Helping companies deliver practical outcomes and bottom-line results is a primary goal at Posey Associates. Here are two examples of real-world success:

Fast Track. New Role.

A charismatic executive, with a strong sales background, was promoted from a long-term, C-suite sales position into a very short- stint interim COO role, and then quickly promoted to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He became CEO of a sales-driven, high growth and cyclically profitable $1-3B consumer goods firm and needed to adapt his leadership style in his new role as head of the company.

Challenge: Sales Not a Predictor of CEO Success
Given the organization’s sales-driven focus, his previous success in sales was viewed as an accurate predictor of success in the CEO position. However, the CEO found himself struggling in his new role, acting in his own words, “more as a super brand manager” than CEO. He found himself making all the decisions and failing to effectively engage with his broader executive team and with the Board of Directors.

What We Did: Coaching and Insight
We conducted assessments, interviews and a strategy survey to help him better understand his current leadership style. Through these tools and our coaching, the CEO recognized that when he was under pressure in his new role, he was constantly distracted and yet insistent on a strict adherence to his rules, his ideas, precedent and procedures. Unwittingly, he was forcing the organization to “play small.”

Results: Effective Leader. Enhanced Performance.
Previously comfortable with leading from the front, the CEO has successfully adapted his style and evolved to a very effective leader. He is now operating with more of a generally assertive style, but with a warmer authority. While still structured in his approach, the CEO is very open to new ideas from his leadership team. In recent confidential interviews, he received very high ratings from the Board and direct reports for his leadership and results.

Explosive Growth, New Culture

A U.S. Southwest-based, solutions company was experiencing rapid growth and found itself with shrinking profit margins and struggling to effectively meet the needs of a growing base of sophisticated customers demanding quality. The leadership team valued its strong entrepreneurial roots with a reputation of integrity and doing “whatever it takes to please the customer.”

Challenge: It Started as a Communication Issue
Initially, the problem was identified by the client as poor communications. They wanted help developing better communications that would cascade down through the organization and improve hand-offs between departments. However, during the initial assessment, performance survey and interview, it became clear the organization had completely out-stripped its ability to perform. Where the organization previously had heroes conducting a wide variety and volume of work, it now needed specialists and new processes. Where previously all decisions funneled through a few founders, the organization now needed to develop the internal capability to democratize decision-making.

What We Did: Focus on New Capabilities
We used the Posey Process to enable the executive leadership team to understand, see and feel how an aligned strategy, new planning science, decision-making and shared authority allowed them to perform. This revealed an entirely new vigor, sense of urgency and constancy of purpose with the team. We are working to implement a new strategic plan and develop these new capabilities.

Results: Higher Projected Sales & Reduced Costs
The company has adjusted their sales forecast up for the coming year and are planning to reduce internal costs by an additional 10%.

A 94 Year Old Start-Up

The leadership of a U.S. Midwest-based, privately held, family-owned $750M manufacturing company placed the company on an aggressive growth strategy with the objective of being number three in their industry. The client wanted help hiring experienced executives to help them with their strategy.

Challenge: It Started as Needing the Right Talent
Upon analysis, the problem was--in addition to needing the right talent--the organization, despite its size, was operating with little to no processes. There was no budget; the cost of goods and cost to manufacture were not clearly understood; the organization did not have the ability to forecast and manage its supply chain; there was no clear strategy going forward, little or no accountability at all levels, and no plans for three out of four years.

What We Did: A Complete Cultural Transformation
What began essentially as a search for talent, became a complete cultural transformation focusing on four integrated components: Talent, Training and Development, Performance Management, and Strategy / Goal Setting. Our consulting work has given the organization the ability to transform itself and exercise capabilities that it did not possess previously. With the addition of top talent, an aligned strategic focus, new processes, and a newly created performance culture focused on specific metrics and tactical business outcomes, the business is now on a journey of growth. The wonderful part of this assignment was that the family owners, through some difficult work, came to acknowledge the problems, embraced the need to change, and became advocates of the transformation.

Results: Strong Revenue Growth & Exceeding Goals
In the 5 years since the initial engagement, the company has refinanced, divested itself of two major parts of its business, grown to $1.3 B in annual revenue, grown sales 15% in a segment down 12%, dramatically reduced cost of goods, weathered an extremely costly commodity market, and is projected to make 4 times plan in its most recent calendar year.