Solving Breakdowns in Internal Communications
While the potential for significant growth was clear, making significant growth was a challenge.
The Challenge
When 14 West approached Think, they were preparing for another major phase of restructuring and expansion of their global services. But while the potential for significant growth was clear, disparate work teams, locations, and communication approaches were limiting efficiency, taxing resources, and reducing 14 West’s ability to foresee the needs of the affiliated companies it was charged with supporting. Thus, making significant growth a challenge.
The Solution
Think Senior Executive Advisor John Camp systematically exposed the specific areas where inefficiencies in alignment, communication and team dynamics were happening and began to introduce tactics to address each one.
Working closely with 14 West COO Daryl Berver, John and Daryl challenged the status quo of virtually everything: communication, processes, organization, architecture, vision, strategy, goals, and technologies. Together, their strategic focus centered on elevating the quality of services. They introduced a more reliable approach to organizing and managing the regular work that needed to be done and how to address the highest priority items. John worked closely with Daryl’s teams to keep everyone updated on how these changes would simplify operations and encourage better relationships between 14 West and key stakeholders of the businesses they support.
John worked with 14 West technology leaders to organize teams in a way that reflected the culture but improved the consistency for the affiliates. Daryl was committed to leveraging the depth of knowledge of his existing employees, while augmenting with new process, organization, and alignment.
John focused on aligning the teams consistent with other high performing companies and establishing a vision, strategy, and supporting goals to ensure alignment would continue as new ideas, projects, and technologies were required
The Results
Since Think began working with 14 West, the changes have been significant and vast:
- 14 West is better able to anticipate the clients’ needs and deliver support ahead of demand
- Client relationships continue to improve and 14 West is becoming a trusted business partner/expert.
- Clients are included earlier in the process and better solutions are delivered faster.
- Teams are working collaboratively and thinking beyond their team as they design solutions.
- Projects are tracked from start-to-finish with an early alert system to ensure quick recovery from problems.
- Everyone has access to the project information and able to understand why something is being done, the defined business benefit, how it is progressing, and what risks, overlaps, and opportunities exist.