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Able Organizations

508-358-5663     info@ableorganizations.com

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SERVICES

In short, we believe that it’s in the best interest of our clients to move beyond individuals and address what matters to the organization as a whole. In this way, we help companies create sustainable, enterprise-wide improvements in the way they work.

Using an approach grounded in research, diagnostics, strategy, and behavior change, and drawing on Founder Elaine Duffy’s experience as both business consultant and organizational psychologist, our clients are able to build and operate capable companies.

Our most common areas of focus are highlighted below.

MAKING CORPORATE SURVEY RESULTS ACTIONABLE

Attitude surveys, engagement surveys, partnership surveys … chances are, your business relies on one or more of these to get the pulse of your people. But when survey results are disappointing or equivocal, we step in to help you figure out the “why” behind the data. Then we guide you in addressing both performance and people concerns.

VIEW CASE STUDY

MAKING CORPORATE SURVEY RESULTS ACTIONABLE

CHALLENGE: The Chief Risk Officer at a financial services company was concerned when a key division obtained poor results on a corporate-wide partnership survey. He wanted to uncover the core issues driving those results and identify solutions to better serve the line of business.

WHAT WE DID: We designed an inquiry to clarify the expectations of a representative sample of business partners, and gained clarity on what partnership effectiveness looked like. Four key factors were identified as contributing to the problem. We supported the creation of a committee to manage obstacles and share information with the lines of business on an ongoing basis, identified the practices that encompassed exemplary partnership, and tied this to the talent upgrades required to enhance divisional effectiveness.

PAYOFF: Senior Executives and their respective teams were able to take visible action and, over time, make the essential changes required in order to help the lines of business meet their growth objectives while simultaneously keeping the company compliant.

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TURNOVER/LOW MORALE

To succeed over the long-term, every organization needs to attract, develop, and retain top talent. When people leave, time and money are lost in an ongoing effort to backfill key positions, train, and motivate. Turnover is a symptom of which root causes are not always apparent. We help you identify these, while also clarifying the (equally important) reasons people stay.

VIEW CASE STUDY

OVERCOMING PERFORMANCE OBSTACLES

CHALLENGE: A large law firm was experiencing high turnover among associates in a global practice group, and the risk of losing their key talent was high.

WHAT WE DID: Through interviews with practice group associates, senior lawyers, and a sample of attorneys who had recently left the firm, we uncovered specific factors contributing to turnover. The actions and practices of senior lawyers were key. Several facilitated meetings with associates and senior lawyers took place during which associate needs were clarified and solutions that addressed issues germane to communication, career development, client management, and creating a more respectful work environment were presented. Joint action plans with accountabilities were developed by the group, with new processes put in place to enable them to measure progress over time.

PAYOFF: Associates became active participants in the practice group, taking more responsibility for creating the work culture they wanted to experience. Senior lawyers, initially frustrated with what was perceived as unreasonable associate demands, developed better working relationships with these young attorneys. As a result, a more engaged and high performing practice group was created.

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MANAGING START-UP GROWING PAINS

Start-ups are thrilling places to work. So much excitement, so much possibility. But the constant change, high demands, unrelenting pace, and challenges posed by virtual communication can lead to confusion, frustration and wasted time.

We help start-ups thrive by assessing your current state of effectiveness (both wins and obstacles); conducting work sessions with your senior team; and developing an ongoing action plan to help keep everyone operating efficiently and effectively.

VIEW CASE STUDY

MANAGING START-UP GROWING PAINS

CHALLENGE: The CEO of a global start-up was faced with internal stumbling blocks that, if left unaddressed, would interfere with the company’s ability to accomplish its mission.

WHAT WE DID: We first conducted an organizational assessment and interviewed all members of the executive team. We identified the key factors most directly impacting business performance, proposed solutions, and conducted a working session with senior leadership to develop a plan of action to implement them. Able Organizations was retained to work with the CEO and COO to ensure that progress was sustained over time.

PAYOFF: For the first time since its inception, this executive team was able to focus on the mortar that held the bricks together – its people and processes. By establishing greater clarity in roles, increasing focus on specific objectives and the processes that support them, enhancing communication, and establishing methods for resolving conflict, this start-up has become a connected organization.

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INTERNAL CONFLICT/BICKERING TEAMS

Conflict is inevitable – and not always a bad thing. But, when there’s too much – resulting in infighting, turf wars, strained communication, etc. – important things don’t get done and precious time is wasted. We identify what’s getting in the way and co-create (with you) a plan to remove the mire. From there we develop a model – specific to the culture of your company – that allows for  productive management of conflict in the future.

VIEW CASE STUDY

INTERNAL CONFLICT/BICKERING TEAMS

CHALLENGE: The CEO of a non-profit was concerned that conflict between departmental directors and line staff would negatively impact the quality of service provided to the clients they served in a day program that was their bread and butter.

WHAT WE DID: We worked with the CEO and COO to first evaluate the current organizational structure and assess the degree to which it supported program success. We then designed an inquiry that enabled us to understand the extent to which role clarity, training needs, operational processes, communication, and interpersonal dynamics were factors contributing to internal conflict. Finally, we helped the CEO determine the extent to which the right people were in the right seats. The CEO hired a new program leader, changed the responsibilities of two staff members to better fit their abilities, and set up a communication protocol that allowed staff on different shifts to work through issues and concerns on a regular basis. Training needs would be addressed as funding allowed.

PAYOFF: The mere fact that both leaders and staff were heard reduced tension. The new program leader instituted an operating structure that provided clarity and supported more effective teamwork. Enhanced communication protocols with a methodology for resolving problems

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MANAGING CHANGE (AND GETTING AHEAD OF IT)

New acquisitions…..Transition at the top…..A shift in strategic direction – Whatever the specifics, significant change presents challenges for any business. Employee concerns about the impact on their roles, personal influence, and career longevity often create an uptick in organizational noise. People get stuck and leaders get frustrated.

We help leaders identify what’s getting in the way of people driving the right things in the expected timeframe by uncovering the factors driving resistance, and tailoring an approach that addresses what’s in the way for each key constituency.

VIEW CASE STUDY

MANAGING CHANGE (AND GETTING AHEAD OF IT)

CHALLENGE: The Chief Operating Officer at a consulting firm was planning to retire. Although a successor was identified, this would be an extraordinary change that, if not managed well, had the potential to create dissension and chaos for the firm.

WHAT WE DID:  A transition plan was put in place to guide activities that supported passing the baton. A communication strategy was created and mobilized. We worked with the executive team to identify those behaviors needed to effectively manage the changes associated with this transition both within the executive team and with their respective business units. Finally, an offsite, led by the new COO and facilitated by Able Organizational consultants, was conducted to clarify expectations, outline the new vision, establish operational norms, and focus the team around critical objectives.

PAYOFF: The efforts taken to plan ahead and communicate with purpose minimized confusion, maintained ongoing dialogue with stakeholders essential to a smooth transition, and unified the team reporting to the new COO.

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STRUGGLING LEADERSHIP TEAMS

Senior leaders and their managers have the single biggest influence on productivity. Their actions have ripple effects – positive and negative – throughout the organization. But effective leadership doesn’t happen by accident. Our evidence-based models identify specific characteristics of effective teams that, when applied, lead to widespread, ongoing collaboration in your organization.

VIEW CASE STUDY

STRUGGLING LEADERSHIP TEAMS

CHALLENGE: The senior team within a division of a Commercial Bank was not performing at the level expected by a new Divisional President. These executives were not in synch, their respective teams were competing rather than collaborating, and the quality of client service was potentially at risk.

WHAT WE DID: It became apparent that change in the banking organization as a whole and the arrival of a new Divisional President required this group to clarify the current vision for the business and create a strategic plan to support it. We helped the President craft his vision, delineating the milestones the senior team needed to accomplish in the next 18 months. After presenting this to the senior team, subgroups within this team created a strategy for each milestone and outlined actions needed to accomplish key objectives in a series of offsites facilitated by Able consultants.

PAYOFF: First, this effort enabled the new Divisional President to further establish his leadership and communicate his point of view. Secondly, the creation of the strategic plan was an exercise in teamwork for the senior team, provided them clear measures of success, and created a more unified context to focus and coordinate the work of their respective direct reports.

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Solving Complicated Leadership Problems for Fast Growing Companies

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