R&J Advisory Group Events

The Coaching Process

My process is structured within the framework of the Scaling Up International Coaching Organization, which uses growth tools derived from the book Scaling Up, by Scaling Up founder Verne Harnish. The Scaling Up platform is a tested and proven framework used by thousands of companies (including my own). It's simple and it works. By using the Scaling Up program, you will have clear accountability and organizational alignment in your company. Your team will feel empowered and productive because you will have a very clear roadmap to achieve your goals, including defined, measurable checkpoints along the way. If you aren’t convinced yet, just ask any of our very happy clients! Below is an overview of the process you can expect to experience as a client of R+J Advisory Group.


1) Identifying Pain Points:

When I work with a client, my first step is to sit down and get to know you. I want to find out what's frustrating you in your business. I want to better understand what your biggest challenges and opportunities are. Some questions I typically use as discussion starters (and don't worry if you don't have answers to most if not all of these questions – most clients don't and that's why they've come to me!):


  • What is your company’s growth strategy? Can you state it in a sentence? Does every employee know how their role helps contribute to this?
  • If you had to start the company all over again tomorrow, would you enthusiastically rehire everyone on your team? How about your vendors and partners?
  • Is there organizational clarity? Does everyone know what they are accountable for?
  • Are your managers focusing on the highest priority activities and keeping you informed of their progress?
  • How are you differentiating yourself in the market? Are your competitors taking over your market?
  • Are you focused on the products and services that are most profitable?

2) Hearing from Your Team:

I'll also interview your executive team to get their perspective.


3) Defining your Freedom Goal™:

I will work with you to define your Freedom Goal™. This is something that can be different for everyone. It is the point you want to reach or marker you want to hit that will allow you to finally say you're free from whatever it was that was holding you back in your business.


4) Annual Meeting:

The next step is a 2-day annual meeting where we work on all aspects of your business, covering key points such as: What do you want to look like in 3 years? What is stopping you from getting there? What are your choke points?


5) Mapping Out the Strategy:

As a result of this meeting, we develop a strategy to get you moving forward with your team aligned and excited about this direction. We will identify specific projects and assign owners to be accountable to them and identify interim goals that will assure the success of these projects.


6) Ensuring Accountability:

We will have check-ins at regular intervals to make sure you and your team are meeting interim goals.


Review the next four tabs—Strategy, Execution, People and Cash—to understand the importance of these "Four Key Decisions" within the context of the Scaling Up program, and preview the tools we will use to tackle each one.

Strategy


If you had to state your company's strategy in one sentence, right now, what would you say? Did you hesitate? Don't worry, many CEOs are in the same boat. That's why we'll work together to define and outline key strategic components like your core customer, your brand promise and your growth objectives.


Strategy Discussion Starters:

  • Do you, your employees AND your customers all clearly understand your brand promise?
  • How does your company's long-term strategy influence the decisions you make every day?
  • What makes you different from your competitors?
  • Who are your core customers and what are their current needs? How are those needs evolving?

We will use the One Page Strategic Plan to lay out and implement a clear, precise strategic action plan that will get your team aligned and moving in the right direction.


Download: The One Page Strategic Plan

Execution


Developing good and sustainable habits within a culture of accountability is the key to successful growth. It's easy to get excited about a new direction, implement changes, and eventually fall back into old habits once things are no longer shiny and new. Habits built under the Scaling Up framework are designed with the long term in mind.


Execution Discussion Starters:

  • Is everyone in your organization accountable for specific items with defined goals?
  • How do you determine whether a day was successful or not?
  • Are you collecting data and using it to make informed decisions?
  • Are you operating efficiently or are you working long hours just to keep your head above water?

We will use the Scaling Up Execution Checklist of ten habits to help you build a culture of accountability and reduce, by up to 80%, the time you spend on managing your business, giving you more time to spend on leadership and growth-oriented, market-facing activities.

Download: Rockefeller Habits Execution Checklist

People


Having the right people on board is key. You can't grow your business on your own. You also can't do it with team members who aren't aligned towards the success of the company as a whole. This misalignment can happen when your team doesn't have a clear understanding of your vision, or simply because someone is not a good fit.


People Discussion Starters:

  • Would you enthusiastically rehire every one of your employees today?
  • Do your people know what is expected of them? Do they have the necessary tools and ownership to meet or exceed those expectations?
  • What are you doing to attract top talent to your company?
  • Do you know what percent of your team is performing at an A level?

We will use Scaling Up “People” tools to help you ensure that you have the right people on your team and that your team members understand your vision and the role they play in it, with clear accountabilities and metrics.

Download: Function Accountability Chart


Cash


Growth is not free. You have to be willing to invest in yourself, your people and your business. To really understand the effectiveness of these investments, you need to know your cashflow inside and out and understand how and when the dollars that flow out should come back to you. The Scaling Up Cash Conversion tool outlines your business' cash cycle and helps you identify specific ways to double operating cash flow over the next year.


Cash Discussion Starters:

  • Do you know exactly how long it takes for a dollar invested in your business to come back as a return?
  • Do you have the right salespeople on your team? Do you know what the wrong ones are costing you?
  • Do you have consistent cash sources fueling the growth of your business?
  • What is the state of your sales pipeline today?

We will use the Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC), to calculate the length of time between when you spend a dollar (marketing, design, rent, wages, etc.) to when that dollar comes back into your business.

Download: Cash Conversion Tool