In the intricate world of organization design, one of the most frequent questions we’re asked is “What should we do?” Countless businesses seek expert guidance, longing for a quick-fix solution amidst the complexities of their operations. However, at ON THE MARK (OTM), we uphold a resolute principle – we will never simply dictate a course of action to our customers.
Nobody Knows Your Business As Well As You
One of our most sacred beliefs is that “Nobody knows your business as well as you.” Nobody knows the culture, demands, data, nuances, and workforce of your business as intimately as you. We firmly espouse the idea that you, internally and collectively, have all the experience and information you need to accomplish your strategy. What you may lack, however, is a method by which to mine and polish these valuables. Nevertheless, you are the only expert you need!
The battle cry from within the trenches of a business is often “Just tell me what to do!” This is understandable; however, it often stems from desperation, frustration, and/or stagnation. Admittedly, there are moments when seeking expert counsel becomes imperative (extreme time constraints, leadership conflicts, or other exceptional circumstances). However, the inherent drawback of relying solely on external expertise is glaring…it is usually going to produce an inferior result than using process consultation. Selecting a true “expert” is very difficult to do.
Finding The Right Org Design Consulting Firm
Can you find an experienced consultant in your industry, in your market, in your customer demographics, and who specializes in your business’s gravitational pull? Unlikely. The more likely scenario is that you will get consultants who are experts in consulting and know very little about your business or industry. Sadly, even if they were truly experts, they are unlikely to offer you any advice that will strengthen your competitive advantage because their expertise will have been garnered by having already helped your competition!
We pride ourselves on being industry agnostic, geographically uninhibited, and content neutral. Unlike expert consultants, process consultants guide you through a, you guessed it, process. We ask you the right questions to make decisions that are in the best interest of your business.
OTM’s Org Design Methodology
OTM’s methodology enlightens the trade-offs intrinsic to every decision, replacing the notion of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ choices with a comprehensive understanding of the associated benefits and consequences. Through collaborative workshops and meticulous guidance, OTM equips you with tools to comprehend the intricacies of each choice, allowing informed decisioning that aligns with business strategy.
Many times, if you are simply instructed what to do, you do not truly understand the tradeoffs that you have made when embracing that directive. Our collaborative process helps you thoroughly think through all the necessary considerations before making choices so that you can be confident you are making the best possible decisions for your business. Many times, in our workshops, we pose an exercise to a group and the response is, “Oh, we would have never thought of that!” That’s the way it is supposed to be…you know your business well, and we know ours!
So…in short…no, we will never (just) tell you what to do. OTM’s role isn’t to provide ready-made solutions but to facilitate a process that enables businesses to explore the multifaceted dimensions of each decision.
About the author:
Crystal leads the Support Consultant Team at OTM. She has her MBA with an emphasis in Business Intelligence, as well as her DBA in Analytics. She has held several financial positions within major corporations (Lockheed Martin, Lufthansa, SuperValu) as well as the not-for-profit world (faith based and higher education).
She resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her two nearly grown kids and her beloved Redbone Coonhound, Miss Banjo. In her spare time, she enjoys oil painting, jewelry making, traveling, saltwater aquariums, and virtual reality.
