Our Services

• Change Management and IT Implementation Support

• Communication Training and Conflict Resolution

• Team Development

• Organization and Process Improvement

Our services begin with a set of guiding principles that provide a framework for all of our engagements.

• Clarity of Purpose
  One of the most useful things we bring to an organization is a fresh perspective. Asking the right questions that lead to identifying the source of problems is the first step in implementing lasting change.

• Commitment to Change
  Engaging those who will be impacted by the change creates support and increases the likelihood of success.

• Leadership Role
  Leaders must be actively and visibly involved throughout the life of the change effort.

• Knowledge Transfer
  We consider ourselves successful when, based on our work with you, your team or organization acquires the skills to work independently.

• Learning Organization
  Learning is a fundamental component of change.  Fostering a commitment to learning ensures that the organization will continue to improve and adapt.

Change Management and IT Implementation Support

A significant source of failure in information technology projects is the tendency of organizations to focus primarily on technology throughout the life of the project. When CIOs are asked to identify the reason for failed or canceled projects, they often cite the “people issues”. Fast Break Consulting helps companies address the people and organizational issues by:

• Assessing project readiness. This critical process identifies the business processes and organizational structure that need to be in place before the project is underway.

• Creating the project infrastructure, securing leadership support and creating organizational alignment.

• Developing change management strategies that secure the buy-in and commitment of all key stakeholders.

• Clearly defining, documenting and communicating new or streamline processes.

• Utilizing team development tools to insure the project’s quick start and sustained performance.

• Providing training and coaching as needed to help managers understand the inevitable resistance to change that they will encounter while developing the necessary techniques to overcome that resistance.

• Designing and implementing communication programs that help those impacted understand the reasons for the change and how it will impact their work.

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Communication and Conflict Resolution

In complex organizations there are often a multitude of interdependencies and competing priorities. People in different parts of the organization may view a problem in very different ways. All of these circumstances can lead to misunderstanding and conflict. Work groups or team members in different sites can add to the challenge. Left unresolved these problems can fester and influence interactions well beyond the initial conflict. Fast Break Consulting helps companies build their employees’ capacity to raise tough issues and resolve them quickly. Utilizing the strategies discussed in the book Difficult Conversations, How to Talk About What Really Matters*, we help employees learn how to shift from trying to win the argument to working to understand the other’s perspective. When this approach to communication becomes imbedded in the organization, disagreements are resolved more easily, the tendency to blame or point fingers is diminished and collaboration increases. Teams experience more openness and candor resulting in better decision making and more effective problem solving. As one client put it:

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*Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen. Difficult Conversations : How to Discuss what Matters Most . Viking Penguin, 1999

Team Development

Fast Break Consulting works with teams in a variety of situations to improve performance. Utilizing the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance™ Model we work with:

• New teams that want to come up to speed quickly.

• Teams in trouble that need to develop a shared vision, increase trust and openness, or improve decision making and productivity.

• Jump start teams embarking on new projects or initiatives.

• Management teams wanting to create alignment on values, vision and goals.

• Teams needing assessments to pinpoint strengths and barriers to high performance or that want to utilize Myers Briggs (MBTI) to understand differences in style and create better working relationships.

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Organization and Process Improvement

Business organizations understand that they must change constantly in order to stay competitive. A merger or an acquisition often requires significant changes in organizational structure. Demands for increased productivity or better customer service require improved business processes and streamlining the organization. Fast Break Consulting assists in these efforts by:

• Clearly understanding your objectives and identifying the expected results of the change.

• Determining that the commitment to change is broad and deep enough to be sustained through the life of the change effort.

• Involving those with the best understanding of the work in the process improvements.

• Communicating broadly about the change process to increase buy-in at all levels in the organization.

• Taking advantage of the quick wins without settling for them.

• Embedding the changes in the organization with systems and communication strategies, and instilling a commitment to learning and continuous improvement.

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