The Situation
Partners in a ten-year old services company were on the verge of “divorce”.
In spite of having grown a profitable company they had almost come to blows because of differences in approaches. They asked me to help them evaluate whether or not the partnership could be saved. They believed better communications skills would help.
Pain Point: Our partnership used to be good and now it’s falling apart
Orchard Advisors Approach
Although we agreed that good communications was important, I also knew that if they didn’t share a common purpose and vision for the company, no amount of communications skill could fix that. I began by helping them develop their own personal strategic plans, exploring how the business was part of their vision. Then I helped them create their individual visions for the company. It became clear that what they wanted was actually the same. Woven into my work with them were tools and practices that let them have higher quality conversations and even disagreements without threatening the business. Once their relationship and commitment to the business was strengthened, we began work together on a plan for the company.
The Result
- The partnership is strong
- Increased effectiveness in organization leadership
- Increased ability to create and execute a strategic plan
