leadership level were not clearly defined. The General Manager had effectively become the central point for everything, which meant he was overwhelmed with operational tasks rather than focusing on strategic leadership. At the same time, I needed to step back from day-to-day involvement and work more efficiently around reduced hours.
Communication across the team was also a challenge. Much of the knowledge sat with the GM, limiting the team’s ability to support effectively. Overall, the team felt disjointed, with a lack of clarity around responsibilities, boundaries, and how we could best work together.” – Kate – Director – Marcalex
“Blue Tree supported us in redefining roles and responsibilities across the business, helping us build a clearer, more effective structure that played to each individual’s strengths while still allowing flexibility as an SME.
Phil delivered Insights Discovery profiling for the team, alongside leadership profiling for me and the GM, which gave us a much better understanding of how we communicate and operate. This was complemented by team workshops focused on communication and culture, which helped to strengthen relationships and improve how we work together day-to-day.
On a leadership level, Phil worked closely with both me and the GM to develop our management styles, challenge our thinking, and address our blind spots. He also provided valuable HR support during more challenging periods and was flexible in adapting his level of involvement depending on the needs of the business.
As I work remotely, Phil also became a trusted presence on the ground, building strong relationships with the team, identifying potential issues early, and providing support where it was needed most.” – Kate – Director – Marcalex
“The transformation has been significant. We now have a complete and well-balanced team, with the right people in the right roles and a much clearer understanding of individual responsibilities and boundaries.
Our culture has improved noticeably, and we are more aligned, collaborative, and focused, with regular and effective communication touchpoints in place. The team is working together with a shared sense of purpose, which has had a positive impact on both morale and productivity.
Phil also supported us in identifying where roles or team dynamics were not quite right, giving us the confidence to make changes.
In addition, we benefited from his wider network and expertise, including support with reforming our pay structure. This is now being rolled out to create a fairer, more transparent, and sustainable system for our site-based colleagues.
While there is always more to do, the progress we have made has been substantial.” – Kate – Director – Marcalex