Outward Bound Professional:
Case Studies: RazorFish
Client Background:
Founded in 1995, Razorfish is a global digital solutions provider. Razorfish helps clients discover, create, and implement business solutions by leveraging digital technologies across platforms, networks, and devices. From business and brand strategy to system integration, Razorfish provides clients with opportunities to increase revenues, enhance productivity, and maximize competitive advantage. With offices in Amsterdam, Boston, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Helsinki, Los Angeles, London, Milan, Munich, New York, Oslo, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Stockholm, and Tokyo, Razorfish employs more than 1,500 people and is headquartered in New York. Recent Razorfish clients include NatWest, Nissan-Europe, and Charles Schwab.
Business Situation:
The company’s relative youth, rapid growth, and market defining activities have created a strong need for leadership development at all levels of the organization. The Catapult program was developed to identify, nurture, and accelerate the professional development of a next generation of emerging leaders within the company.
Program Objectives:
The objectives of the Catapult program are to:
- provide a global opportunity for leadership training and teambuilding
- deepen the leadership skills within each office as well as within the global community
- create a system of recognition for employees who have already demonstrated clear signs of leadership potential
- create and leverage a cross-cultural, cross-functional leadership “network”
- enhance and develop overall communications skills
- strengthen staff loyalty to the organization
Program Outcomes:
The Catapult program has succeeded in creating value in the following areas:
- enhanced personal development (leadership tools, techniques, feedback mechanisms)
- leverage of global leadership networks to share critical project and organizational knowledge
- improved insight into executive vision and agenda to help drive and support organizational change
- has served as an often cited recruitment and retention mechanism
What the client said:
“The crown jewel of all Razorfish training programs began last week when 30 lucky employees landed in Costa Rica for several days of rafting, rappelling and hiking in the rainforest. The wilderness adventure -- named “Catapult” -- is part of an effort both to reward employees who were selected by other Razorfish leaders, and to offer them leadership training in a unique and engaging environment. This is how the Razorfish culture has grown up over time: we look to enrich ourselves and our clients with dynamic projects and employee experience,”
Charlie White, Network Services Lead for Razorfish’s west coast offices.
