Self-knowledge to lift career spirits

Corporate restructuring at Allied Domecq Spirits & Wine has left many of its managers demoralized by the loss of many of their colleagues as well as of opportunities for promotion. Formed by the merger between Allied Lyons and the Domecq group, the firm in recent years has been working to transform itself into a truly international business organization and to make the transition from food production towards the retailing, sale and marketing of its leading brands. To ensure that its executives are up to the task of propelling the restructured organization toward success, Allied Domecq's HR department introduced a developmental workshop intended to help managers respect their own abilities and reassess their career aspirations. The success of this program has encouraged the company to offer it to a larger cross-section of its executives.