Catalyst's associates take to heart the words of Stephen Covey; "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Almost everything with do begins with a thorough assessment of "what is" before addressing what "should be." Catalyst employs state-of-the-art assessment tools and techniques — some proprietary, many industry standards — to help you and us better understand the current dynamics in your organization and its environment vis-a-vis the problem at hand. Depending on the situation, we will recommend appropriate techniques or tools, which may include one or more of the following:
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| Providing Consulting-that-Works™ demands that Catalyst's associates possess superior analytical skills — and have the business acumen to gain true insight from our analyses. Whether we are conducting customer or competitor research, analyzing market sizing data, developing improved management reporting processes, stimulating new product development, or guiding our clients' restructuring initiatives, Catalyst provides our clients with valuable and timely insight — insight designed to create lasting value. |
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Catalyst has been Unlocking Results™ for clients through large and small group facilitation and purposeful corporate retreats for many years. Understanding what clients want to accomplish during, and after, their meeting — and then working with them to ensure that all of their hard work is not squandered by poor implementation — is the keystone of our Consulting-that-Works™ success. Our experience and breadth of knowledge give us the gravitas to be credible facilitators in almost any organizational setting. We select the most appropriate tools, techniques and participant activities to accomplish your objectives. This extensive "tool kit" includes:
Conflict MediationA special subset of Catalyst's facilitation practice is conflict mediation. Conflict is a hidden, but very real, cost to organizations of all kind. It is hidden in your salary budget in the form of nonproductive time. It is hidden in your recruiting expenses in the form of unnecessary turnover.Catalyst's co-founder, Cynthia Waisner, has earned the Certified Trainer designation from the Mediation Training Institute. She is prepared to facilitate a successful resolution to whatever workplace conflict is currently impeding your organization's success. Corporate RetreatsAnother special subset of our facilitation practice is the designing and hosting of purposeful corporate retreats. Offsite business meetings such as "retreats" can be effective tools for solving problems, developing strategies, building consensus, generating energy and esprit de corp, and synchronizing objectives across functional areas. But they can also be a tremendous waste of time and money if they are not planned and executed properly.Catalyst has been designing and facilitating highly successful retreats for years. We work with you and your staff to ensure that:
Should you lead your own retreat?We are often asked this question and the answer is simple — NO! You need to be focused on the content of the retreat and on making your own contribution to the groups' work. A neutral facilitator is essential to guide the meeting process itself (e.g., time management, facility management, participation monitoring, etc.) and to ensure that expected results are obtained. You wouldn't operate on yourself (even if your were a surgeon), and you shouldn't try to facilitate your own offsite meeting. Do so typically yields unsatisfactory results (aka, wastes time and money). |
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Ensuring that everyone in your organization, including yourself, has the skills they need to be successful is a fundamental requirement of leadership. These skills must be learned and reinforced, through the use of "off-the-shelf" or custom-designed training programs. And they must be directed towards your highest priority needs. At Catalyst, we deploy skilled trainers who make sure that your executive- and manager-level training programs:
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| Executive coaching is the most personal, most confidential and, potentially, the most impactful service we provide. Catalyst's principals coach high-potential leaders at all levels, from middle-managers to senior executives to business owners. By working one-on-one, we help clients increase their professional, and personal, effectiveness, success and satisfaction. Some key areas of coaching include:
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"The Tools of the Trade"
Every profession utilizes specialized tools and techniques to accomplish specific tasks: the plumber has his "drain snake;" the masseuse has her massage oils; the stock trader has his EVI charts; the doctor has her stethoscope; etc.
Management consulting is no different. In fact, when you examine our profession closely, you'll find that we employ only five primary methodologies. Granted, these methodologies encompass a vast array of tools and techniques — and can be transformed to look like a multitude of branded consulting "products." But every service that Catalyst offers, and every solution that we provide, has its roots in one or more of the following five fundamental methodologies: