Presenting problem by manufacturing client
Need for a strategic plan aligning the needs of the organization at a time of rapid growth.
Challenge
Rapidly changing market conditions and fast growth. The executive team was experiencing some tensions following missed deadlines. The need for clarifying priorities was obvious, but where to start was not.
Discovery
One key issue that emerged was the company’s capacity for delivering on promises made to new clients while providing ongoing support for existing customers. The company’s system for prioritizing jobs was being compromised by tensions between sales and operations.
Solution
We facilitated work sessions that helped to refine the mission of the company in the context of current and likely trends, identified the values to drive future activity and behaviors, and highlighted some of the patterns of interaction among team members that were impeding productivity and progress.
Results
The team learned how to communicate more effectively together and committed themselves to scheduled reporting on the progress being made. Early troubleshooting, including active efforts to prevent problems repeating themselves, is now inherent in the workflow. Tensions within the team dissipated and the company has taken steps to bridge the gap between capacity and ability to deliver on new and existing customer expectations.
