Constellation Brands is the world’s largest producer of wine by volume and the second largest beverage alcohol supplier in the U.S. The company imports and markets well-known beer brands in the U.S. and its North American spirits portfolio ranks among the top in its overall category.

GOALS

With more than 9,000 employees around the world and a decentralized organizational structure, Constellation Brands was seeking a partner to help develop a common language and understanding of leadership across its operating companies. The company needed to assure a steady supply of leaders who would be able to move into senior roles at the company while it pursued its aggressive growth strategy in a dynamic marketplace. The goal was to prepare strong functional leaders to assume general management roles, while simultaneously encouraging more cross-functional and cross-company collaboration.

Constellation’s Chief Human Resources Officer Gigi Lamb noted, “We wanted to develop our people and increase the bench strength of our top key positions. Tuck’s integrative, cross-disciplinary approach, and their ability to work closely with our senior team to develop the program, made them the right partner for us.”

SOLUTION

Tuck conducted intensive interviews with Constellation Brands senior executives, and under the leadership of Professor Leonard Greenhalgh—a thought leader in management and organization—worked closely with the company's HR department to generate a new leadership competency model and 360-degree assessment tool. With continuing engagement of the company’s top leaders, Tuck designed Constellation Brands’ Executive Development Program (EDP). The program is based on the company’s need to develop participants’ leadership skills and general management capabilities in such areas as strategy development and execution, marketing and branding, and operations and finance (using a specially developed case study). The EDP featured the extensive involvement of Constellation’s top executives, intensive one-on-one coaching, dynamic group simulations, and action-learning projects in which teams of participants were assigned to tackle projects of strategic significance to Constellation Brands. 

RESULTS

Thirty-three executives attended the inaugural week-long program in 2007. After the program, participants continued their one-on-one coaching via telephone and their work in the action-learning teams. Six months after the program, they reconvened to present their results to an audience of their peers and top executives. Many participants have committed to continue with coaching through a post-program initiative developed by Tuck. A second group of high-potentials will participate in the Executive Development Program in 2008.