Organization Development

Executive summary

Organization Development

Regardless of the type of organization, leaders in an organization are crucial for growth, training subordinates, retaining personnel, selecting replacements and formulating/executing the company’s strategy. Understanding the differences between how to construct and manage process, and how to lead people who are executing activities in support of the company’s strategy is an important distinction that is often missed by both corporations and individuals. Leaders understand the objectives of the organization, work with their teams to develop execution strategies, solve problems faced by their teams along the way and make recommendations for change to their superiors. When leaders know how to act, how to lead teams while managing process, how to deal with both crises and success, and how to get the most out of their people they can be extremely effective and provide increased value to the company. This service approaches leadership from a broad perspective formed by over 30 years of experience and success in the US Navy, private industry, and as a collegiate management instructor. The service can be focused for first time leaders, experienced mid-level managers who are moving into new responsibilities, and senior or C-Level leaders of companies and corporations. The service can be focused in particular areas such as production and manufacturing, business development, supply chain, contracting, human resources, government liaison, engineering, or combinations of various functional areas in small groups. The service can be directed at individuals or small groups, depending on their level of experience. For more senior clients, an individual approach is more appropriate while for less experienced or new managers small group approaches are preferred. Annual follow up sessions with leaders who have completed the program is also available to ensure leaders continue to grow in their roles.

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Service Methodology

The first step in the service is a review of candidate’s resumes, if allowed by company policy performance reports for the past 2 years, and conducting individual interviews to ensure the training is properly focused. Pre-visit company research provides a basis for discussions with company leaders (not candidates but candidate’s supervisors) that will inform SGSS on company leadership approaches and philosophy. Training for first time or entry level managers is an 8 hour process, split into two 4 hour days. Groups of 8-10 maximum are best for this level of discussion, but smaller numbers can easily be accommodated. Candidates are asked to describe their concept for the perfect leader and attributes these leaders should exhibit. They will also describe things about leaders they do not aspire to mimic. Then the service reviews differences between traditional and matrix organizations, pros and cons of each, and leadership challenges for both. The candidates participate on discussion topics including (not exhaustive): Concepts of Authority, Responsibility and Accountability, metric based leadership, first time introductions into new organizations, how to meet new people, communication techniques and pros/cons to each, how to drive the organization, how to deal with under-performing people, learning from failure, motivation techniques, the role of HR, and dealing with peers from a leadership perspective. Each is discussed with examples from other organizations and candidates are discouraged from bring stories from their current company into the discussion. At the end of the 8 hours, the last session begins with each candidate describing their leadership philosophy in 1 minute or less, and then becomes a capstone discussion of techniques covered throughout the session and recommended reading materials on leadership to allow candidates to continue to improve their leadership skills. For mid- to senior-level leaders (senior managers, directors, and senior directors) preparation is similar and group sizes of less than 5-6 are best. During the training for more experienced leaders the review of different organizational constructs becomes more give and take on their experiences and how they see the pros and cons affecting their new roles. Each candidate is then asked to describe their leadership philosophy in less than one minute. After this review the service then conducts training on the above topics, focused for more senior leaders, with a similar wrap up session. For senior VP and company presidents the training is one-on-one, focused on leading teams of teams, driving the organization to success, communication, personnel management, and message creation and dissemination. Interviews of direct reports and one level below, as well as preparation on the company as described above are important steps in the process. Depending on the level of access allowed, SGSS offers a shadow program for senior leaders to allow for direct feedback on their performance after observation of leaders in action. Short one on one sessions over a period of 2-3 days culminate in a final review of observations and suggestions for consideration by the leader.

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Service Options

Companies can elect whether they just require Appleton Greene for advice and support with the Bronze Client Service, for research and performance analysis with the Silver Client Service, for facilitating departmental workshops with the Gold Client Service, or for complete process planning, development, implementation, management and review, with the Platinum Client Service. Ultimately, there is a service to suit every situation and every budget and clients can elect to either upgrade or downgrade from one service to another as and when required, providing complete flexibility in order to ensure that the right level of support is available over a sustainable period of time, enabling the organization to compensate for any prescriptive or emergent changes relating to: Customer Service; E-business; Finance; Globalization; Human Resources; Information Technology; Legal; Management; Marketing; or Production.

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Service Mission

Dr. Williams is a highly experienced senior executive who has successfully given advice to many large organizations and various industries. His experience working with diverse groups of people across the globe as well as multiple foreign partners and industries gives him a unique perspective in understanding how to lead complex organizations with varied missions. His skills as a teacher and communicator are well known in the US military and industry; and combined with global business success across defense and aerospace industries allows Dr. Williams to present unique and sustainable leadership techniques to groups and individuals. His skills can best be employed through small group or individual engagements, seminar discussions, leadership workshops and cross-business collaboration approaches and techniques. By helping leaders across the experience spectrum be better at leading their organizations as well as managing processes, Dr. Williams will help all levels of the corporation be more effective, increasing growth in highly competitive markets.

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Service objectives

The following list represents the Key Service Objectives (KSO) for the Appleton Greene Organization Development service.

1. Process Development
   We can then start to re-develop the business organizational transformation model or process, taking into consideration the key corporate objectives of each individual department, which need to be SMART: Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Realistic and Timely. Processes are developed using a stakeholder management approach, engaging the human resources available within each department in order to ensure ownership and commitment from key employees. In order to qualify as an organizational transformation process, this needs to be something tangible, such as a software, operations procedure, or a corporate training program, that people will use internally on an ongoing basis.
2. Process Analysis
   Undertaking a detailed analysis of the current business process that is currently used within the company for organizational transformation within each department, including: Customer Service; E-business; Finance; Globalization; Human Resources; Information Technology; Legal; Management; Marketing; or Production. This will be conducted via communications with the appointed head of each department, or an elected key employee. The objective here is to analyse what is working and what is not working, by undertaking a SWOT analysis: Internal Strengths & Weaknesses and External Opportunities and Threats. We need to ensure that the external organizational transformation opportunities are derived from the company’s own internal strengths. Similarly, the external organizational transformation threats need to be derived from the company’s own internal weaknesses. We can then begin to identify the company’s organizational transformation opportunities..
3. Process Implementation
   This is where the majority of organizational transformation projects succeed or fail. Success is achieved by the provision of ongoing support and assistance, over a sustainable period of time, while processes are being implemented. Regular and consistent workshops need to be undertaken in order to re-vitalize the model and to re-motivate and re-energize the key stakeholders. We also need to recognize and value their achievements along the way. Success will ultimately be determined by the company’s ability to constantly evolve in response to prescriptive and emergent changes that it continuously faces and the Critical Success Factor (CSF) here is that the Organizational Transformation service provides key stakeholders with ongoing support and assistance as and when they need it in order to maximize opportunities and to minimize threats.
4. Process Management
   Once the process has been implemented successfully, it needs to be continuously managed by each individual department. This simply involves the ongoing analysis of what is working and what is not working and ensuring that each department remains proactive and flexible enough to change and evolve as and when necessary. This is where it is important to ensure that each department’s mission, objectives, strategies and tactics are constantly reviewed and updated and that their resources are aligned with a view towards maximizing profitability.
5. Process Review
   An important part of this service is model revitalization. That is to say, the organizational transformation process or model itself will need to be subject to periodical review in order to ensure that it remains proactive and relevant as the business itself grows and evolves. By doing so, this will enable the company to achieve competitive advantage within its industry sector and within the geographical locations where it operates and this will ultimately effect the company’s ability to achieve and maintain greater market share. The review process simply provides the company with the tools required in order to optimize the organizational transformation process, by using quick and easy methods to ensure that it remains proactive and to improve performance.

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Achievements

University of Phoenix

I served as the Subject Matter Expert for the development of OI370 – Innovation for the 21st Century, and the revision of OI365 – Knowledge Management and Intellectual Capital. I also had the opportunity to review and add feedback to the 2nd edition of Kinicki, A. (2016). Organizational behavior: A practical problem solving approach. New York. NY: McGraw-Hill, that will replace the current edition used in MGT312 – Organizational Behavior for Managers.

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Consultancy

I managed several consulting projects concurrently, which included the supervision of assigned Staff Executives. We analyzed the client’s business and implemented technical business and management know-how and administration skills. I developed a strategy and authored a Specialized Action Plan for the Staff Executives to develop solutions and implement the agreed upon solutions.. I trained the client about business and management issues and the effects in the workplace, while Instructing the client to use analytical and mathematical skills to effectively manage the business. The client was trained to understand financial statements, complex analytical comparisons, solving algebraic calculations and understanding statistical reports. I ensured personnel understood new procedures and policies and trained clients to be true managers instead of employees of the business by using management and strategy methods. I recommended the client to implement Six Sigma and/or ISO 9001 programs to the organization.

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Aramark

I preformed several projects to help increase sliding profits. The most notable project was the region of Northwest Indiana. I presented and executed a strategy to increase the Northwest Indiana region of the Chicago market share by 156%. Previously the region did not meet profit plans within the annual business plans.

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More detailed achievements, references and testimonials are confidentially available to clients upon request.

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Industries

This service is primarily available to the following industry sectors:

Consultancy

The Management Consultant, strives to provide a clearer segmentation of services, by providing solutions and forecasting KPIs for each scenario. The consultants’ supports organizations with an access to deeper levels of expertise than would retain internally. External consultants are bringing information and knowledge worldwide and across industries more economically than organizations themselves. The consultant approaches can be an expert one, providing solutions, and facilitative, with a focus on processes. Another division is of business function or industry focus. At the moment, the consultancy market is growing with the growth of market globalization and expansion of the companies on new markets. Most of the changes are caused by the technological development, but the globalization is another strong factor. Consultancy is necessary as an integrator, solution provider, creative thinker and ultimately a proxy manager, who is filtering the informational flow and by selection provides best solution. Technologies are changing very quickly and companies can’t afford to get all necessary qualities, therefore consultants are becoming for them not only a data bank, but a solutions bank. In this environment, the role of consulting business will continue to be a success factor to many businesses. Opportunities will create fast development of technologies; norms are accepted by most of countries, but local specifics become even more important, due to unequal development; the growing number of international events; opening of new markets; urbanization trend of megacities, integration of infrastructures; and financial frauds make more organization to look for external consulting. Weaknesses organizations must remain aware of are reduced profits, due to abundance of participants in consulting business; failures to develop executable plans; sometimes change suggested results in substantial damages to existing businesses; many advises given contain gaps and inconsistencies; delivering empty promises or stating the obvious; lack of enough experience; lack of analysis of relation solution-cost and sustainability. Strengths are: wide range of available specialists in various industries could develop to consultants; standardization of the requirements for the performance; certification of the consultants; flexibility and tailor-made solutions; life-time solutions – from the idea, through implementation and results; impact on the development of all interconnected businesses – energy management, facility management, transport; and the exposure to various businesses and industries make consultants to gather high level knowledge of best practices.

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Education

The educational services market is large and growing with several types of opportunities available for franchisees. There are approximately 58,113 establishments in the industry which earn a combined $19.4 billion dollars in revenue. The industry is largely fragmented, the fifty largest companies represent just 30% of the total revenue in the industry. There are 55.1 million students attending school in grades K-12, all of whom are potential clients for educational services – and that number is expected to increase to 74 million. The vast majority of revenue in this industry comes from tuition or program fees. Gross profits tend to range from 60-90% depending on the location and particular course, and net profit averages out to between 2-10%. Increasing company size has helped consolidate operations in the educational services field – helping to lower fixed costs and improve overall operational efficiency, both of which are very important to keeping businesses in the field healthy and profitable. Finding qualified instructors in any field is becoming increasingly challenging; it is important to inquire about this when researching potential companies. There is a potential danger to some areas of the field in future competition from online training courses, which are growing more and more popular as technology spreads. In addition, businesses face competition from free online resources and computer software. Overall, however, the field is expanding, educational services in the United States are forecast to grow by 5% per year over the next five years.

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Locations

This service is primarily available within the following locations: