Bright Spots in a Dark Economy

The continuing recession has made it difficult for many organizations to invest in and develop the leadership culture to which they aspire.   Many companies continue to struggle to find stability and a sustainable path to the future in the midst of economic uncertainty.  Employees feel threatened, fearing for their jobs. This anxiety is only exacerbated when not addressed by leadership. This past year we have partnered with clients to generate some bright spots in a dark economy.

1. SFB Associates designed and delivered a customized engagement survey which changed the conversation in the client organization.  The outcome was more trust and renewed loyalty despite uncertainty.  More open communication and renewed engagement with project milestones resulted.
2. In a Fortune 100 R&D organization, we successfully helped the senior team re-frame how they were thinking about the necessary “right-sizing” required of them once again.  Using our Disciplined Inquiry™ methodology, the leadership team became more transparent with one another as well as their colleagues.   They discovered new insight and energy to navigate the rough waters in front of them.
3. Translating collaborative intent to observable behavior is challenging for functions accustomed to focusing on their own targets and priority projects.  Our MAXIMIZE® experiential learning activity uncovered blindspots and powerfully illustrated the opportunities for collaboration which had been disregarded or overlooked.  Mapping specific collaboration opportunities to enhance innovation and accelerate project timelines followed in this R&D organization.
4. The amount of time scientists and engineers spend in meetings rather than at the bench is a recurring issue among our clients.  We put the issue of meeting effectiveness on the table with this client.  We “changed the game” in terms of how meetings are convened and facilitated by using the Team Management Profile™. As a result there is less recycling of tedious discussions in team meetings and a less time preparing excessive PPT decks for stage gate reviews.

We are grateful for the continuing opportunities to support leaders in navigating these turbulent times and to build more resilient and robust R&D functions.