by Peter A. Arthur-Smith, Leadership Solutions, Inc

“After your vision, positioning yourselves for growth is vital to bring that vision to reality.”

Their afternoon Periscope Time session started at 3.00pm without a hitch, since everyone had now cleared their time and minds from their morning visioning session. A lengthy lunch break to “clear their decks and heads” helped, too. Harry, the company’s Visionist, had quickly learned from one of Christine’s earlier suggestions: Don’t try to hold intense day long meetings without a decent, mind-releasing break. Christine had also come to understand this reality from Dan Pink’s book ‘When.’

SuperGuard’s trial Vanguard venture was going well and all the signs were encouraging enough that the company should consider expanding this service as soon as possible. Their morning visioning and strategic clarity session enabled them to figure out an optimum way forward; helped by much listening and two-way discussion. Their Strategist team now felt comfortable with what was being proposed. With Christine’s proposed two “pod” approach, Harry and his Strategist team started to envision real intrinsic growth possibilities.

SuperGuard Traditional Pod, with Dan’s leadership – see adjacent pictograph – could now commence opening up in less “red ocean” States outside its current Metroplex area. It could occur as soon as internally generated funds would permit. Meanwhile, SuperGuard Vanguard’s elite security service pod would focus on establishing as many client sites as possible throughout the Multiplex region and draw upon Roger’s Expansionist leadership. Traditional had already consolidated its Multiplex region into six naturally convenient geographic areas. That allowed its team leaders currently orchestrating guard teams in each geographic area to draw upon the firm’s centrally located Operation’s Center. Van-guard also now relied upon that facility. Meantime,

Rachel, the firm’s Humanist, in conjunction with Maureen, its Provisionist, quickly established a pipeline of new security guard candidates for both pods; done with the able assist of Rachel’s small team of humanist professionals.

Rachel’s team also ensured that Traditional’s team leaders were regularly pursuing In-Team Discovery sessions to bolster their people-leader knowhow once promoted and aid their ongoing leadership development. Without these vital team leader skills, guard turnover – induced through inadequate hiring and team member education practices – would hamper growth momentum. Similarly, insufficient guard competence levels would undermine client satisfaction. Do you put sufficient, consistent effort into your team leaders’ hiring and coaching capabilities?  It’s clearly a great investment.

Their Vanguard Pod would now follow suit with a similar people or “contributor” model as it grew within the Metroplex region. However, it’s now focused on sizeable client companies where security-scaling is vital, whereas Traditional can concentrate on smaller scale, intense people security situations. Where there’s potential overlap, Dan and Roger were encouraged to have regular discussions about what’s in their client’s best interests; rather than only what’s in SuperGuard’s special interests. Either way, Melissa’s sales professionals intended to nudge Roger and Dan’s growth strategy through regular and valuable client feedback.

Those important envisioning-strategic clarity and positioning-pathfinding activities were pretty well comp-lete after their afternoon, early evening Periscope Time deliberations. Ongoing, healthy debate had continued to work well, since it encouraged intense listening to each other all-around. Harry acted as their synergizer and orchestrator rather than a “boss” who had all the answers; that way ultimate solutions became the team’s solutions and not just Harry’s dictates. Now they were even more ready for their cocktail hour at around 6.00pm to celebrate ongoing success and ponder further strategy discussions about how to fully engage insiders and outsiders.

Such an activity would include “mapping” all of SuperGuard’s external and internal constituents to reaffirm which ones are the most critical to engage and involve. It would also enable both sets of constituents to be fully aligned. When that happens, client service and overall performance is at its best. Have you done this?