Is It Worth It? Building a Model for Strategic Engagement ROI

I’ve been a strategic advisor to professional services firm leaders now for two decades, and have helped a hundred organizations (and many hundreds of individual leaders) to level up their game – and their results.  So, it’s not hard from my vantage point to see the direct connection between our engagements (strategic planning, growth strategy, leadership experience, team engagement) and the transformation of business they deliver. Dream. Plan. Do. Win.  I don’t need to be convinced. Still, I understand and appreciate the concern (and even skepticism) of many firm owners and executives.  Most have experienced less than ideal results in these projects.  Poor process, […]

Of Endings and New Beginnings Alike

A few years back, one of my professional mentors, David Newman (of Do It! Marketing fame), suggested that all of us in a mastermind group send out a message to our communities with a year-end offer. The basic idea was to take advantage of a handful of possible motivations for action:  capturing otherwise unused budget funds, acceleration of payments for tax mitigation, and/or alignment with year-end (or new year) planning cycles. Candidly, I was skeptical.  Most of our clients and prospects are independently owned professional services firms – architecture, engineering, planning, scientific.  These are not the typical businesses of corporate America, driven by quarterly […]

The Professional Employee Experience Today – Part 1

Across the markets of design, planning, and the technical professions, labor remains scarce – and true talent even scarcer.  Moreover, population demographics, educational trends, and a hyper-competitive employment environment suggest that this will not change – perhaps for decades.  In the professional firm, people are – and will be – the key. So, keeping the company’s staff focused, fulfilled, and engaged will remain job #1 for all executives.  Many are doing quite a lot in this area, but – despite the effort – real progress isn’t always obvious.  Note, in particular, Gallup’s annual survey of employee engagement (across the whole American workforce) – which […]

Something Amazing This Way Comes

Each year about this time, I am yet again reminded of just how short our time is.  This year will soon end as the others have – whether I’ve accomplished my big goals or not.  Lots of things to do, and less and less time left to do them.  Projects to be finished (and some still to be started) and much, much more.  I’ll be on airplanes nearly non-stop for six more weeks, along with family and community responsibilities too.  The holiday season is ahead of course as well – and we’re also waiting now to welcome a new grandchild into our family! Ironically, it’s […]