Transforming the board dynamic
‘The work Telos have done at board level has made a permanent and positive shift in the dynamic.'
Client story
When a pioneering consumer co-operative started to transition from being a small, entrepreneurial business to one with a more structured approach, tensions arose over strategic direction.
Over 12 years, the company had grown from a start-up run from a bedroom to a multi-million pound turnover business employing 60-plus people. Now the founder-CEO was struggling with the pains that an entrepreneurial business typically experiences when shifting to a more corporate structure.
At the heart of the challenge was his concern that the venture’s founding principles would be forgotten – and its inherent identity lost – as the business prepared for considerable growth.
Differences in the approach to strategic governance taken by the board, founder-CEO and his management team had led to an unhelpful dynamic in the business.
It was at this point that the founder-CEO decided to seek Telos Patners’ help to smooth both the journey and board-level relationships, improving strategic governance along the way.
Our support included the agreement and implementation of a positive action plan – starting with an initial audit to highlight and promote a collective understanding of the challenge.
We then focused on helping the board, founder-CEO and management team to co-create a better understanding of the company’s purpose, values and strategic direction – addressing board and management team effectiveness at the same time. This was achieved through leadership coaching for key individuals, strategic development workshops, group facilitation and regular phone support.
So what was the impact?
Aligning the top team to ensure everyone was invested in the future direction of the business was key. Engaging the whole organisation in the strategic plan created a positive shift in the dynamic at the top and fuelled a sustainable transformation. It moved from break-even to £400k profit in the space of 18 months.
‘The work Telos have done at board level has made a permanent and positive shift in the dynamic,’ said the founder-CEO.
‘We feel much more aligned with the management team and are more able to have challenging, respectful conversations. Personally, I've found the ability to share, test and shape my thinking immensely invaluable.’
Telos Partners’ impact at a glance:
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A strategic plan to grow turnover from £8m to £15m
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Actions identified to improve profitability and achieve financial targets
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An agreed framework for strategic decision-making
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Ongoing open and constructive conversations between the founder-CEO, board and the (more ambitious and confident) management team
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A founder-CEO better positioned to explore his own exit over the next five to 10 years
Strategic implementation, culture and change
Read more about the support we can offer here and get in touch with us today.