The AAM approach is to first understand your objectives and your measures of success before we recommend any type of service.  Likewise, we follow our assessment process with an iterative plan developed with, and specifically for you and your organization.  Our intent is to assure you receive long lasting business value as soon as possible and that you can see measurable differences in your organization’s processes of innovation, productivity and leadership development.  

The three contracting examples below provide an overview of AAM’s approach to contracting. The intent is to allow the client and AAM to reassess the contracting relationship at the end of each iteration and therefore assure the best returns on the client’s consulting investment.

(Note: prices are negotiable through a fixed contract rate, a lower fixed rate with agreed upon bonus, and even an equity sharing model if appropriate.)

Emerging

This is a small to medium sized firm dependent on creativity and innovation as a business model (e.g., software, marketing, architecture, etc.). You have great ideas but you don’t seem able to get them completed on time and/or within your budget. You know you are missing market opportunities, but you can’t quite seem to find the key to unlock the inherent productivity.

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Turn-Around

This firm has not made a target release in two years.  The company is bleeding red with only promises that things will be getting better.  While the employees are very intelligent and capable, everything seems to take longer, every meeting seems endless and blame is more abundant than appreciation.  They need a solution that converts their great ideas into marketable results quickly and reliably.

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Large Company

This firm depends on innovative design and development to support its product line (probably from its technology and/or its R&D engineering division). While their intent is good, their support is not reliable or timely and/or their sales force is overselling their capacity to deliver. The functional silos within this organization produce more delivery-risk than is avoided. In any case, the firm needs to be more nimble and capture their lost productive capacity.

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As described in the Iterative Contracting Approach, AAM provides some combination of assessment, the development of an internal transition team, training and coaching within each iteration of our work plan and each design is uniquely constructed for the client:

Assessment

During this phase executives learn what they can expect from AAM and what will be expected of them; AAM interviews key stakeholders regarding what works well and their needs for improvement; an iterative plan of work is drafted; and if appropriate, organizations commit to whatever portions of the iterative plan that makes sense to them and their budgets.

Transitional Team

Transition teams are made up of stakeholders in the AAM development process.  They treat the process of organizational transformation as if it was any other project/initiative by first setting up a charter, managing the process, removing barriers when needed and measuring the success of the AAM contract.  This team is generally operational for 12 to 18 months.

Training

The type, and amount of training will differ based on the organization’s current knowledge and interest in specific subject areas.  Generally, we prefer to focus training on getting everyone on the same page, helping people apply new practices, and integrating the firm’s real challenges into the curriculum.   (See Training section for more information.)  We do provide a “train-the-trainer” service and will license our material when appropriate.

While the Overview training will be informative, AAM recommends each team also take the Adaptive Project Management and Designing & Facilitating Purposeful Meetings courses. 

Coaching

AAM consultants will help team leaders work through their first initiative and prepare them to transfer their knowledge to future teams and other team leaders.   Likewise, AAM executive coaches will help leaders/managers discover and practice the skills and behaviors needed in a highly creative and productive environment. (For more information on our leadership coaching process see Open Letter on Leadership Development)