Case Study
Enhancing Leadership and Trust at Criteo Through Professional Facilitation and Coaching
Client Background & Objectives
Criteo is a global technology company specializing in digital advertising, known for its performance-based marketing solutions that help brands and retailers reach targeted audiences across the internet. With headquarters in France and operations spanning multiple continents, Criteo serves a diverse and extensive client base, offering data-driven ad targeting and retargeting solutions. Its employee population is distributed across major markets, including the APAC region, Europe, and the Americas, with a workforce skilled in technology, data analytics, and client services. Criteo’s culturally diverse teams work collaboratively to deliver innovative advertising solutions, leveraging insights and advanced technology to drive measurable client outcomes and adapt to the fast-evolving digital advertising landscape.
Criteo sought to strengthen collaboration, deepen trust, and enhance leadership effectiveness within its People Leadership Team (PLT) and APAC leaders. The organization’s need centered on aligning team dynamics with a shared culture of trust and high performance, especially amidst a competitive and culturally diverse business landscape. The PLT Summit, Leadership Coaching Program, and APAC Leadership Team Summit aimed to create sustainable behavioral shifts in leadership that would foster transparency, communication, and collective accountability.
Introduction
This case study explores the structured and impactful engagement between Criteo, a global technology company, and David Nevin, a Certified Professional Facilitator, specializing in leadership development, team building, and trust-building. Through a series of carefully designed workshops, coaching sessions, and customized team-building activities, David applied IAF core competencies to guide Criteo’s leadership in fostering trust, enhancing emotional intelligence, and developing high-performance teams across the APAC region.
Objectives
Build foundational trust through open communication and clear expectations.
1. Develop Trust
Strengthen team cohesion and shared responsibility.
2. Increase Collaboration
Empower leaders to navigate cultural complexities and support their teams effectively.
3. Leadership Development
Methodology & Approach
David’s approach was a blend of consulting, facilitation, and coaching, adapted to address Criteo’s unique organizational culture and leadership goals. Using frameworks like the Reina Trust Model™ and the Ladder of Inference, he led immersive sessions designed to boost interpersonal trust, encourage constructive feedback, and refine conflict management strategies.
1. Trust-Building Workshops
Using the Reina Trust Model™, workshops focused on three core dimensions—trust of character, trust of capability, and trust of communication. Through facilitated discussions and exercises, leaders explored how to manage expectations, communicate transparently, and support one another’s growth in a fast-paced environment. Participants engaged in "Trust Workouts" to practice managing expectations and giving/receiving feedback, fostering openness and accountability within the team.
2. Leadership Coaching Programs
The coaching model focused on developing self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and adaptive leadership skills. Each coaching session followed the GROW framework (Goal, Reality, Options, Way forward), encouraging leaders to set actionable objectives and create accountability structures for continued progress. The coaching program also included a series of 1:1 interviews with stakeholders to align feedback and refine leadership objectives.
3. Team-Building and Empathy Exercises
In workshop activities such as innoGreat’s “The Box™” experience, leaders examined the cognitive biases and "boxes" through which they perceived others, helping them develop empathy for colleagues’ unique pressures and viewpoints. This exercise allowed team members to confront and adjust their biases, leading to improved empathy and communication—a critical skill for Criteo’s culturally diverse teams.
4. Development of a Collaborative Team Charter
The PLT Summit culminated in the creation of a "team charter" to serve as a guiding document for collaboration and accountability. This charter, co-created by team members, outlined behavioral commitments, expectations for feedback, and guidelines for conflict resolution, embedding a culture of transparency and support.
Outcomes & Impact
The engagement produced tangible and measurable results, evidenced by feedback from participants and observed changes in team dynamics.
Conclusion
David’s strategic facilitation and coaching for Criteo exemplified the power of professional facilitation in achieving team cohesion, fostering trust, and building sustainable leadership skills. By addressing both tactical and emotional aspects of leadership, David enabled Criteo’s leaders to develop a resilient and collaborative team culture, ultimately contributing to the company’s global success.
Increased Trust
Leaders reported a heightened level of trust, which translated into more transparent and open conversations. Participants highlighted the value of constructive feedback sessions and noted an improvement in their ability to manage and adjust to different communication styles.
Improved Team Cohesion
By creating a shared understanding and implementing structured feedback processes, the teams became more cohesive. They embraced a "one voice" approach, ensuring alignment on key initiatives and project priorities while respecting individual perspectives.
Enhanced Leadership Skills
Criteo’s leaders became better equipped to navigate cross-cultural challenges, leading to improved conflict resolution and a higher level of mutual respect. The coaching program instilled habits of self-reflection and continuous learning, enabling leaders to sustain growth beyond the program’s end.