A reorganization can improve the structure. It also unsettles the people inside it.
Deezer is one of the largest independent music-streaming platforms, with more than 600 people across France, Germany, the UK, Brazil and the US. A major reorganization had brought real improvements, and real uncertainty. Deezer chose to invest in the leaders closest to the teams: its C-1 layer.
The brief from Daniela Heckmeier, Learning & Development Manager, was clear: give leaders "actionable and concrete tools" to guide and engage their teams through this change and the next, and a common approach so everyone would "speak the same language". The constraint was just as clear: leaders had very little time.
Three questions every leader had to answer
What is actually changing, for me and for my team? What's my strategy for leading through it? And how do I talk about it so people stay with me?
We co-designed a lean, digital format with Deezer that mixed learning with collaboration and respected leaders' calendars. Two cohorts, three months each.
Built around real challenges
Sessions ran every two weeks and alternated between three formats: masterclasses for the method, peer coaching for the hard conversations, and co-development for the real problems leaders brought with them.
It created something Deezer's leaders rarely had: a cross-functional space to work on change together, rather than alone in their own teams.
We used participant feedback to adjust the program while it ran. If something didn't land, the next session changed.
The virtual format helped.
“The trainer was very engaging and made the theory fly quickly.”
Patrick Dunford
Customer Care Director, Deezer
“Thanks BIA for walking us through a more structured and common approach of change, contributing to strengthening the links among the C-1 team.”
Maële Perennes
HRBP Product & Tech, Deezer
What changed
Leaders learned to spot change-related challenges early, reduce risk and bring stakeholders with them. They practiced techniques right away and built their own communication plans.
In peer coaching and co-development, they solved real problems together and co-created the processes and templates they now use.
“I have found the templates provided in the program very useful and easy to re-use with my team,”
Emmanuelle Arrault
VP of CRM, Deezer
Most of all, leaders across both cohorts now share one language and one framework to assess, plan and deliver change, which brings consistency, transparency and accountability.
