Transforming Organizational Mindset & Change Management

Positive Intelligence® provides a mental fitness program for Ascential’s global workforce

Ascential and Positive Intelligence logos

Ascential is a leading provider of insights and data solutions across marketing, advertising, sales, and design segments. In early 2022, the global business landscape and the need for effective change management sparked Ascential’s initiative to shift its organizational mindset.

One hundred members of Ascential’s global team began building mental fitness and resilience through the PQ Program. Today, Ascential’s steadfast commitment to the program continues to yield positive results.

Ascential’s decision to integrate the PQ Program into its organizational framework was spurred by a desire to enhance change management, a critical requirement as Ascential undergoes frequent shifts, including acquisitions across multiple sectors.

“We have a very well-defined set of values and behaviors,” says Sean Harley, former CIO of Ascential. “But in the situation we found ourselves in with a mix of people, we needed them to come together and speak a similar language, think in a similar fashion, and also challenge themselves in terms of how they approach situations to give them a new way of working and a new way of thinking.”

teamwork

PQ Program Impact Among Ascential Participants

87

%

manage stress better

87

%

strengthened their emotional intelligence

82

%

use mental and emotional energy more effectively

  • 1 / 5
    We are a very highly driven organization, so with that naturally comes a level of stress and pressure. What we’ve driven is helping individuals to deal with that in a better way in a professional capacity. I’ve also had the feedback that it is helping them in their personal lives as well to deal with certain situations, whether it be family situations or relationship issues.
    Sean Harley former CIO
  • 2 / 5
    In the technology world, we don’t talk about empathy much. Having that word as part of the common language is really important, particularly when working with new teams and understanding that they come from a slightly different place than where we’re working as a central team. Empathy comes out a lot in terms of how people work and also in understanding people’s own scenarios outside of work.
    Lee Freeman VP of Technology
  • 3 / 5
    The PQ Program really reminded me that mental fitness is as important as going to the gym or other forms of physical exercise. With the guided, practical exercises, I experienced immediate benefits that positively impacted my work performance and my personal relationships from day one, such that my wife decided to join the program. I’d recommend it to anyone.
    Minesh Patel Head of CRM Management
  • 4 / 5
    Work-life balance doesn’t really exist anymore. It’s your life balance, and Positive Intelligence gives you some tools to help you navigate life. As we all know, life throws curveballs, and if you’re more mentally resilient and mentally strong, you’ve got a better chance of dealing with them.
    Mark McCulloch VP of Sales and Marketing Technology
  • 5 / 5
    As soon as you get into it, personally, I can tell you you can’t stop. I’d get on the train in the morning, and I’d start doing my PQ Reps. I’d listen to my video as opposed to listening to some music, or a podcast, or whatever was my sort of daily routine. And it really does change the way you think.
    Sean Harley former CIO

Key Outcomes & Impacts

Through the PQ Program, Ascential employees are embracing a more positive outlook, navigating challenges effectively, and developing greater mental resilience.

“I see changes in individuals and changes in teams, all for the better. I have positive feedback from a number of people on the program in terms of how it helped them individually and then in their professional capacity and their team,” shares Harley. “What I can say very confidently is our behaviors are different in a more positive fashion.”

The PQ Program’s emphasis on openness, transparency, and equal participation across all levels of the organization improves collaboration and trust. The program creates a shared language among teams, creating greater alignment toward common goals.

Ascential leaders say the PQ Program fortifies the organization’s resilience in the face of change, fosters personal and professional growth among individuals, and improves team dynamics.

Enhanced Mental Resilience

Participants increase their ability to manage stress and use mental and emotional energy more effectively.

Change Management Success

The PQ Program provides employees with a set of tools to mitigate resistance to change and embrace a collective vision for success.

Cultural Transformation

Participants learn a shared language and a structured approach to handling challenges more effectively, fostering a culture of continuous growth.

Positive Team Dynamics

The follow-on program, PQ-Powered Teams, builds a more supportive and inclusive work environment based on trust, mutual accountability, and healthy conflict.

  • There are companies out there talking about how they look after their employees’ wellbeing. And they are going out and getting a subscription to an app and just leading people to it. What we wanted to do is make it much more practical and tangible.
    Lee Freeman VP of Technology

Explore the PQ Program

The PQ Program helps individuals and teams build mental fitness to achieve peak performance and wellbeing.

Schedule a discovery call with our team to create a mental fitness plan for your organization.

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Mutual Accountability

Context & Challenges

Ascential’s mission is to enable organizations to make better decisions across various segments. With the organization’s growth through acquisitions and organic expansion, coupled with changing work models, Ascential sought an employee development program that would drive effective teamwork and help employees adapt to new ways of working.

“One of the reasons we brought Positive Intelligence on board is to change our approach because if you don’t change anything, nothing changes, says Mark McCulloch, VP of Sales and Marketing Technology. “We got people to open up and rethink how they approach work. The change curve that we’ve been through, especially over the last couple of years, has been significant. I think it would have resulted in more mistakes without the PQ Program.”

  • If you give team members access to a fantastic meditation app, they might come to work calmer, but their day is still difficult. The PQ Program does more than that. It gives you the blueprint for what you should do if you’re having a difficult relationship or you’re not going to get your project done in time. The program is very practical, and you can apply it really, really quickly.
    Lee Freeman VP of Technology

Engaging With the PQ Program

 

Recognizing the need to increase mental resilience and strengthen its teams, Ascential turned to the PQ Program. The program offers an innovative approach, moving away from traditional training methods to a more interactive and personalized format. The program’s mix of app-driven activities, virtual interactions, and community support resonates with employees, fostering a culture of continuous learning and personal growth.

“The Positive Intelligence Program brought an innovative way to engage with our staff effectively. It wasn’t the traditional let’s all sit and listen to PowerPoints, take away a few pieces, and try and execute them. It worked in a more coaching and mentoring fashion. The app drove a certain set of activities as well with individuals,” shares Harley.

  • 1 / 2
    I’ve seen a difference in behaviors in how people handle situations. Where it used to be the case that people could potentially react to something that’s very minor, now they do not. Now, they take a step back. They think differently. They come with more structure. They understand the strengths. They understand taking negatives and making them positives.
    Sean Harley former CIO
  • 2 / 2
    We normally implement change into organizations that we’ve acquired, and this program has allowed our people to have a different perspective. It’s made acquired organizations feel more comfortable about the reasons for the change, the positivity that will come out of the change, and what we’ll drive.
    Sean Harley former CIO

Transforming Team Dynamics

After completing the foundational PQ Program, Ascential opted into PQ-Powered Teams to further enhance its team dynamics.

PQ-Powered Teams fosters openness, transparency, and equality within Ascential’s teams, regardless of roles. This environment of mutual respect and active participation allows team members to freely share opinions, receive feedback, and collaborate more effectively. This leads to a significant increase in trust among team members, fundamentally altering how they approach teamwork, according to Harley.

“It isn’t a one-off training course for two days that you go on, and you come back and put in your back pocket. You actually live and breathe it, and it changes your behaviors because you’re doing it for 16 weeks,” says Harley.

  • 1 / 2
    PQ-Powered Teams allowed us to dive into specific scenarios and use the Positive Intelligence Operating System to look forward rather than looking retrospectively. As we went through organizational change, PQ-Powered Teams allowed us to create a code of conduct that we all signed up to, and it created a sense of belonging. And with that came a team culture built on trust and mutual accountability.
    Mark McCulloch VP of Sales and Marketing Technology
  • 2 / 2
    The team culture built on trust and mutual accountability is really important — it means we can be braver. We know our colleagues have our backs, so ultimately, that means we can achieve more. We’re able to take calculated risks.
    Mark McCulloch VP of Sales and Marketing Technology

PQ Program Components for Organizations

 

 

Positive Intelligence delivers a mental fitness program to help individuals and organizations achieve their full potential for performance and happiness.

The PQ Program is simple to promote, implement, and scale with the help of the dedicated PQ Client Success Team.

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    PQ Program

    • Introduces participants to the key concepts of Positive Intelligence
    • Focuses on developing mental resilience, self-awareness, and emotional wellbeing
    • Equips participants with practical tools to manage stress and enhance performance

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    PQ-Powered Teams

    • Builds on the PQ Program to enhance team dynamics
    • Provides a common language and framework for effective communication
    • Encourages collaboration, trust-building, and mutual accountability within teams

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    Grow

    • Deepens the application of PQ Program principles
    • Offers advanced tools and strategies for continued personal and professional growth
    • Reinforces the program’s impact on individual wellbeing and organizational culture

A Culture of Resilience & Growth

Ascential’s experience with the PQ Program exemplifies the program’s power to change mindsets, transform organizational culture, and support leadership in driving organizational success. By investing in its employees’ personal and professional growth, Ascential not only addresses the immediate needs of change but also positions itself as an industry leader committed to sustained employee wellbeing and performance. The PQ Program is a transformative tool for organizations seeking to thrive in an ever-changing business landscape.

Let’s Discuss Your Goals

Partner with Positive Intelligence to create a customized mental fitness program for your organization.

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