SME Strategy Consulting INC

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of Scaffold & Access Industry Association

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Scaffold & Access Industry Association is a trade association focused on safety and training. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SME Strategy Consulting INC to accomplish?

• Create a 3-year strategic plan.
• To facilitate an in-person meeting.
• To help staff with accountability within our company and with volunteers.

SOLUTION

How did you find SME Strategy Consulting INC?

Online Search

Why did you select SME Strategy Consulting INC over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from SME Strategy Consulting INC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Faciliate strategic planning sessions (online and in person) and align the Vision,
Mission, Values, Priorities, Goals, and Actions. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to narrow down four priorities for our association to focus on in the next three years. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We were on a time crunch to get the virtual meetings completed before our in person meeting. Jen was a great faciliator and collect tons of feedback from our focused stakeholders that held guide our Executive Committee. During the in person meeting, she came prepared and kept our leadership focused on the goals. The post documents were received back within 10 business days. 

What was your primary form of communication with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their approach on a 3-year plan was most impressive. Focusing on a few priorities kept the plan clean and easier to achieve.  

Are there any areas for improvement or something SME Strategy Consulting INC could have done differently?

I only can think of things we need to approve on before our next plan. SME did a great job during the entire process. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Associate Professor of a university.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a university facility for conducting natural resources research, teaching, and engaging the community.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SME Strategy Consulting INC to accomplish?

• Conduct a 5 year strategic plan
• Engage our diverse stakeholder groups

SOLUTION

How did you find SME Strategy Consulting INC?

Referral

Why did you select SME Strategy Consulting INC over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from SME Strategy Consulting INC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Lead 4 engagement sessions for different users of our research center.
• Lead the development of a 5 year strategic plan with a committee of 14 people and a core group of 4 individuals. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have a 5 year strategic plan and a drafted implementation plan for our center. We had amazing alignment with our team and users and we accomplished this in a much shorter period of time than I have ever seen with strategic planning process. Further, the strategic plan is actually fully implementable and reflects the ideas and values of all the people that contributed to the planning process. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Jenna was amazing - she was incredibly responsive to our needs and did a phenomenal job leading the planning process. It was efficient, productive, and I thought everyone was given opportunities and encouraged to contribute to the process. As a result I think we have a plan that aligns well with those that were a part of the process. Jenna is a fantastic facilitator and we maximized the use of our time in every call/meeting.

The other members of process were less involved. Ms. Godslove was a supportive individual but very quiet in the meetings. There was another individual, Andy, who was present for one meeting who was not good (hard to understand why he was even doing this job) and he rubbed everyone that I talked to the wrong way. We were grateful when he didn't join other meetings.  

What was your primary form of communication with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Rather than just being facilitators, they specialize in strategic planning, which I now realize is a very important distinction. We came out with something that is far better than other strategic plans that I have seen developed for other organizations or entities for which I am a member. Also, they understand importance of having an implementable plan and have a lot of expertise in actual implementation of strategic plans. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something SME Strategy Consulting INC could have done differently?

I think the one person that joined a call should have been vetted more before being included in a strategic planning session. I wouldn't want someone like that engaging with our users/interest groups on other calls. Also, it left a negative feeling after that one event. I cannot think of anything else at this point that could be improved. We are still in process of finalizing plan and will have 1 - 2 more meetings with our facilitator, Jenna. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Director of Strategy Management of AURI.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide business and scientific assistance to businesses and entrepreneurs that propose new or innovative uses for Minnesota-grown agricultural commodities or coproducts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SME Strategy Consulting INC to accomplish?

• Strategy Implementation Accountability Program

SOLUTION

How did you find SME Strategy Consulting INC?

Networking with Principal

Why did you select SME Strategy Consulting INC over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• I was knew and was impressed by Anthony 

How many teammates from SME Strategy Consulting INC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

•  Accountability Program:  Build a foundation for your leadership's capacities for tracking, monitoring, and communicating the strategic plan progress. 
• 12 months of implementation support, including:
  • Monthly project calls with the Strategy Team
  • Quarterly strategy review sessions at 3, 6 and 9 months
  • 6x Management Essentials Workshops:  Preparing for successful change, Leading successful change, Leading and Cascading the Strategy, Strategic, Project and Task Prioritization
  • 6x 90-minute alignment sessions for problem-solving or team alignment
  • Documenting a Customized Strategy Playbook
• Bonus: Access to SME Strategy Resource Bank and course library  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

All of our strategic goals were SMART goals.  We had three strategic priority areas - People, Growth and Development, Maximizing Impact, and Solidifying Brand and Reputation.  SME coached us through ensuring the goals we selected were SMART, and we were able to measure the progress of those throughout the 1-year contract with them.  

We hit the majority of our targets along the way.  Jenna held us accountable for checking in on the progress, which kept everyone on their toes and striving to hit targets.  We are very well positioned to launch into our second-year targets.  One of the biggest outcomes of working with SME was creating alignment from the board to staff leadership to front-line staff.  And that was no small feat.  The difference today is like night and day.   

We developed critical skills needed to maintain momentum going into year two. We are much more strategy-focused as an organization, top to bottom. We've become more aware of the impact we don't hold ourselves accountable. It ripples through, impacts related goals, and inhibits progress overall. 

Strategy is part of everyday conversation.  We learned to strike the right balance between operations and strategy to keep progress on both.  We work cohesively and have a sense of anticipation and excitement around reaching our "one destination" that SME helped us.  

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

From the beginning, SME had a clear plan of how they intended to engage us - setting the expectations on the cadence and content of monthly project calls, quarterly progress calls and workshops tailored to meet the needs of our organization.  On quarterly calls, Jenna worked collaboratively the Executive Director and Sr. Director of Strategy Management to plan deliverables each quarter.  The engagement was very collegial.  

They did deliver the expected items on time.  Jenna made every effort to deliver exactly what we needed when we needed it.  If it was ever off, it had much more to do with us than SME's facilitation.  

What was your primary form of communication with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were very hands-on and "taught us to fish," so to speak.  They're small but mighty.  We are now well-positioned to continue the accountability framework internally.   I am incredibly impressed with Anthony's ability to lead our 2-day strategic planning session with the board and staff leadership.  

We were as unaligned as a group could possibly be.  We walked away with an articulated "one destination"...something that eluded us until now.  It was like magic.  Anthony is very down to earth and able to navigate through the planning process when some barriers hinder progress.  I found SME's accountability program very reasonably priced and delivered what we needed overall. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something SME Strategy Consulting INC could have done differently?

A few things could potentially be improved.  I do think we were more advanced in some ways than perhaps some of SME's typical accountability package client.  Some leaders felt a couple of the workshops were more basic than where we were.  I think that's more of a reflection of us not fully articulating our needs.  

Some leaders also felt the format of calls was overly scripted and, perhaps, less able to accommodate any deviations from the plan.  Again, I think that could be more of a reflection of us not fully prepping Jenna and/or our own staff beforehand.  Hindsight is always 20/20.  

I appreciated the regular check-ins with Jenna and those that included Anthony during the year to ensure our needs were being met.  Overall, I think it was a terrific collaboration and we learned a new, effective way to drive strategy forward.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Assistant of Hawthorne Seniors Care Community

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Hawthorne Seniors Care Community is a multi-building campus of care, providing long-term care, assisted living, and adult day programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SME Strategy Consulting INC to accomplish?

• Alignment between management and board on strategic direction
• Plan of action to achieve vision

SOLUTION

How did you find SME Strategy Consulting INC?

Referral

Why did you select SME Strategy Consulting INC over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from SME Strategy Consulting INC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Facilitation of 3 year strategic direction for ~14 members of the board of directors and senior leadership team. Including: 

• alignment phone call with key stakeholders
• pre-session interviews & surveys
• 2 days of strategic planning facilitation
• follow up phone call
• full planning document
• one page summary
• powerpoint summary
• check in meeting.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Successful completion of 2 day planning session, with positive feedback from all involved. Delivery of completed documentation and plan for our team to follow as we complete the work.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

SME was prompt in all things - meeting attendance, deliverables, email response. They were organized, even pivoting seamlessly when our original facilitator was unable to attend at the last minute due to illness. Excellent efforts made to understand our business and provide thoughtful and constructive feedback.

What was your primary form of communication with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

In-Person Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Facilitators were knowledgeable, confident and personable. They made the process fun while maintaining productivity. Skilled at keeping the group on track.

Are there any areas for improvement or something SME Strategy Consulting INC could have done differently?

Perhaps a bit more work early on in the session to help leaders separate their departmental level of thinking from their organizational level of thinking may have prevented a few hang-ups. But overall, was handled well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of HR at Complete Automation Solutions Holdings. Complete Automation Solutions Holdings empowers industrial automation companies to operate efficiently while enabling them to perform and succeed at their highest level.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

We partnered with SME Strategy Consulting, Inc. to help facilitate our strategic plan, goal creation, team dynamics, and overall workplace culture. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SME Strategy Consulting INC provides leadership training and business consulting services. We went through an initial discovery phase with Anthony (Strategic Planning Facilitator) to develop our three-year strategic plan and shape our vision, mission, and values. We started having monthly meetings to review the strategy and process with clear, constructive feedback to keep improving our results. In addition, SME has interfaced with different levels of leadership for leadership and change management training.

We’re focusing on change management so our leaders can navigate change, have better communication skills, and obtain several skills and tools to improve their process in achieving goals.

In terms of the workshops, we’ve had one for change management, where SME provided us with two different methodologies of a change management framework that we can choose from and utilize to help our workforce navigate change.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Anthony, Jenna (CCO), and Jen (Strategic Planning Facilitator).

How did you come to work with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

Someone referred them to us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They’ve helped us create a more cohesive leadership team by helping us to act differently and work with a greater sense of urgency. Overall, they’re wonderful, and I don’t know what we’d do without them.

How did SME Strategy Consulting INC perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is above and beyond our expectations; they constantly check in with our leadership team and CEO to ensure everyone’s on track and they motivate us and challenge us through regular touchpoints. Anthony is wonderful and grounds our whole team with his attitude, experience, and personality. Regarding tools and communication, we use Jamboard, Excel, email, Microsoft Teams, phone calls, and text messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to relate to us is outstanding; rather than outside consultants, they feel like an extension of our team with shared goals, and they truly care about our success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there is anything they can improve on; We are delighted with their work and the relationship we are building with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to change and willing to put in hard work, which can be difficult and challenging in terms of thinking and operating in new ways. It’s important to keep an open mind, work collaboratively, and trust the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of Region 16 Comprehensive Center. Our organization provides capacity building and training for state education agencies in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

We needed help with strategic planning at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had to figure out how to safely get kids back in schools, so we contracted SME Strategy to help us with scenario and crisis planning. We also needed help with executive and leadership development for mission-critical work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially engaged SME Strategy to help support our teachers and school superintendents during the COVID-19 pandemic. SME Strategy helped us with scenario planning to create our “Alaska Smart Start” plan. They executed 8–9 webinars throughout the summer to set our schools up for success during a challenging time.

After SME Strategy successfully supported us through school re-openings, we engaged their executive and leadership development services. SME Strategy currently supports our partnership with the state education agency, which is one of our clients. They help us with mission-critical strategic planning, and they’ve executed several workshops and training sessions to strengthen our relationship with the education agency, so we can better serve kids.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Jenna (CCO & Senior Facilitator) and Anthony (CEO & Senior Facilitator). 

How did you come to work with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

I found SME Strategy online while searching for scenario planning partners. I had seen a video of Anthony on YouTube, which led me to reach out to them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested roughly $100,000–$150,000 in the partnership with SME Strategy.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with SME Strategy in March 2020, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

SME Strategy has had a beautiful impact on our partnership with the education agency. They’ve strategized an efficient method of working together, and our partnership has strengthened as a result. 

How did SME Strategy Consulting INC perform from a project management standpoint?

SME Strategy has been outstanding when it comes to project management. They’ve been incredible communicators, which is why we’ve continued to work together. We meet via Zoom and in person and use monday.com to keep track of projects. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

SME Strategy has unique expertise and cares deeply about client partnerships. They don’t come from an education background, but they’ve done a fantastic job translating their business knowledge to the education field. 

I’m also impressed by their honesty and integrity. Their level of commitment is amazing; they do what we ask, yet they’re flexible enough to revise our requests to best fit our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing SME Strategy could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be ready to follow through on what you ask for because the SME Strategy team will hold you to your aspirations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the Alaska State Director for the Region 16 Comprehensive Center. We serve as the comprehensive center for Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, supporting the departments of education to help them become stronger and deliver better services to districts across each state.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we sought ways to support our school district superintendents in preparation for back-to-school efforts. We wanted to engage a partner who could lead stakeholder engagement meetings and conduct training for school leaders across the state. We also needed help aligning our organization with the Department of Education and Early Development. Employees from the two teams needed to recognize that our combined efforts form a more extensive, cohesive unit, even though we work for different organizations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SME Strategy facilitated many statewide webinars and meetings with leaders across Alaska during the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinars focused on heading back to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they were able to elicit engagement and participation from school district superintendents, who aren't always the most engaged. 

They also ran leadership and staff development initiatives for the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. SME Strategy helped us build a relationship with the Department of Education because we both had new leadership and new staff members, and it wasn't clear how we were supposed to work together. 

SME Strategy walked us through the relationship-building process by conducting an initial three-day workshop in Anchorage, Alaska, with 20–25 team members across our organizations. They walked us through what it means to be a cross-agency team and helped develop our group identity, values, and working norms. We had four initiatives to work on, so SME Strategy broke us into groups to focus on the projects and develop stronger relationships within our teams. They helped us strategize on outputs, deliverables, milestones, indicators of success, and short, medium, and long-term wins.

After the workshop, we initiated regular cross-agency meetings, which SME Strategy continued to facilitate virtually. They led us through professional development topics and how to navigate roadblocks with each other. They asked questions to nudge each team to help us overcome hurdles and continue moving forward. 

The Department of Education had recently had a relatively significant transition in leadership and needed organization-specific strategic planning, which SME Strategy spearheaded. They put together a four-day development session in Juneau, Alaska, and worked with 20 leadership members within the division. 

They’ve also reviewed our quarterly strategic plans and coached our executives to improve their understanding of mission-critical and mission-focused leadership skills to lead their teams better and develop a strong culture for our combined team. 

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Anthony (CEO) and Jenna (CCO).

How did you come to work with SME Strategy Consulting INC?

Our executive director searched online for local strategy consultants and facilitators. She interviewed many consultants and honed in on exactly what we needed at the time. We wanted to engage a partner with strong facilitation skills and a foothold in the world of strategic planning, and SME Strategy was the best fit, even though they weren’t local. Our executive director checked references and talked to some other organizations with whom SME Strategy had contracted, and moved forward. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested roughly $300,000 in the partnership with SME Strategy.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with SME Strategy in March 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

SME Strategy has made a significant impact on our organization. They delivered powerful webinars during the COVID-19 pandemic and helped us facilitate meaningful conversations with our schools’ superintendents. Their level of engagement was incredible, and they somehow made strategic planning fun during a difficult time.

After working with them initially, we knew we had to engage their services further. Our staff members on both sides have been pleased with the partnership; we feel we’re indebted to SME Strategy because they’ve helped us improve our organization, the Alaska Department of Education, and our relationship. 

The response from our team members has been really strong. We continue to receive positive feedback from strategic planning and team-building sessions. Our staff has expanded their leadership skills and grown exponentially due to their training. We see daily evidence of SME Strategy’s work in how our teams communicate, track projects, and follow through. We also feel the impact of their work in the way we celebrate accomplishments together, instead of just crossing items off a list.

We wanted our two teams to communicate and focus on combining efforts to achieve success, and SME Strategy has been the key driving force for collaboration. They’ve helped us see incredible success from working together, and we can’t imagine a future without SME Strategy. 

How did SME Strategy Consulting INC perform from a project management standpoint?

The SME Strategy team is really fun to work with and a joy to be around. They’re very kind when they facilitate, and Anthony has a witty sense of humor, so he can push our team members hard and then come back and make everyone laugh.

They reach out regularly, and we conduct meetings via Zoom, which they’re skilled at. We also communicate via email and phone calls in between sessions. We manage all the project components in the Google Suite, which they manage beautifully. 

They’ve also introduced us to Google jam boards, which is nice because it provides an anonymous way to input thoughts and drives conversations forward. They’ve been very effective in their use of technology. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Anthony and the SME Strategy team are just incredibly engaging, strong facilitators. They have integrity, exhibit admirable character traits, and have set the bar for me regarding strategic planning and facilitation. I've worked with more facilitators than I can count over my 30 years in public education, and SME Strategy has the gold standard from my vantage point.

Anthony is so personable and has a genuine way of connecting with people. The team engages everyone and calls every individual by name, even if their Zoom screen name is incorrect. They have a way of pulling everyone in and facilitating engagement, which has been vital for team development. Every time we need a facilitator for a new initiative, we call SME Strategy to see if they’re available.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing SME Strategy could improve on. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a municipally owned electric and water utility serving about 16,000 customers in Kaukauna, WI and the surrounding communities. I am the General Manager or CEO of the organization overseeing day to day operations and strategic direction.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SME Strategy Consulting INC?

We hired SME Strategy to facilitate the development of our new Strategic Plan for the next 3 years.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

We sought proposals from several consulting firms. SME Strategy made it to our final round and we conducted virtual interviews of the finalists with our leadership team. We decided to select Anthony and SME Strategy because we felt his personality was a better fit for our team.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

The project was to facilitate our new Strategic Planning process. SME led us through a 2-day workshop during which we developed our 3-year vision, our mission, values, strategic priorities, goals and actions. They also facilitated the pre-workshop surveys and interviews. And they will facilitate post-workshop check ins with the leadership team.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

• Anthony T., Managing Partner, was our Lead Facilitator
• Jenna S., Director of Client Partnerships & Facilitator, did a lot of the background logistics with scheduling and pre/post workshop facilitation

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

The team was amazed at how much progress we made in those 2 days. While intense, the amount of work that was done was beyond our belief. We all solidified around our 3-year vision, our mission, vision, values and 3 strategic priorities. We didn't get to spend a lot of time on goals and actions but feel confident that we can finish those up in relative short order.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Anthony was always very responsive to my questions and I feel we were responsive to his. The facilitation during the workshop was spectacular. The energy definitely ebbed and flowed and Anthony is a master at monitoring the pulse of the room and adapting to keep everyone engaged.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Anthony and his ability to guide us through a complex process, knowing very little about our industry were amazing. He's a master strategic planner and this translates to any industry.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The afternoon of the 2nd day (objectives, goals and actions was a bit rushed because we spent a lot of time aligning around our vision, mission, values and priorities. Also, the team was a little confused about the values exercise.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Vice President of U.S. Operations for West Power Energy, a full service and multi-disciplined consulting engineering firm with primary specialization in power generation, transmission, distribution, and substation design. Responsible for the daily operations and strategic direction, performance, growth and company culture for West Power's business in the United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SME Strategy Consulting INC?

Our company has been rapidly growing and as a small business, were in desperate need of a business strategy and destination for our firm to align our business objectives, where to make investments, create a Vision and Mission and communicate all of this to our employees and clients on who we are and where we are headed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

It was decided that this meeting would take place in our Burnaby, B.C. office and as such, we were looking at a variety of firms both in the United States and Canada to support and facilitate our session(s).

After a number of interviews with potential partners to consider to take this journey with and considering proximity of the firm to our proposed off-site location, SME Strategy Consulting prevailed. Deciding factors included experience, chemistry with the proposed facilitator, ability to do the meeting in person, and cost.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

This was a 2-day intensive business strategy session where SME Strategy provided strategy guidance and facilitation to our leadership team to develop an overall 3-year business strategy encompassing a Vision, Mission, and Strategic Objectives with Goals.

SME Strategy facilitated and guided our team over those 2 days in a regimented process to draw out the most from our leadership team to get us to a point where we were clear on what we wanted to accomplish and how we intended to get there.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

One (1) resource from SME Strategy worked with us and their position is Managing Partner with the firm.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

The 2-days resulted in a Strategic Plan with clear Vision, Mission, Values and Strategic Priorities for the next 3 years for our firm. Additionally, outcomes included a SWOT analysis and goals session that would feed into how to be successful with the Strategic Initiatives.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. There was great engagement from both sides and having an independent person facilitate the session allowed each leadership team member participate fully. SME Strategy pushed our team to draw the best out of them to ensure that at the end of the session we had a well rounded Strategic Plan with little uncertainty and everyone's voice was heard.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

SME Strategy and specifically, Anthony, has great energy and there is some psychology involved with not only going thru the process with a leadership team that he doesn't know to a great degree, and engaging them when they are quiet, working thru the more challenging aspects of items that may be uncomfortable as a team is being honest with itself, and having a sense of humor with a process that can be intense and mentally challenging.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

There was an instance where the owner of the company was struggling with the afternoon process on Day 1, and specifically, a time where we were answering questions like "What do we do?". There was some noticeable frustration followed by verbal frustration as well which can be expected as a leadership team is honest with itself and also for the first time going thru such an intense process.

It was handled with care from SME Strategy, and the only constructive feedback I would provide, is in those moments, try to not make it about you or maybe an attack on the process, but understand that for people going thru this the first time, particularly for a small business that has increased it's leadership team by 500% in the last 18 months, that there will be some skepticism and things will be challenged, and try to gracefully work thru that as much as possible.

It was worked thru, but not without some really uncomfortable moments, including going from a feeling of "we are in this together" to a series of events and push back on the end of the first day, where there was a feeling that all that trust that was built, felt dismantled.

West Power Energy could have handled the situation differently, and encourage SME to understand this is tough, and don't take it personally, just a person or team unfamiliar with the process and the uncomfortable things that come out of these sessions.