Over the last 10 years we have worked within a number of industries and have seen a definite pattern emerge within the businesses that we have consulted.  While differences surfaced at the company specific level, there appeared to be a common thread of business challenges which we have grouped into three primary areas:

• Dancing with Wall Street
• Derailing Strategy
• Drowning in Data

The pressure to return short-term results has limited organizational performance as efforts have been concentrated on cost control and resource allocation. Initiatives that require investment to drive business growth have received minimal sponsorship. Executive communication to Wall Street regarding strategy compounds this challenge as execution of that strategy meets resistance internally due to uneven communication, limited knowledge about the connection between the strategy and financial results and the consistent leadership ability to make sound business decisions. Add on a complex global structure with limited sight beyond a functional silo and the result is business paralysis.

Our client work has been focused traditionally on building business knowledge in identified pockets of the organization. In the most successful returns, organizations sponsored a corporate wide intervention including clear accountability regarding the new knowledge. To model that best practice, we have designed our consulting process to encourage clients to produce the greatest returns for their learning investment.

A large international retailer engaged its management team to understand their role to impact EVA (Economic Value Added). A core group of internal experts were certified to deliver a custom design of Apples and Oranges™. A coaching guide allowed flexible editing at each of the local markets. The results included integration of the measure into daily business activities and early adoption of the measure.

A global food manufacturing site communicated its strategy to become the low cost producer within its network. A core group of facilitators trained table coaches to assist in the delivery of a custom Apples and Oranges™ session for the entire staff (1,000 employees) in a single day. The result was commitment to the strategy and more volume for this location along with recognition for its results by the parent company.

A large financial services organization needed to increase the ability of its sales force to access key decision makers and differentiate their solution in a commoditized space. A customized two day selling program (Financial Firepower™) along with a process of reinforcement (a series of “Lunch and Learns”) and coaching for sales management produced a 235% return on the training investment based on new sales within three months of the training.

Read more about this process in More Customization under the Products section of the website.