What do we do?

Risk management is a key business process, and one you will already be doing automatically to a certain extent. However, you may be unsure whether you have identified all the risks and highlighted the ones needing further action to manage. By using SWOT and PESTLE analysis tools to identify what is going on inside and outside your business, we build a risk register which gives you the information you need to understand your business risk profile and manage it to an acceptable level.

Ah yes, those ISO things! They involve lots of numbers and slightly obscure language but essentially provide a structure to organise and manage your business. Once your management system is in place, it can be certified by an accredited certification body, which demonstrates to your customers that you are committed to effective management and continual improvement. Holding ISO certification is often a requirement to work with larger customers (particularly in construction and engineering) or gain access to the defence supply chain.

This is common, often businesses have grown, changed and developed but are still using the original documentation, information and processes which are no longer fit for purpose. By using the structure and requirements of the ISO standards, we can update the management system to make it more effective and easier to use.

This starts to become a problem when your business is big enough to have more than a few people doing the same task! Consistency is key to providing what your customer wants in the time frame that they want it in. By using the ‘process approach' you can have the assurance that things are being done as they should be.

This started at least one improvement project – the threat of losing a key customer is usually enough to galvanise most companies into action. In this situation, we start with an investigation and root cause analysis to work out what has gone wrong. We then work with the relevant people (from the shop floor upwards) to identify suitable, long lasting solutions which will prevent the problem occurring again

Every business has data and information, every business is generally measuring something – but is all that information telling you anything useful? We look at the context of your business (what is going on inside and outside it), identify the risks and key processes to control them, then design useful objectives which tell you what you need to know.

This is a typical one, take a close look at the way most companies have ‘organised’ the folder structure on their server or cloud and it will probably make you wince. One client memorably described their server as ‘the knicker drawer of filing’! Although management systems are far more than documentation, the documents / information / templates people need to do things with are often the bit that gets the most attention – usually for the basic reason of not being able to find something quickly. We design a simple and straightforward folder architecture and filing structure so you can find the information you need, when you need it

A well-constructed management system provides you with the assurance that the information and governance structure is in place, so you no longer need to be personally involved in everything. By setting sensible objectives, putting the processes in place to achieve them and auditing those processes, you can be confident that things are working as they should be.

A lot of Directors of small companies do not have a formal Board to provide support. If you are the owner and driving force of your company, it can be very isolating without a support network around you. I can step into this gap and provide you with 1-2-1 support and encouragement. I spend time to get to know you and learn about your business, then work with you on a 1-2-1 basis for a defined period of time. You might want me to challenge your thinking about decisions you need to make, liaise with other stakeholders who are interested in your business or help you to identify, prevent or solve problems.

Being a sole Director can be hard work, there may be lots of things going on with the business that you don't necessarily want to discuss with other people working in the business. Without anybody to discuss these with and get a different perspective, it can be hard to know whether you are making good decisions or not. I can help you by being a confidential listening ear or by using games and tools to provoke discussion and constructive dissent. I am good at creative thinking and seeing things in different ways which can help to unstick you if you are stuck.

It is a big step from being a sole Director where you make and take responsibility for all the decisions to having to report your decision making to a Board of Directors. Having decided that you need a Board to support you and having gone to the effort of finding the right people, it can be frustrating when your new Board isn't working effectively. As well as working 1-2-1 with you, I can work with the Board as a whole to improve how it operates and functions. I can use various techniques such as the use of games to provoke discussion and constructive dissent to bring a Board together. An outside perspective can often be very useful and can lead to new ideas and encourage innovation.