SERVICES
Organizational Assessment
Most leaders I have worked with feel as if they have a pretty good handle on “how things are going” within their organization and for the most part, they may be on target. However, rarely will a group of leaders have a complete picture of their organization and see the many facets in the same way. Performing an organizational assessment is a critical first step to any significant business initiative.
An assessment is the process of discovering an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in order to determine the appropriate next steps, also known as Action Research. Research can be viewed as a series of dots (data) that once connected in a meaningful way, provides a picture of what was previously hidden. It is from this picture that we hope the client will be compelled to take some action. Therefore the question is; what are the dots we will collect for our client? There are many different formats or approaches to collecting research.
Harold Hill Consulting offers the following services;
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Online Survey – Online Survey is the standard assessment tool used to collect organizational data prior to the onsite assessment. The purpose of this online assessment is to provide research (quantifiable data) to help the organization examine their effectiveness and the degree to which they are prepared to take actions to improve their performance.
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Focus Groups and Interview Guide - This intervention is a combination of one on one interviews, feedback sessions, facility tours and observations where research and information is gathered. While an organization will have many different audiences from which data can be collected, most consultants will focus on just two audiences: leaders and employees. A series of questions are developed and consistently asked to participants and the information shared as part of the Feedback Report Out.
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Feedback Report Out – A written report is shared (ideally) in person with the clients, presenting the results and recommendations from the organizational assessment.
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Client Feedback Meeting – This meeting includes the presentation of the Feedback Report Out and an action planning session where the client and others agree upon the organization’s next steps.
Strategy Development
The question “What is strategy?” has spurred numerous doctoral dissertations, countless hours of research, and hearty disagreements among serious management thinkers. Perhaps this is why many executives also struggle with it. When a leadership team sets out on the tasks of establishing or clarifying the long term course or success of an organization, they are developing their strategy. Strategy development is the process of establishing an organization’s direction and purpose, what the organization is going to do, including the vision, mission, objectives, deliverables and measures. A business strategy typically is a document that clearly articulates the direction a business will pursue and the steps it will take to achieve its goals.
Harold Hill Consulting offers the following services;
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Strategy Map – a visual depiction of the key objectives and initiatives needed to achieve the business strategy. The objectives are aligned to an overarching business approach, typically defined by leadership, employees, customers and business results.
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Communications Plan – an outline of the periodic updates and information shared of the status and progress of the strategy execution. The plan communicates how individual efforts contribute to or deter from accomplishing the goals.
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Balance Scorecard – a visual depiction of the success or failure of the key objectives and initiatives. The scorecard traditionally displaces the gap between the current performance and desired outcomes.
Change Management
PROSCI, a global Change Management Research firm, indicates nearly 70% of change efforts fail and the primary reason is a lack of change management. Change Management (CM) is an approach that supports the successful transition from a current state to a more desirable state.
Through the use of certain CM methodologies, organizations can ensure their business objectives are met and employees embrace and utilize the changes. There are several principles that need to be in place for a successful change to occur:
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Involve those closest to the change
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Ensure visible senior level support and sponsorship
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Assess the organization's readiness for change
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Utilize a structured and easily understood approach
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Communicate early and often
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Articulate a clear picture of the future state
Harold Hill Consulting offers the following services;
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Case for Change – creation of the guiding document that articulates both the need for the change and clear picture of the future state.
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Stakeholder Analysis – a systematic exploration of the leaders directly and indirectly involved / impacted by the proposed change to determine their level of support and concerns.
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Communication Strategy – a holistic approach of communicating to all parts of the organization for the duration of the change including the creation of Frequently Asked Questions, Key Repeatable Messages and Employee Round Table Agendas.
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Implementation Plan – establishing the actual tactics of the transition to the future state including the necessary resources (people and systems), identification of changes in structures and policies / practices, training and education plans and managing day to day resistance and dynamics.
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Sustainment Guide – a list of fundamental activities, tools and techniques to ensure the measured results and outcomes are maintained and that organizational performances continue to improve.
Culture Alignment
James Heskett defines culture in a fairly simple way in his book, The Culture Cycle when he says, “It’s (Culture) often explained as being ‘the way we do things around here’ – what goes and what doesn’t go, the unwritten rules. Every organization has a culture, the question is, do you have a culture by design or a culture by default? Is your culture a culture that supports the organization achieving its goals, a culture that is clear to everyone and is intentionally sustained over time? Several organizations invest a great deal of time and effort into the development of their strategy, which is critical. However, many business leaders believe “Culture eats Strategy for Lunch”. Unless your organization has established a clear set of values and behaviors that others are aligned with, no amazing strategy alone can ensure a business’ success.
Harold Hill Consulting offers the following services;
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Employee Engagement – creating a work environment where everyone performs the way they need to perform. This “emotional” engagement fuels employees’ commitment to their job, team and organization.
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Purpose Statement – translation of a mission statement into day to day language that inspires continual commitment by leaders and employees.
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Traits and Behaviors – establishes a culture so employees know what is expected of them and leaders know what to look for when they are coaching their teams. Behaviors are the observable actions that demonstrate an employee’s execution of daily responsibilities.
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Rewards and Recognition – establishing an expectation that employees are recognized and cared for as more than just resources expected to do a job. They are cared for as individuals.