issues

approach

resources

results

depth

contact

map
affiliations
client roster
brochure
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A technical start-up had experienced ten years of rapid growth, resulting in their achieving the Fortune 500. This mercurial rise put its expanding executive team under severe pressure. New business strategies, opening international markets, shifts in fundamental operating principles, and changes in key personnel had left the team off-balance.

Lack of clarity had caused them to miss revenue goals for the first time during the previous year. Without a united effort to meet fiscal targets, the company was on tenuous ground. In addition, the pending retirement of its visionary founder sent shockwaves of uncertainty about future stability cascading through the entire company.

This group was charged with the unenviable task of transitioning from a one-person dominated entrepreneurial form of leadership, to one centered around a highly functioning Senior Team. Extremely strong and qualified individually, it was unclear if this group would function cohesively as a unified team.

Planning a strategy with the Senior Executives, we performed a confidential Climate Study, evaluating operations, administration, and interrelationships of people and technology. It showed core problems, rooted in inconsistencies at Executive levels, with bleed-through to all sub-systems of the company.

The Executive Team met these issues head-on at a four day Off-Site at Triangle Training Center. Isolation at a quiet retreat setting, away from intensive schedule pressures was imperative. We designed a program to assist them in utilizing their own resources effectively. Sessions included indoor and outdoor simulations of actual issues, taking the group through progressive stages of team revitalization.

The team became a highly cohesive group over the four day period, with role clarification, addressing personality conflicts, and buy-in to the company's expanded business direction. For the first time they had come to a clear sense of mission and purpose as a team. The Executive Team formally designed a succession plan and selected the next CEO, establishing future leadership, continuity and alliance to long range goals.
 
 

One member stated, "We could have spent four days just developing closer friendships, but in addition, because of the expert facilitation, an environment was set to develop the understanding necessary that forged us into a Real Team. Our off-site at Triangle Training Center was invaluable for us, both as individuals and for the company."

The net result was a focused leadership able to support High Performance Team behaviors at every level of the company. We disseminated this blueprint to all employees through Off-Site Retreats and ongoing in-house processes.

We empowered the work force with team building workshops for all employees, guidance of work redesign, instituting self-managed teams, and developing employee problem solving groups on a cross departmental basis. Our consultants flushed out contaminated communication and political factions, and provided guidance for ongoing self-diagnosis and intervention. Individual empowerment and team cohesion, laid a foundation for the company to experience Rapid Growth at greater levels. Immediate success was measured during their next fiscal year and resulted in revenues that far exceeded projections.