I’d bet that each of you have often heard the axiom about the glass being half-full or half-empty. Which perspective do you believe in? How does your organiztaion respond? It speaks to the culture and character of the organization. You feel it when you walk in the building or talk with anyone who has assumed any level of responsibility.
At Loichinger Advantage, I’d like to think that our moments of truth put us into the glass half-full category. It’s not so much the cards we’re dealt but how we respond to the hand we receive. Here are some of the reasons I hope those who encounter us share that opinion.
Leadership –
As an employee of various organizations, I have worked with a variety of leaders. I have learned from the best and others who had very different priorities. Most were very good at portraying a positive and encouraging culture. Leadership is where the rubber meets the road. As the organization leader, what is the standard you set for all other leaders? What actions do they see you and the management team providing day-to-day? Do you accept responsibility for organizational leadership, or have you delegated leadership development to your staff function?
Inspiration –
You may or may not have seen our tagline…Developing Inspiring Leaders & Organizations. We speak of leaders at any level and title, but especially for those with the formal titles. All leaders have a tough role to carry out each day. Everything is a priority and needs to be completed ASAP, and of course, to the higher expectations of our customers.
We do not look at leaders as a title or something to be taken lightly by anyone, but a true calling and identify that someone has deep within their soul. Inspiration is not about charisma to us, and it is more than developing followers to our plans. It is about visions so inspiring and right that we want to spend more time with them, or so compelling that we can’t pull ourselves away. Remember that project you had that was so engaging that you completely lost track of time? These are visions and work so huge that we absolutely need others because it is impossible to accomplish on our own. Most of all, it is about the type of work that is so complex and inspiring that we not only need others, we need to develop more and more leaders to sustain and grow it.
This is inspiration. This is work that I have done. This is work I share with clients. This is work we can do to make a lasting impact on your organization. This is what we mean when we offer to help organizations develop inspiring leaders and organizations.
Intent –
Have you worked with service providers who inform you that they can do just about anything for you? Regardless of what you ask for, they are able to fulfill each request? These are the firms that scared me off when I was doing the hiring. The intent of our firm is to be the resource and expert in the practices we offer – leadership development, executive coaching & succession planning. We have done all types of custom development well over the years, but these three areas of expertise are where we have put our stake in the ground. Need work and expertise in these areas, you’ll get the best with us.
Client Service –
When we establish, launch and manage our businesses, we have the luxury of choosing who we want to serve. At Loichinger Advantage, we have enjoyed long-standing client relationships with organizations in a wide range of industries. In many cases, those clients have worked with me across a range of organizations I have consulted with – what a great compliment. Those clients judge us by what we know and deliver, but in great part, for who we are and what we are like to work alongside.
Competence –
While reputation and years of experience are often identified as the leading factors used to select a consulting firm for project assistance, it boils down to competence. How well do you understand the services you provide? How deep is that expertise? Can you remain effective if the scope or dynamics of the project suddenly shift? We believe no one firm is better positioned to discover your true need, assemble the team of experts, manage to the dynamic changes, and deliver on our promise. We focus on strategic leadership development solutions that build your legacy. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Trust & Reputation –
As a growing service firm, we realize the unequivical truths of our work: Madison is a very small town; and, all we ultimately have to offer our clients is trust and reputation. We know this intuitively, yet a 2007 consulting survey sponsored by the American Management Association and the Institute of Management Consultants USA confirmed these facts:
- Consulting firms are considered for engagement by referral more than any other means (76% of the time).
- Managers and executive responding to the survey indicate that the team of consultants (92.1%) is more important to the successful outcome of the project than the consulting firms image and reputation (7.9%)
Shared Accountability –
We always have an early conversation with prospects and clients about what success looks like, how we will know we have achieved what we set out to do. It is about measurement and accountability, but it is much more than that. It’s about truly understanding the issues and dilemma’s, it’s about the discovery process, it’s about shared and growing commitment, it’s about partnership, it’s about shared accountability, and it’s about understanding the full spectrum of results. Any project we have succeeded in has had clarity and commitment within each of these areas.
How does this positioning and intent apply to you and your organization? Do you have strategic leadership development as a core element of your strategic plan? Are you following through on that plan, or letting strategic leadership initiatives slip to the back burner? What grade would you give to your efforts? How well have you developed the future talent pool of leaders, given the pace of change and complexity in your industry? Finally, do you have a long-standing relationship with a firm who understands the dilemma’s you face, the dynamics of your market, the expectations for leaders and the need for results you require?