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How I work
So what do you get when you choose to work with me? Every project is tailored to your specific needs, but you can expect:
A shared understanding of what’s holding back your growth. The barriers could be the segments you’re in, your positioning, strategy, branding, NPD, people, or many other factors which affect growth. Step one is to figure out what the real issues are.
A clear picture of your market and your position within it. Sure, some markets are more attractive than others, but there’s always at least one well-performing company in every segment. I’ll help you to find the attractive territory, to uncover the rules of the game in your market, and to develop the specific skills you need to win.
A deep insight into your competitors. Wouldn’t it be great to know what your most dangerous competitor is going to do? I can help you to work it out. Then, together, we’ll design a set of sales, marketing and innovation initiatives to pre-empt them. The result: a plan to improve your market position at your competitor’s expense.
Compelling, workable plans. I help you to make better and simpler strategic choices. No jargon, no hand-waving, no castles in the air. Just a crystal-clear consideration of your options, what you’ll do, how you’ll do it, and when you’ll do it.
A team with real purpose. One of the biggest drags on business is a disillusioned workforce. I work with teams and individuals to identify what work they’re passionate about; and I work with organisations to help them provide an inspiring business strategy. Passion plus inspiration lead to a huge boom in productivity!
A way of measuring your progress. You can’t measure the potential of a company just by looking at historic sales numbers. It’s not even just about financials. When you work with me, you’ll get a manageable set of measures that track your progress in implementing plans and getting results.
My approach is based on these beliefs:
Planning for growth can be fast, practical and enjoyable rather than a ponderous annual event. The commercial world is speeding up, so the planning cycle is too. And that’s good – the highest quality processes tend to be things which are done quickly and often.
Successful companies know that business is a journey. A workplace without a sense of destiny and momentum leads to a culture of low expectations. So I help you with a direction, and a map, and a way of tracking your progress.
I’ve found that organisations know many of the answers to their problems. But they’re in the form of insights, buried around the business, in the heads of different people in different departments. They need someone to unearth those insights and weave them together into a compelling strategy.
Finally, companies can and should be great places to work. Sure you’re in business to make a profit, but if your employees dread coming to work every day because of the way the business is managed, you’re going to have serious productivity problems. But it’s perfectly possible to build a bridge between the company’s needs and the talents of your people.
What makes my approach different?
It’s worth asking why so many consultancy projects fail. Traditional consultants get a brief, and talk to lots of people… then they go off for a month and work out some recommendations... and then they write a huge 200 page report… and then you put their report into your desk drawer… and you forget about it.
Clients see me as being more like a team coach. I help you to figure out what the real problems are. I choose the right tools and train your team to use them. I challenge your assumptions. And I provide templates for your answers, not the answers themselves – so that you go through the thinking process yourself and come up with your own action plan.
And that distinction is important. Because any plan is only as good as your ability and willingness to make it happen.
That’s how I work. Next, learn more about Strategy Action Teams or Competitor Wargames.
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