I spent some time on the phone recently with a prospective client in Washington, D.C.
Two things were interesting to me about our discussion – she was calling from a major, national association, and she was attracted to Floricane by what she perceived to be our integrated services.
I made a conscious choice way back in 2008 not to actively pursue work outside of Central Virginia. My daughter was eight-months-old, and I wanted to be active and present as she grew up. In fact, Floricane’s first three significant opportunities were in Tennessee and Wisconsin, and I turned them all down.
But it was the integrated services piece that really caught my attention.
Our team has spent the better part of a year discussing the evolution of our business, and of Floricane’s brand. And when we look at some of our bigger clients, and projects, we see the delivery of integrated services – strategic planning, organizational development, leadership development and coaching as one rich tapestry of organizational change. From Bon Secours to the Library of Virginia, from ChildFund to VCU, some of our best, big work is a blend of services, not simply a line of service.
Take coaching, as an example. Leadership coaching as a stand-alone activity has its merits. There are leaders in organizations who need, and benefit from, regular conversations about their challenges, opportunities and professional growth.
Sometimes, in our experience, such coaching engagements trigger real, significant and lasting change for the individual being coached. It’s good for the individual, and it sometimes benefits the organization. But is individual change, not systems change.
Leadership coaching integrated in larger change initiatives? That’s a different story with clearer, broader impacts. We’ve seen it with large clients, and we’ve seen it in smaller engagements such as the American Civil War Museum and Draper Aden Associates.
Identifying a strategic future state with and for an organization, and then investing time and energy into ensuring that change takes root, is where we engage best.