ARXIBALD supports ENGIE: the Special Forces "team of teams" model
The School of Special Forces is supporting ENGIE, a global energy leader, in its transformation. The aim: to transpose the operating model of the Special Forces into the very structure of the Group, evolving it towards a "team of teams". A model proven under fire, popularised by General Stanley McChrystal under the name Team of Teams.
ENGIE, a global energy leader
ENGIE is a global energy leader and a major player in the energy transition, present in many countries. Like any organisation of this scale, the Group must combine the power of a large whole with the agility needed to adapt to a fast-changing environment: markets, regulations, technologies and customer expectations. This is precisely the challenge that the "team of teams" model answers.
The "team of teams" model
Popularised by General Stanley McChrystal, a former commander of the US special forces, the Team of Teams model was born from a field observation: facing a networked, fast and unpredictable adversary, an organisation built in silos and designed for efficiency loses the battle of adaptation. The response: turn a juxtaposition of high-performing but siloed teams into a network of interconnected teams. Three principles sum it up: a shared consciousness, where everyone sees the same big picture; empowered execution, where the decision is entrusted closest to the action; and trust that flows, carried by transparency.
The ARXIBALD support
The Special Forces live this operating model every day: a clear intent given by the leader, a decision decentralised closest to the ground, hard-earned trust and a systematic after-action review. ARXIBALD transposes this DNA within ENGIE: breaking down silos, aligning teams around a shared intent, equipping managers to decide at their level, and anchoring a culture of debriefing that feeds continuous improvement. Our facilitators, all from the Special Forces, work alongside the teams, in their real situations.
Do you lead an organisation that needs to become more agile?
A shared conviction
In a faster, more uncertain and more interconnected world, adaptability and resilience matter more than efficiency alone. That is the meaning of this support: helping a global energy leader operate as a "team of teams", to decide faster, work better together, and become "the special forces of its economy".
This training action is co-built with Pearl Crisis, a consultancy specialised in crisis prevention and management, decision-making and negotiation. Founded by former members of elite units, Pearl Crisis transposes to organisations the agile, pragmatic management of the special forces, through both consulting and immersive training.