ENABLING THE EXTRAORDINARY
Expertise, experience and energy at your service.
All of my work is bespoke. Here are some of the typical services and arrangements I offer:
Help for senior executives, entrepreneurs and professionals
Typically a 6–12 month engagement, starting with a catalyst session and then fortnightly calls or meetings. I’m available in between as required. Throughout, we use diagnostic tools — my own and third party — canvases, and frameworks to capture insight, visualise futures, frame decisions and stimulate actions.
In the catalyst session we will explore your identity and the outcomes you want to achieve; understand the challenges you’ve faced to date and opportunities you’re interested in; discuss the choices you face; and then develop a plan for the next three-to-six-to-twelve months based on the objectives you set out. This can be provided as a one-off event if required.
In each subsequent session, we’ll combine to discuss progress, share ideas and work out how to overcome obstacles. I will give you ways to structure your thinking, guidance, lessons from others on a similar journey, encouragement and accountability.
Where required, I help you to prepare for key moments — a presentation, an interview or a negotiation. I can also gather feedback from stakeholders on your impact and style.
Six elements of our work together
IDENTITY
Defining your endgame and the way you want to show up.
CHALLENGES
Working out the source of the problem or the nature of opportunity in detail.
CHOICES
Finding clarity on the choices in front of you and the trade-offs you have to work through — whether strategic, organisational or personal.
EXPLORATION
Creating new hypotheses, ideas and solutions that you can experiment with to see if they work and if they’re worth it.
SCALING
Creating the formats to turn experiments into scalable activities and putting in place the resources and incentives to sustain them.
LEGACY
Working out what to leave behind to create the space for the new and what to retain as a source of strength.
This is no pedestrian, linear process. We start from where it makes sense, based on your challenges and context. Some start with the challenge they’re facing, others the identity they want to create. I do this on a one-to-one or a team basis.
Help for organisations and teams
Blueprinting and planning
You’re at the beginning of a process to design a strategy, structure a new venture, evolve your culture or initiate a transformation programme. You’re not ready to mobilise your own resources or professional advisors (consultants, lawyers, investment bankers).
But you do need:
- Fresh thinking (e.g. about trends or exemplars).
- Frameworks to anchor the work.
- A plan to turn intent into reality.
I will work with you to provide this stimulus to the point where you have a design and a plan — and then, as required, continue to work with you in an expert advisor capacity with your in-house (and external) team.
I bring the latest research, best practice from strategy, leadership and culture, a sharp brain and plenty of examples of successful strategies, ventures, programmes and plans.
Company health check
You’re taking on a new leadership role. Or in role and looking for opportunities to improve performance. You don’t want to start a big review. You don’t have time for that or you’re not ready to commit to it.
But you do want a picture of the health of the organisation. How fit is it to pursue profitable growth and respond to crises? How well is it delivering on its promises to shareholders, employees and stakeholders? How coherent is the strategy and the organisational culture?
I will give you a snapshot view of how you stack up against next (not just best) practice for organisations using my proprietary tools and frameworks. I’ll interview key stakeholders, run surveys, observe sessions and review key documents. You’ll get an assessment and recommendations, setting out issues to fix immediately and aspects to build into a plan to create a fitter, more resilient organisation.
Board, exco and workshop facilitation
Sometimes you need somebody outside the team you trust to stimulate new thinking, encourage a more honest conversation and focus on action. Somebody who has the presence, experience and skills to make an immediate impact with a team that has high expectations.
I work with you to design the structure and flow of the session, review materials (and help amend if required), prepare the participants, facilitate the session and then ensure there is follow up on the decisions made. I also debrief on the dynamics of the session and give you recommendations on how to build and sustain high-performing team performance and dynamics.
Topics include: strategic choices, business model innovation, culture change and leadership/board team effectiveness.
Review or challenge of key documents
You’re preparing a paper for the board, a new communication to stakeholders or developing a strategy for the organisation. You’ve done the work. But it is a critical moment, so you want to be confident it’s going to have the desired impact. So you’re looking for fresh ideas, a critical eye — looking for gaps, internal inconsistencies, flaws in arguments — and suggestions for improvement.
I play the role of the intended audience — immersing myself in understanding what they expect — and can review your materials with precision, a constructive attitude and imagination. I’ll also advise on how to ‘land’ them with your audience in terms of positioning, packaging and presentation.
Partnerships
I work with a range of people and organisations who provide complementary expertise and experience to help you and your organisation become extraordinary. This includes a personal stylist, financial coach, communications experts (speech and writing) and a psychologist. I also have strong relationships with management consultancies, investment banks and law firms.
Contact me to find out how you can become extraordinary
LANCEFIELD ON THE LINE
What do the world’s leading executives, entrepreneurs and management thinkers really think about their subject?
Find out in Lancefield on the Line, my fortnightly video and podcast for strategic leaders.