Top 10 Highlights from a Decade in Organisation Solutions

Normally I write about my training in this blog, but this is an exception because my company turned 10 years old this week! I've had a great time reflecting on my experiences creating and leading OS and am pleased to share my top 10 highlights and insights from these with you. These are more or less in order of their occurrence from the beginning.  Enjoy!

1st Board Game.  When I left the corporate world, I originally thought of starting an educational game and toy company. A bit of research and discussion with experts in this area convinced me it was better to do what I know best - helping to grow companies, teams and people. During our first client engagement, we built an educational board game that helped managers understand the implications of their organisation transformation in terms of how they make decisions and behave. I had tears of joy in my eyes when I watched a group of 80 leaders from across Asia and the Middle East play this game together and learn about what the change actually meant for them. There are many paths to ones' dreams.

 

Hiring staff. Within 6 months of starting OS, I'd hired two full-time staff members. We worked for a few months in a tiny office in my home. I remember feeling so excited, and scared, to feel responsible for them. When I'd managed in a MNC, I felt responsible for my staff - but not like this. I knew that if I couldn't make the business work, they'd lose their jobs. Over the years, I've never stopped feeling this way. When others work for you, you have an obligation to grow the business responsibly in order to help them.

 

1^st Office. Our first office was a small shop house on Duxton Road. It was such an exciting and proud moment for me when we opened. The office also had a special place in my heart because it was such a family affair. My sister Margot visited us from the US and chose the perfect place for us. Shortly after we moved in, my parents came to visit and helped decorate and furnish the office. Our children played in the office when they were young.  Once, we even kept fish given to my youngest daughter in the office. We had great parties and lots of laughter. People give your business soul.

 

Vision for Growth. After the death of my parents, I looked for motivation to return to work. I found my "Vision for Growth." I decided that I would dedicate myself to growing OS so that we could achieve 3 things: 1) improve the experience of work for millions of people around the world, 2) hire and develop OD professionals motivated to help change the world, and 3) to give away a percentage of our profits to not-for-profits who create sustainable change in the lives of the disadvantaged. We move steadily towards the vision. The journey towards a Vision is as important as the Vision itself.

 

Rebranding. Our original logo was a gardener watering a plant while standing on a globe that showed Asia in the center. I really loved this guy! He embodied my beliefs about how to create sustainable change. However, as the company grew, we built better intellectual property and developed different product areas. Our gardener no longer represented our large set of offerings. I knew the logo didn't work anymore but my love kept me from changing. It took feedback from a client to finally make me budge.  After this, we redeveloped our brand architecture, which was great for our business. Passion can be a double-edged sword...make sure you have passion and be willing to change.

 

Asia Pacific HR Roundtable. Years ago I asked a client to cofound an HR Roundtable with me. We brought together 20 global and regional HR heads to share what they were learning about leading in a geographically dispersed organisation. At the end, one of the attendees stood up to leave a bit early and said, "this was great, let's do it again!” We started meeting quarterly to share and learn together about issues important to their businesses. We are still meeting six year later. I've made many friends on the Roundtable, learned a lot and have even worked with some of the Roundtable members. When you sincerely invest in others, it is returned many fold to you.

 

1^st Global Project.  After working with one client for 6 years, they asked us to become involved with a global initiative to optimise the value of the margin across their supply chain worldwide. When they chose us over McKinsey for this work, I felt we'd really arrived!  The work is now in its 4th year and has created numerous benefits for both our client and OS. You have to take a long-term view of client relationships.

  

1^st LEAP.  Once we were asked to design and facilitate a leadership development programme for a new client. We took on this work. The next year they asked us to repeat the process. We agreed and talked them into trying out some processes and tools we'd created to accelerate the development of leaders. What we did became the core of our Leader Excelerator practice. I am always grateful to this client for trusting us and allowing us to learn with them. Many of the best innovations come in partnership with clients.

 

James joining OS.  As OS grew, our staff grew and I wanted a senior person to join me to help run the business.  I began what was a 6 year effort to recruit my husband to join the company. James is also an I/O Psychologist and he'd spent nearly 20 years inside leading MNCs in HR leadership roles. He was hesitant to put the family economic eggs into one basket. My efforts finally paid off and in 2007 he agreed to join OS as our COO. While many of our friends were concerned this would hurt our marriage, we found our friendship and relationship growing. While I bring energy, passion and over-commitment to OS, he brings balance, structure and excellence in execution. It's good to take risks with people who aren't as risky as you (and long cycle time recruiting sometimes pays off!)

1^st LEPT.  A few years into the Leader Excelerator practice, a client said, "Alison, we love LEAP, but we just don't have time for group projects.  Can you do something like this for individual leaders?" Around that time I was training for a 1/2 ironman and had hired a professional coach to help me. We drew on these learnings and our LEAP experience to design what became our coaching process to accelerate leader growth called LEPT (Leader Excelerator Personal Training). The LEPT business is now one of our largest and more scalable business lines. Small innovations can have big payoffs.

Comments

[Shawn]

Alison, what I got from your post is how "community" is woven throughout your company's 10 years, and key to your success. Thank you for sharing your journey and the insights along the way. Your post embodies the sentiment "it's the journey not the destination" that matters." Here's to constant reinvention and community.

[Alison]

I love your take away Shawn! Thanks for sharing this.

[Deby Rossignol]

I'm amazed by your ability to continuously reflect, learn, and apply. This was truly inpirational.

[Margot Eyring]

What a great 10 years, Alison! I appreciate being able to have participated in several aspects of this top 10 list over my visits. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone.

[Jane Chen]

Thanks Alison for the sharing. Your ability to reflect, learn, apply and focus is admirable! I enjoy reading your blog.