Client Situation & Challenge

Medline Canada, Corporation, a leader in the global medical distribution industry, provides essential healthcare products and solutions to hospitals, long-term care, clinics and dental facilities across Canada. 

In 2017, Ernie Phillip took on the role of President at Medline Canada and faced the challenge of enhancing leadership team accountability and cohesion. To address this, Ernie sought strategic guidance from 1-DEGREE/Shift, aiming to assess his leadership team and cultivate a world-class, high-performing executive team and culture. 

Our Approach 

1-DEGREE/Shift began by partnering with Ernie and the Medline Canada team to assess their leadership culture. We aligned on key agreements to elevate cohesion and commitment. In the next phase, we conducted a comprehensive culture assessment with over 500 employees across Canada. This assessment led to the creation and launch of their “CARES” culture code, which supports both the people and the business. Since its introduction in 2018, the CARES culture code, driven by the passion for the purpose of “Together improving care,” has been the cornerstone of Medline Canada’s culture. 

Building on this foundation, Medline Canada enlisted our help for an organization strategy exercise called Strategy Mapping. This process clarified and committed to the company’s path forward. We conducted “pulse checks” to ensure the Strategy Map was effectively used, integrated with the operational plan, and committed to by the team. Over the past seven years, 1-DEGREE/Shift has facilitated multiple rounds of Strategy Mapping, supporting Medline Canada’s strategy development and execution. 

Additionally, we collaborated on designing and facilitating a foundational leadership development program, Leadership Essentials, for Medline’s people leaders. This modular and customized program was delivered virtually to four cohorts and over 50 leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to build leadership capacity and establish a more consistent leadership approach that supports the CARES culture. 

Throughout our partnership, we have been a trusted strategic growth partner and catalyst for Ernie and his team. 

Impact

“Our partnership with Tim Magwood and the 1-DEGREE/Shift team over the past seven-plus years has been highly impactful. They are strategic, partnership-driven, and have been highly respected trusted advisors for me, our executive team, and our entire business. 1-DEGREE/Shift has helped shape and shift our culture to become more caring, collaborative, and committed to our growth path.”

— ERNIE PHILLIP, PRESIDENT MEDLINE CANADA & LATIN AMERICA