What our been-there-done-that does for you
On the surface, it might seem that a company that builds software would have very little in common with a company that crunches data. And a business that designs kitchens is a completely different animal from one that creates marketing campaigns. But they face a lot of the same challenges as they grow.
Our experience and success with companies like those (in fact, companies in those specific industries) informs the structures and processes we design for every company we work with—knowing where the hidden opportunities might lie and how to avoid common pitfalls. But it starts with getting to know you, your company, and your goals. So let’s get into it.
How we help companies move forward without leaving people behind
Micro-fractional COO Advisory Services
Adding a seasoned operations or talent executive to your full-time team is a substantial investment that is usually impractical for a small company. By engaging us for ongoing advisory services, you get our decades of experience guiding strategy and daily operations at a fraction of the cost. Our consistent counseling will help you successfully grow to the point where you’re ready for and able to afford a proven, full-time COO of your own. You’ll get one meeting a week, plus ongoing e-mail/slack support, and limited additional project work.
This affordable solution is perfect for leaders who need help making the leap to the next level.
Organizational Assessment and Recommendations
In other words, tell us what we don’t know, and we’ll uncover what you don’t know. Over the course of 4-6 weeks, we’ll get to know your people, processes, and practices by interviewing and/or surveying staff, reviewing pertinent documents, and getting alignment among key players about goals and expectations. Our assessment will dig below the surface to identify the causes of the symptoms you’re seeing, reveal how your organization is currently performing, highlight areas for improvement, and recommend next steps for moving your company forward.
Growth Planning
More business means more staff… and more questions to consider.
How many new employees do you need and when should you add them? What new roles will need to be created and what new skills will be required? Who will report to whom? And how do you keep the organizational chart from becoming an overwhelming jumble of layers?
Your roadmap is one of the most important components of preparing for the future.
Change Management
Merging? Shifting focus? Adapting processes to support a rapidly growing or contracting organization? Introducing new policies or key leaders? Embracing remote work after being an office-centric culture?
We can help you increase the odds of successful adoption of these changes via thorough planning, anticipating and removing obstacles and communicating comprehensively.
Leadership and Company Retreats
Spending a few days away from the daily grind can provide your team a time to connect, reflect and refocus.
We work with you to build an engaging agenda filled with activities to achieve your goals while encouraging relationships between participants to flourish in a fun and creative way. You can see some of the events we’ve designed and facilitated here.
Process Design and Optimization
How much of your busy day is just busy work? Is there a way for you and your staff to perform regular tasks and processes more effectively and efficiently so nobody is wasting time or effort?
As your company grows, it becomes ever more important to refine and streamline processes to make the most of every hour, and to comprehensively document these processes so new team members can easily integrate into the way you work.
We’ll work with you to examine how you work today, find ways to improve your workflows, and recommend tools and techniques to make life easier.
Career Ecosystem Design
Your smart, ambitious employees want to know what’s next for them. What positions can they strive for? Are there career paths they haven’t considered? What new skills will they need to develop? Providing a clear career roadmap will keep them motivated, drive personal growth, and improve retention.
We work with a range of customizable models that vary in complexity. We work with you to create a system that aligns with your company’s values and business needs while helping employees envision their future with your organization.
We’ll also recommend evaluation systems and tools, and organizational structures to support career growth.
Manager Training
Our Mindful Manager Training Program is built upon an emotional intelligence framework and can be customized to your company’s needs and goals and the experience level of your managers. Our graduates report feeling more confident in their ability to manage their team after completing the program.
This 10-session, synchronous, virtual, cohort-based learning experience helps new and experienced managers balance the demands of being an individual contributor with helping others succeed in their careers, and deepen their emotional intelligence.
Consulting Skills Training
Help your skilled practitioners become trusted client partners with immersive, cohort-based learning modules that deepen their skills and develop a shared vocabulary. This program is a unique opportunity for your consultants to learn together by working through the most crucial industry issues, barriers, and scenarios they face on a daily basis in real-time synchronous small groups.