For organisations
“Erika helped us find our voice together, and we are very grateful for both the words and what they represent.”
Every organisation has a story, but sometimes it's been lost along the way, making it harder to lead, harder to work in, harder to work with.
If you recognise any of the signs on the table below, it might be that it would help to take a long hard look at exactly what your organisation is for, for whom, and how it expresses itself.
- Leadership
- Leaders pulling in different directions
- Decisions take too long
- People avoid difficult conversations
- Priorities keep changing
- Leaders spend too much time firefighting
- Team
- Good people are leaving, recruitment is harder
- Cliques are forming
- Poor behaviour goes unchallenged
- Clock watching rather than pride in the work
- People don't talk openly
- Clients
- New business is harder to win
- Long-standing customers leaving
- You're losing bids unexpectedly
- Customer relationships feel less personal
- Customers don't get a good experience
- Reputation
- People raise an eyebrow when they hear your name
- Bad reviews on Glassdoor/ Trustpilot
- Different people tell different stories
- Marketing campaigns aren't working
- The organisation isn't living up to its reputation
- Partnerships
- Suppliers less accommodating
- Partners have the power in negotiations
- Funders are losing confidence in you
- You're having to work harder at relationships
- People no longer recommend you
- Relevance
- Competitors spot opportunities you miss
- Your offer is losing its appeal
- New ideas struggle to get a hearing
- You're better known for your past
- People can't explain why you matter
- Viability
- Quality standards are slipping
- Work is duplicated or wasted
- Growth has stalled
- Cash is mismanaged
- Risks are ignored or concealed
I help organisations rebuild their story around five Essential Truths.
Your Essential Truths
Heritage
where you come from
Heritage is where you come from: the beginnings and experiences that have made your organisation what it is.
Vision
where you're going
Vision is where you're going: a clear picture of what you plan to achieve.
Purpose
why it matters
Purpose is why it matters: what exactly is it that you are here to do?
Values
your behavioural principles
Values are your behavioural principles: the beliefs that guide decisions and establish what is and isn't acceptable.
Soul
that thing that is you and you alone
Soul is that thing that is you and you alone: the character and spirit that makes an organisation recognisable and worth caring about.
Your story
Together they form the foundation of your story.
My work has taken me across Europe and America, working with next-gen family companies, billion dollar startups, charities and many more besides.
“The Bacton Way has become an important part of life at the company and a key part of our strategy for growing the business.”
“I don't know how you managed it but everyone came back very motivated to take it seriously and commit to the process. I always think we are a tough crowd, more doers than thinkers, who find this stuff difficult.”
“The energy and enthusiasm Erika brought to the project gained immediate engagement with the team. Her approach was methodical and thorough, which resulted in a truly insightful view into how the business is perceived both internally and externally. It was great to encourage the engagement of our customers, suppliers, and employees in the process.”
“She is weaving a huge amount of opinions, visions and challenges into a very succinct, action oriented approach that is surprisingly simple and refreshing - and although challenging (as we wanted it to be) now feels more deliverable.”
“Her infectious energy and total belief in her subject make her an inspiring speaker and coach. She's undoubtedly ahead of the curve on the matter of Ethos and can help organisations of any scale prepare themselves for a successful future.”
Case studies
Multi-generational family business, major expansion
Growing without losing what made you good
A busy, profitable multi-generational family business, ambitious for the future and accustomed to being on the front foot, had continued to innovate and grow rather than simply relying on what previous generations had built. Now another significant expansion was approaching.
Precision engineering, employee ownership transition
365 days of bringing a new era to life
Brafe Engineering is a successful precision-engineering business with deep technical expertise, high-stakes global clients and considerable loyalty among its people.
Regional hospice group, merger ahead
Compassion takes courage
An expanding group of regional hospices was preparing to take another hospice organisation under its wing.
Engineering group, return to private ownership
Finding one story for many businesses
Over many years, the family-owned organisation had grown into a remarkably diverse collection of specialist companies serving markets around the world.
Regulated market leader, model under pressure
Reframing growth when the rules suddenly changed
A fast-growing, tightly regulated market leader needed to protect its ability to deliver when a major external change put its business model under pressure.