A high-growth, start-up business.

This small business start-up has hit on a proven idea and is in a solid growth trajectory. However, poor management skills by the principle architect and weak operations structures threaten the future of the enterprise.

THE CHALLENGE

A young entrepreneur has a brilliant mind and a brilliant idea that’s already proving itself to be more than profitable. However, he lacks:

• Management, communication, and people skills,
• Basic business operations skills 

Consequently, the small firm has divided itself into three factions:

• The entrepreneur, who hates his work and the people around him,
• His production people who work directly with him and hate their jobs, but are terrified to leave, and
• The outer-office people who were hired to run the operations side of the business, but lack the acumen necessary of a start-up on a high-growth trajectory.

The business idea is solid and salvageable. However, it requires a complete turnaround and in-depth training of almost every participant in several business disciplines. Tensions are extremely high resulting in a highly complex emotional matrix.

As a result, this young business enterprise sought a consulting/training partner that could help them navigate the many business nuances on the radar while systematically addressing the many internal management, people and morale issues.

THE SOLUTION

Complex forces and intricate personalities demand change. For the next twenty-four months, TLS worked hand-in-hand with the entire organization delivering on several fronts. Changing attitudes, people-performance, and base-line operational structures is a highly complex, focused task, especially while the business is being kept alive providing product/service to customers, while at the same time on life-support. Plus, there is an added complexity when you are required to also extract the variables creating, the high turnover and the chief revenue component, without removing the key person responsible for both. In order to carry this task out successfully, you must reckon with a multitude of hidden, abstract variables all at once in order to successfully create a more permanent, positive change within the culture of such a promising enterprise.

First, we installed and conducted a one-on-one leadership/management training and development program specifically tailored for the entrepreneur. During this training regimen, we identified ways to change and reverse his management, communication and inter-personal skills. We then established tools, systems and processes that allowed this individual to better handle the daily responsibilities of building and growing a young enterprise while at the same time increasing worker morale, motivation, commitment and productivity. In addition to all of the new tools and systems, the entrepreneur was trained in the ways of leadership presence, leadership responsibility, teamwork and team-comportment.

In addition to the focus on the leadership of the small start-up, our Turnaround also directed considerable time and attention to the people of this enterprise. A “team-management” system was implemented. This reduced the tension, stress and pressure being carried by a majority of the workforce including the entrepreneur himself. Round-Table team meetings were developed which replaced non-productive, time-wasting regular business meetings. Extensive recruitment and team-interview training tools were also implemented and mentored into the group which helped to cut down on the extremely high rate of mis-hires and therefore also, the high turnover rate.

THE VALUE

After many months of individual and team training and consulting the entrepreneur and his business were on solid footing and on track. The strong factions within the small organization disappeared. The business had stronger, more talented people as their hiring practices weeded out the weak prospects and as the leader better cared for and communicated with his people. As a team and as individuals, people looked for ways and opportunities to build and develop new business. Turnover decreased from 45% to less than 5% on an annualized basis. This group now resolves internal and customer issues fast. The entire group was empowered to create solutions/tools through the tools that TLS developed specifically for their environment. The possession of those solutions/tools saw the company realize their best, most profitable annual revenue performance just 12 months after their TLS Turnaround.

There are additional significant features with this Turnaround. The group is now more confident in themselves and in one another. They have stronger relationships and rapport with:

• One another,
• The entrepreneur/owner, and
• Their customers.

Company-wide, the group has a greater sense of pride in the expanded role they each play now within the growing organization. They each readily shoulder the responsibility of being the “best-face” of the company to the public. The bottom-line is:

• dramatically improved management skills,
• greater employee commitment and performance,
• increased and growing business revenue,
• decreased employee turnover,
• increased employee morale, and
• more satisfied customers.