Aligning Management Goals

Challenge

The executive committee of a small company was having difficulty discussing issues and making decisions about the direction of the company. The communication difficulties prevented decisions from being made, and the company experienced paralysis. These difficulties also created interpersonal tension, which harmed the company’s morale and effectiveness.

Consensus Solution

Consensus began the engagement by asking the committee members about their visions for the company and their role in it. This helped crystallize the points of disagreement.

Then Consensus met with the committee members, both jointly and individually, with two objectives in mind. The first was to facilitate dialogue on key issues facing the company. The lack of communication had paralyzed the company and inhibited its ability to make decisions on issues such as hiring, firing, sales strategies, office infrastructure, and more. With Consensus’ help, the executive committee was able to engage these difficult issues constructively and make decisions for the company.

The second goal was to help the committee members improve their communication skills more generally. In both joint and individual meetings Consensus was able to point out the destructive patterns of communication and offer alternative strategies for discussing difficult issues.

Consensus also interviewed several of the company’s key clients, in order to solicit feedback on the company. These interviews further assisted the client in refining its vision and identifying the most promising avenues for growth.