Executive Summary:

This “Functional Bio” is intended to assist interested parties in understanding the Imperatives, the Work, the Outcomes, and the Ongoing Impact of the Transition By Design Process. Transition By Design’s (TBD’s) foundational philosophy is that, “Relationships (& processes) ultimately drive productivity and profitability in the workplace.” This philosophy supports it’s mission statement which is, “Transition By Design is dedicated to creating a healthy space where leaders can manage themselves so well that they can lead with exacting critical conversations, yet get out of the way, and allow others to give back their own best work performance---while also helping to unravel and resolve complex business and relationship dilemmas.” TBD Inc. is a compilation of over 25 years of Lori’s grooming multiple talent sets, pursuing over 7 years of graduate school including 2 Masters degrees (KU & K-State), post-Masters work, and a two-year advanced training and (video-taped) supervision program in human and systems change work. In 1998, Lori left her Corporate Clinical Director position as one of four administrators at a NE KS Psych Hospital, to create Transition By Design Inc., a Business Strategies Company. Various titles, labels, and nick-names have been endearingly endowed upon Lori by her most appreciative clients over the years, some of the most memorable being: Transition Strategist/Specialist, Corporate Shrink, Dilemma Doctor, Business Therapist, Conversation Judo Expert, Critical Conversation Guru, Adrenalin Junkie Interventionist (for crisis-prone clients), and the humorous list goes on. It has become evident that TBD clients have very much enjoyed the process, the outcomes, the long-acting impact, and the relationships they have developed with Lori and each other over the years---even through stressful business times. Choose a title from the list you feel comfortable referring to Lori as (or one that refers to the kind of assistance you are requiring), OR create a title of your own….and she’ll roll up her sleeves and help you get started with the change experience OF YOUR CHOOSING for yourself and your organization.

Objectives:

To assist individuals and organizations to navigate and implement change, where leadership wants to expand their leadership----and wants to feel MORE in charge of their change process by the end of our work together. To support financial goals of the organization by resolving issues and dilemmas which drive less-than-desirable productivity and profitability. To help individuals and organizations create access to imperative organizational/client/ &market information while in a change process. To teach higher level diagnostic and intervention skill sets where invisible (or nearly invisible) organizational dynamics are interfering.

Talent and Advanced Skill Set areas include:

• Diagnostic Interviewing
  
• Advanced Group Diagnostics & Facilitation
  
• Administrative, Career, and Therapeutic Intervention & Transition Consultation (at personal, professional, and organizational levels of change)
  
• Work Systems/Cultural & Family Systems/Community Systems Change Strategies
  
• Business/Organization Development & Change Dynamics Management
  
• Pre-Emptive Conflict Resolution in the Workplace (& within Partnerships or between Leaders/Board Members or other key members) to facilitate simply getting unstuck---and certainly before legalized “Mediation” or “Arbitration” must be required----or expensive legal action taken
• And most importantly: Creating Access to Imperative Organizational / Client/ & Market Information while in a Change Process
  

The “Imperatives”

1) In general, that any desired change begins with the leader of change and begins with shifts of perspectives inside the leader’s skin---i.e. change does not just begin with a goal or a directive or a financial plan.
2) Also, that the inevitable dilemmas which come up in change work are fundamentally DRIVEN BY relationships and must also be resolved by processes and relationships, not just by “decisions” made by leadership.
3) That (ironically) over-focusing on relationships (in the form of certain individuals) makes organizations overlook the imperative information that these relationships are revealing to the organization about ITself, ITS clients, or ITS market. Therefore, the imperative becomes how to access organization/client/market information from these relationship dilemmas that will shine a light on the best course of action for all involved---& that will result in multiple win scenarios for org/staff/&clients.
4) That, having the “right people on the bus” is often a career/business related concern that also may be “on the table” when the organization finds out it has inadvertently created the wrong job description OR filled a right one with the wrong talent OR has the right talent in the wrong place. (This point is, however, far more infrequent that the ones ---#1, #2, #3--- preceding it.)
5) That in the case of closely-held corporations &/or family-owned businesses, there is usually a family influence/dynamic that can confuse, block, or help to navigate normal organizational and business dynamics & processes. In either case, the owners need to know what works and what doesn’t----& especially what DOES work!
6) That in the #5 scenario above, family systems and organization systems/dynamics can and DO interfere with each other----esp. without specific boundaries that help one to not interfere with the other.
7) That especially for leaders (& their key players) who come from addictive (or dysfunctional) family systems, they need to access and shift certain family “scripts” and “rules” which unwittingly are sabotaging business success.

The “Work”

1) The work is to help key individuals identify the layers of dilemmas in their own individual “silos,” be able to exchange information in such a fashion as NOT to scapegoat (over-focus on one person) or split the organization (cause loyalty dilemmas in which members feel forced to choose sides).
2) These dilemmas are shared in such a non-defensive manner as to create mutual non-blaming interest in each other’s dilemmas---in order to access the imperative information about the org./client/market described above.
3) The goals may shift or stay the same. The perspectives and the approach will probably shift at this point.
4) If appropriate, the lead strategist in that area may help leadership to update the company scorecard to reflect new information and variances on goals.

The “Outcomes”

1) Frustrations & delays are treated before expensive “conflict” breaks out.
2) Organizations and employees are spared the stress and expense of letting persons go, when the dilemmas found end up belonging to the position, not the person. The organization quickly re-stabilizes with minimal “damage control.”
3) Projects move forward with greater substance, effectiveness, &/or more efficient completion.

The “Ongoing Impact”

1) The work is profoundly accelerated and enhanced---positively impacting ongoing cost and revenues (typically by at least hundreds of thousands of dollars & usually millions).
2) Enhanced goals function to bring about more superior results (especially regarding speed and quality) than anticipated by earlier projections.
3) While TBD is usually working only with core leadership, the masses and the volume of business expectations (& results) are elevated and OWNED by key players and their support networks which drive the larger corporate revenues.
4) The organization becomes a superior culture to work in, manifesting great intensity of loyalty and accountability from its key players and supporting staff.
5) Once relationships experience the power to resolve their own business dilemmas, leaders apply these advanced skill sets to next challenges & mentor these advanced skill sets through the ranks and divisions.

Real Client Examples of the above Transition By Design Process in action:

Multiple owners of a company where one division has been tanked by the economy are in a crisis regarding how to function as a company AND as a partnership. They use the above TBD process to re-invent their company & adjust the partnership accordingly. Resulting in a multiple “win” scenario for each partner. Long term impact is the survival of the company, the relationships that created it, and the creation of company direction both increasing profits and reducing dead overhead.

Multiple partners see opportunities for a market niche with a new big client and a new partner. They use the TBD process to accelerate finding strengths and weaknesses in their new corporate set up. Resulting in completely overhauling their expectations and interests in pursuing this market niche----& aligning new expectations with “here & now” operations decisions. Long-term impact was making partner corrections very early in their partnership experience to free them up to meet revenue goals & release one partner from a poorly matched role. Partnership shifts made, again, with multiple “win” scenarios for each partner.

Couple-owned business initiates second major business expansion which dangerously stresses their core management team. Owners use the TBD process to uncover key information about the impact of this expansion on the total business and make shifts to protect their investment as well as retain their key staff. Long term impact was the successful completion of the expansion transition and keeping the management team intact---while increasing revenues beyond expectations due to uncovering imperative information earlier on that the stress points were trying to show the key players.

Large company needs to meet financial goals & new financial strategies. Leadership uses this TBD process to access ongoing imperative information which the new strategic plan has set in motion. Stand-Stills and Delays are mined to uncover dilemmas which are then used to evolve advanced strategic questions. Leadership uses these non-blaming and non-defensive questions to engage the key relationships to resolve the delays. Long-range impact was not only revenue producing, but significantly calmed the anxiety in the work system----so as not to be so quick to hold up or paralyze the system in the future.

New leadership in an organization wants to transition the organization to new values and mission statement while minimally interrupting current revenue production. New leader uses the TBD process to shift his/her perspectives about how to change his organization and how s/he needs to shift critical conversations to produce next steps that others now take “ownership” of---one conversation at a time. Work focused first on leader and client-focused goals, then on key opinion makers, then on alliances and processes for client-centered services. Process created clarity for leader on which “dead wood” to clean up &/or clear out of the organization, while not threatening, but rather, cementing productive relationships with loyalty and mutual accountability to the new values and mission statement. Longer term impact was that financial goals were accelerated over a shorter time because of the increased level of confidence from which new leader made and implemented decisions. Accountability within any one critical conversation was born to live a long life in this organization.

For additional information, and to find out whether your situation is a good candidate for using the TBD process, call or e-mail.

Kansas City Metro Area: 913-302-9101
Topeka Area & Out of State: 785-235-2500
E-mail: mail@transitionbydesign.com