We guide your team through ’tempests & trials’ – the common challenges that many teams encounter on a daily basis. Together, we clarify (intermediate) objectives and define small steps to improve the way of working based on first principles. This way we boost productivity, while reducing work related stress and keeping an optimal customer connection. No ‘cookie cutting’, since we are like snowflakes: all unique and yet remarkably similar.

Speed dating

When we embark on a journey together, expect the experience to be intense & demanding from time to time. A good fit & mutual trust are essential. We might match well if:

• You value
  • A guide with proven experience on the ground in a variety of contexts. Someone who is equipped with the right tools to navigate your unique terrain in a practical and pragmatic way.
  • Connection: “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued” – Brené Brown. Traditional strategy consultants will give you speed, not connection & warmth required for long-term engagement of team members.
• You believe things can be done differently:
  • You are not quite 100% sure where to start.
  • You are open to exploring new possibilities.
  • Buzz-words won’t save you.
• You actively encourage
  • Rational reasoning AND wholeness (authenticity, inclusivity, respect, vulnerability, …)
  • Financial results AND well-being
  • Short term action AND long-term vision
• You want to develop your organisation by
  • Empowering people
  • Developing people
  • Making the organisation self-reliant (ie being able to continue without coach / consultant)

What

Ithaki offers hands-on support for leaders on a journey with their team:

• Hybrid of coaching, consulting, co-creation & training: focused towards a specific goal, combining both partner’s expertise, knowledge, & experience.
• Focused on moving forward the unique challenges of the customer. Not starting with a solution in the back of our mind to make a sale. Leveraging “Range” and selecting the best approach, even if that means we recommend a partner from our network. Distinguishing between technical challenges (think lean, six sigma, BPM) and organisational opportunities (think strategy, culture, organisational set-up).
• Developing technical leadership skills. Aiming to embed / sustain results in the organisation long after we are gone. We develop (train & coach) the team to manage the program or to run the newly defined processes. We are not the perfect partner if you need your organisation to master specific soft skills (e.g. Non-Violent Communication) or specific expert skills (e.g. certification as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt). Of course, we could help to find the perfect partner if that is what it takes to move forward.
• Simplicity. The challenge for many organisations is to sustain the new ways of working. The most costly part is in maintaining the process daily. Simplicity increases the odds of sustained lower costs. Better think twice before you invest your money on a project that looks great on paper when you first see it. We provide easy methods, easy templates, easy training (e.g. through using metaphors), … so that everyone can benefit and join the effort.

Often, it’s not the quantity of resources that counts:

The resulting roadmap / framework / master plan / program / … :

• provides guidance for a team so everyone can fully contribute to the success of the team.
  • e.g. Avoid you have a team of 10 master data analysts spending 1 year on the wrong data, because there was no project management structure available.
• brings a sense of order, effectively reducing stress related to unclarity & long hours.
  • e.g. Avoid your yearly plan starts 3 months late & avoid top management is chasing you.
• empowers all people to leverage their strengths.
  • e.g. Be mindful not to overload 3 excellent employees with all the work, because these are the ones who have sufficient maturity to self-manage. You risk they fall prey to a burn-out.
• creates smarter work.
  • e.g. No need to stay late if your productivity is high!

Given the complexity of today’s business environment, the cost of time lost because a structured approach is missing is simply too high.

Expertise

The main field of expertise of Ithaki is the broad domain Operational Excellence & Innovation:

1. We support your journey to balance and improve both productivity & well-being. This could involve direction setting, lightweight planning, implementation, visualisation of the performance, monitoring, & adapting.
2. We can help untangle misguided applications of Lean & Agile programs
3. We have broad experience managing ‘impediments’. We inspire you on how to move forward a specific business challenge (QA/QC, HR, Production, logistics, Product Development, Innovation, …)

What’s in it for you

Enhanced well-being, enhanced productivity (effectiveness & efficiency) and being more in control (which does not imply micro management)

• Being more in control by having a tailored, defined approach
• Increased productivity
• Increased work-life balance
• Self-reliance
• Increased effectiveness
• Increased well-being
• Increased efficiency
• Increased joy / happiness
• Personal development & growth
• Wholeheartedness within the team
• 2nd opinion / sparring partner
• Support to unblock a situation
• Clearer vision / strategy