How to Use Your Numbers to Make Better Complex Financial Decisions

WHAT:    July CEO Workshop     
WHEN:   Wednesday July 9th, 2014   
WHERE: Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom

We all want to build a sustainable business that provides a return on our (or our owners’ investment). So, how much profit does it take to produce the real returns that you not only desire, but also require? The first step in the process is to answer the question: what is your breakeven sales annually, monthly and even daily? We will all first go through our Profit and Loss Statements to determine how our expenses “behave.” We will separate out our variable and fixed costs and then calculate the answer to the breakeven question. With this new structure we will be able to have a better understanding of which costs need to be focused on to improve the bottom line.

But nobody wants to just break even! We will also now be in position to project the future and determine useful strategies. 

LUNCH

All who are attending the morning workshop session are invited to join us for lunch. Please let Lauren Owen or Michele Bosworth know if you are not able to attend lunch.

MEMBERS

Members arrive at 7:30am for breakfast and check-in. 

MEMBER CANDIDATES

Member Candidates are invited to join us for the workshop and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.  Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.   Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

EMPLOYEE GUESTS: RSVP BY JUNE 30TH

Employee Guests are invited to attend the workshop from from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.  Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

HOST:

Cliff Hansen of Cascade Cares.

WHERE WE WILL MEET:

Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom; 714 S 27th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409

The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor.

Members arriving at 7:30am - enter on the S 27th Avenue Street entrance.  It's the "main" entrance that is actually on the 3rd floor.  There is a parking lot in front and a parking lot across the street.   Jennifer will be looking out to let you into the building and will take you up to the elevator to the 4th floor. 

Guest arriving at 8:45am - enter at any entrance and tell the people at the front desk that you are going up to the 4th floor.

LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTER:

Tom Masters will be our Lunch & Learn Presenter and will talk about Planning Strategically.

We all worry that our business could be seriously impacted by a new technology or global competition.  Or that we will miss a big market opportunity because we were too busy focusing on business as usual.  Many companies recognize the need for strategic planning, but don’t know how to go about it or are intimidated by the idea.  In this talk, you will learn straightforward steps you can take as part of your regular planning cycle that can give your company the strategic edge it needs in today’s dynamic, hyper-competitive business environment. 

TITLE OF WORKSHOP:

How to Use Your Numbers to Make Better Complex Financial Decisions.

AGENDA:

Click here to view the Agenda.

QUESTIONS THE CEO SHOULD BE ASKING:

• How much profit do I need to reinvest in my company?
• How much profit do I need to pay back additional long term debt?
• How much profit do I need form y bonus and/or retirement plans?
• If I hire additional staff what will I need insoles to cover their costs and make more profit?
• If I add on to my building (take on more space or open a new location) what will I need in increased sales to make that a good investment?

TAKEAWAYS

• What does my company's cost structure really look like.
• How can I use this knowledge to make better decisions for the future around issues such as: pricing, expense control and investments in projects, equipment and people.
• Learn how targeting a specific profit to determine your sales goals.

PREPARATION: DUE JUNE 30TH

There are some key steps to complete beforehand to help you get the most out of this workshop: get familiar with the concept of breakeven, determine which of your expenses are fixed versus variable, and use that info to fill in the Questionnaire part of the worksheet. Your workshop presenter, Steve Abercrombie, will review the rest in class. The end goal: gain a great tool for better decisions using your own numbers!

1.  First, read the handout, Guide to Breakeven Plus. It will give you some background on  breakeven analysis and walk you through some sample case studies.

2.  Second, enter your sales and expense numbers into the 2014 Breakeven Calculator.  Click to open the 2014 Breakeven Calculator and download it by clicking on the download button that appears on your screen.  Fill in the document and click save. 

You will find detailed instructions for how to do so on the first worksheet entitled “Instructions.”  You will enter your own numbers on the Questionnaire worksheet. You will need:

•  Current month–end Profit and Loss Statement 
• Year-to-Date Profit and Loss Statement
• The number of invoices/jobs and/or active customers for those same time periods

3.  You will first need to decide which expenses are fixed and which are variable (that’s where reading the guide first will come in handy). Because this work will take us beyond breakeven and into future “what-if” analysis, you might have to do some consolidation if you have a lot of expense categories. Once you get done entering your numbers, you are welcome, but not required, to practice doing breakeven analysis on the Calculator worksheet.


4.  Once you are finished, please print the Questionnaire and the Calculator pages and bring them with you to class.


5.  Save the worksheet using your company name and email it as an attachment to Michele Bosworth at michelebosworth@excellpugetsound.com by June 30.

We estimate that it will take you about one hour to read the materials and about 1-2 hours to fill out the Questionnaire worksheet. Some of you will want to work with your CPA/bookkeeper/CFO on this project and to invite them (along with your other key team members), to attend the July CEO workshop with you.Please be sure to read the handout guide yourself, though, so you are personally familiar with the concepts.

Steve won’t be sharing anyone’s individual financial data with the other members in the workshop. But, if you are willing to let him use your worksheet and calculator pages in class as a “live” case study, let me know when you return your pre-work and Steve will be in touch with you before the workshop.

Questions? Don’t get stuck! Contact Steve directly at 360.320.8770 or steve.abercrombie@profitsoup.com. He will be happy to help!

PRESENTER: STEVE ABERCROMBIE   

Steve brings passion and personality to company financial strategies. His life experiences as a banker, financial educator and business owner have shown him that having financial knowledge of your business model is in many cases the absolute key to success. His clients all say that Steve excels at taking the mystery out of the numbers with his common-sense approach and always-compassionate personal style.

He has a talent for rallying the troops behind improvement initiatives by organizing, understanding and appropriately communicating the financial story of the business to the management team and key staff. Then he integrates this connection to financial success with ongoing structure and support around company goals and strategic steps. With key players aligned and focused, everybody accomplishes more.

Steve has helped many clients prepare their businesses for the financial scrutiny of lenders and investors when financial restructuring or expansion is imminent. He understands the language of lending from his years in banking, where he has held roles from branch manager and lender to bank President and CEO. As President and principal of a leading financial training company, he mastered business expansion from the other side of the desk – with the perspective of owner and rain maker. He gained notoriety as a sought-after convention speaker for graduate schools of banking, corporations and associations throughout the US, Australia and England.

Steve’s clients include Choice Hotels, ProSource Floor Coverings, Graduate School of Banking of the South and Bright Star Franchising,

“I have had the good fortune to work with Steve Abercrombie at both ProSource and BrightStar. Both times, he provided these companies with top-shelf financial literacy training for our franchisees. I have found Steve to be not only well versed in financial management, but able to easily convey concepts to franchisees. His breadth of knowledge and ability to make financial concepts "real world" for franchisees is one of the things I most appreciate about Steve.”

Bob Lange, Vice President of Field Support, Bright Star Franchising

“Steve is exceptional at taking complex financial information and terms, and making it easy for people understand and use. Steve is one of the best professional speakers I've ever heard. Interesting, captivating and helps the audience truly understand and apply what he is talking about.”

Evan Hackel, President and Engage Consulting 

PROFIT SOUP

WWW.PROFITSOUP.COM
steve.abercrombie@profitsoup.com

LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTER: TOM MASTERS

Tom Masters has over 35 years of experience helping companies across a variety of industries develop strategies and technologies to compete more effectively.  His early career included product planning and development for companies in the aerospace, healthcare and commercial software industries.  Tom applied his technology and marketing experience as a resident consultant with a regional creative agency where he helped clients define and implement growth strategies.  His consulting firm, Orion Wellspring, specializes in helping small to mid-sized businesses, and professional organizations develop and implement competitive strategies.

Work Your Business Plan

WHAT:  June CEO Retreat
WHEN:  June 11, 2014
WHERE: Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom

June is our Members Only ~ Work Your Business Plan CEO Retreat 

We will meet at Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom;  714 S 27th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409

The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor.

Members arriving at 7:30am - enter on the S 27th Avenue Street entrance.  It's the "main" entrance that is actually on the 3rd floor.  There is a parking lot in front and a parking lot across the street.   Jennifer will be looking out to let you into the building and will take you up to the elevator to the 4th floor. 

Lunch & Learn: South Sound member Machine and Fabrication has been working with Kaizen continuous improvement consultants for the last several months. In this lunch and learn, Machine and Fabrications’ General Manager Ray Behrendt will be sharing their experience and what the impact has been from applying Kaizen processes at their company.

Building the Management Team You Need for Strong, Sustainable Growth… (even if you think they may not be your dream team)

WHEN:     MAY CEO WORKSHOP
WHAT:      WEDNESDAY MAY 14, 2014
WHERE:   TACOMA GOODWILL

The economic environment of the last couple of years has had us all running as fast as we can, working harder than ever, and making due with less resources and people.

Now, some of us are taking advantage of growth opportunities; opening new offices or expanding existing operations. Until human cloning technology is perfected, it’s imperative as leaders that we develop our people to their best potential, attract right new talent, and move underperformers up or out, and delegate effectively - you can be in a position for strong, sustainable growth.

In this workshop, we’ll give you the tools to address your people resource challenges so you can be in a position for strong, sustainable growth.

LUNCH

All who are attending the morning workshop session are invited to join us for lunch. Please let Lauren Owen or Michele Bosworth know if you are not able to attend lunch.

STEVE BEAN WILL BE OUR LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTER FOR MAY

Steve will talk about 5 Things executives need to know today about the Affordable Care Act

 Love it or hate it, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had a big impact on employers and        will continue to do so even more in the years ahead.  But there are opportunities for executives to think in new ways about their employee benefit plans, what they are providing and how they are paying for them.  We will discuss emerging trends and programs in the marketplace that today’s leaders should consider and discuss.  We will also address the Top 5 Things business leaders need to know, today, about the ACA.  It’s been confusing with some parts repealed, some parts delayed but most if it still pertains and we will help separate the wheat from the chaff on this complex subject.

MEMBERS

Members arrive at 7:30am for breakfast and check-in.

Please RSVP to Michele Bosworth by April 30th, 2014 if you will be bringing employee guests.

MEMBER CANDIDATES

Member Candidates are invited to join us for the workshop and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.  

Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.   Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

EMPLOYEE GUESTS

Employee Guests are invited to join us for the workshop and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.  

Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.   Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

HOST

Brandy Smith of Smith Fire Systems

WHERE WE WILL MEET

Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom; 714 S 27th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409

The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor.

Members arriving at 7:30am - enter on the S 27th Avenue Street entrance.  It's the "main" entrance that is actually on the 3rd floor.  There is a parking lot in front and a parking lot across the street.   Jennifer will be looking out to let you into the building and will take you up to the elevator to the 4th floor. 

Guest arriving at 8:45am - enter at any entrance and tell the people at the front desk that you are going up to the 4th floor.

TITLE OF WORKSHOP

Building the Management Team You Need for Strong, Sustainable Growth… 
(even if you think they may not be your dream team)

AGENDA

Click HERE to view the Agenda.

QUESTIONS THE CEO SHOULD BE ASKING

• What types of structural issues do I have in my company that either support or inhibit performance and/or growth opportunities and people development?
• How do I keep and grow my best people? How do I delegate effectively
• How do I address the problem of underperforming employees/teams?

TAKEAWAYS

• What types of structural systems can promote (or inhibit) performance and growth and applied that knowledge to your own company
• Concrete things you can put in place to ensure success in new office or operation.
• A proven methodology for correctly diagnosing and preventing ‘people problems’
•  A step by step methodology to help solve and more, importantly prevent, “people” issues from happening.

PREPARATION

A one or two sentence write-up about your biggest challenge facing your potential growth opportunity, or, a current chronic “people” problem you are facing and some bullets about what you have tried or what has not worked. For example:

Related to an Expansion Opportunity:

•    How do I pick the right person to head up the new operation? How much decision-making authority do I give him or her? How do I know they are ready?

Or related to your Current Operations:

• Have an underperforming team or individual and I need to have more critical thinking and strategic project management action taken by my team, or I will go nuts trying to be everywhere. 

Use the following framework:

•  The Issue:
• What I have done about it:
• What worked:
•   What did not work:
• Where I need help/Where I am stuck

Bring: An org chart for your business

PRESENTER:  Lauren Owen MBA 

Lauren Owen specializes in leadership development for business owners and senior executives. She combines professional executive coaching and facilitation skills in her work.  Over the past 10 years, Lauren has worked with 150+ leaders from businesses large and small, helping them to lead more effectively. One unique aspect of Lauren’s leadership coaching is that she only gets paid if her clients achieve quantifiable improvement as per the assessment of the client's boss, peers and direct reports. In short: No improvement=No fee.

Lauren holds an MBA in Organization Design and Human Resource Management from the University of Washington and a B. A Degree in Public Policy from Duke University.  She completed the Core Essentials program from Coach U, a leading coach training organization.  She is a certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder- Centered Coach.  She is also the leader of the Excell Southend CEO Peer Group.

LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTER:  STEVE BEAN

Steve Bean is a business owner and practicing employee benefit consultant.  His company, TRUEbenefits LLC, works with clients like Nintendo, Plymouth Housing Group and Point B to bring clarity, insight and experience to their clients in helping them manage their Time – Money – Risk so they can get on running their businesses.  Since 1987 Steve has learned his craft right here in the Puget Sound working both on the wholesale side (insurance company) and the consultant side and he brings a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to guide his clients.  Steve is passionate about helping businesses and nonprofits thrive and prosper and he knows that taming and managing the health care spend has a significant bottom-line impact on every organization.  He has earned the industry’s highest professional designations from the Wharton School of Business and from the American College.

GET CLARITY™ FOR ORGANIZATIONS & TEAMS—SHIFT to ABOVE-THE-LINE CULTURE

WHAT:  April CEO Tools Workshop
WHEN: April 9, 014
WHERE: Fairchild Record Search, Tumwater

Every company has a culture whether created intentionally or not.  Culture means having common traits, behaviors and patterns that tie people together.  The goal of most leaders is to create an environment that is energizing, productive and effective; where the employees are enthusiastic, accountable, committed and engaged. In this CEO Tools Workshop, you will learn how to create this type of culture referred to as an “Above-the-Line” culture, where:

• Thoughts are positively directed contributing to dedicated and trusting co-workers,
• Solutions are readily available to business challenges,
•  Collaboration happens naturally among teams,
• Employees are fully participating in the common purpose, resulting in peak experiences which lead to peak performance.

With an above-the-line culture, employees are happier, which according to recent research posted by the Wall Street Journal and the iOpener Institute results in:

•  Employees stay twice as long in their jobs as their least happy colleagues,
• Believe they are achieving their potential 2x as much,
• Spend 65% more time feeling energized,
• 58% are more likely to go out of the way to help their colleagues,
• 98% identify more strongly with the values of their organization,
• 186% are more likely to recommend their organization to a friend.

An above-the-line culture is critical in order to address the energy crisis in companies. According to the State of the American Workplace: Employee Engagement Insights for U.S. Business Leaders,"(Gallup, 2013), 70% of workers are disengaged. Studies done by The Energy Project shows that workers today are exhausted, emotionally depleted, unfocused, and lacking purpose. It is no surprise they are disengaged when:

• 59% don’t regularly get at least 7-8 hours of sleep and/or often wake up feeling tired,
• 69% have difficulty focusing on one thing at a time and are easily distracted during the day, especially by email, and
• 58% say there are significant gaps between what they say is important in their life and how they actually live.

So what does this mean for you as a CEO/Executive? It means something is “missing”, and the way we are working isn’t working. Consider this…

Do you or members of your team sometimes swirl in an eddy of negative thinking, focused on what isn’t working, only finding that you create the exact opposite result of what you want?

No one starts the day saying, “I am going to behave and act in ways that exhaust my energy and the energy of the people around me.” Sounds absurd doesn’t it? And yet, that is the net effect of what happens day in and day out in offices everywhere—people go home with their energy and enthusiasm drained and exhausted, having worked at less than optimal levels.

There is a secret to choosing to work with intention, passion and purpose. When we consciously choose thoughts that align all aspects of our work and life with what energizes us, we are more effective as leaders. The challenge is to have a process and methodology to keep you and your team intentionally focused and conscious throughout the day. Clarity’s Thought Changing System™ provides a simple, easy to use process to SHIFT your thought energy to be more effective.

In this workshop, we will explore what contributes to an above-the-line culture, create awareness around your personal leadership energy and the impact your thoughts and behaviors are having, while providing you with a practical methodology and tool to use daily to create a peak experience which ultimately leads to peak performance.

LUNCH

All who are attending the morning workshop session are invited to join us for lunch. Please let Lauren Owen or Michele Bosworth know if you are not able to attend lunch.

MEMBERS

Members arrive at 7:30am for breakfast and check-in. Please RSVP to Michele Bosworth by March 31, 2014 if you will be bringing employee guests.

MEMBER CANDIDATES

Member Candidates are invited to join us for the workshop and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.  Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.   Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

EMPLOYEE GUESTS

Employee Guests are invited to attend the workshop from from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.  Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

HOST:

Renee Ries of Fairchild Record Search

WHERE WE WILL MEET:

Fairchild Record Search; 3400 Capitol Blvd SE, Suite 102, Tumwater WA 98501


Click HERE for Google Map

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Coming Southbound on I-5 towards Olympia:

• I-5 Southbound to Olympia, WA.
• Take the 2nd Ave. exit – exit number 103
• Stay straight to go onto  2nd Ave. SW
• Turn Left onto Custer Way SW.
• Turn Left onto Capitol Blvd.
• We are located at 3400 Capitol Blvd  SE., behind the Baskin Robbins.

Coming Northbound on I-5 towards Olympia:

• I-5 Northbound to Olympia, WA.
• Take the Deschutes Way Exit – Exit number 103
• Turn Right onto “E” St. SW
• Turn Left onto Capitol Blvd.
• We are located at 3400 Capitol Blvd. SE, behind the Baskin Robbins.

TITLE OF WORKSHOP:

GET CLARITY™ FOR ORGANIZATIONS & TEAMS—SHIFT to ABOVE-THE-LINE CULTURE

AGENDA:

Click HERE to view the Agenda.

QUESTIONS THE CEO SHOULD BE ASKING:

•  What is energy and why is this important in the corporate environment?
• What impact are my thoughts and behaviors having on my performance and in turn, what is the effect of my energy on my direct reports and the overall culture of my organization?
•  How can we create a culture of vitality and productivity that is sustainable?
• What can I do to create a culture of positivity/happiness that in turn produces favorable bottom-line results?

TAKEAWAYS:

•  Understand the business case for addressing the impact of “energy” in your company.
• Discover how your thoughts and behaviors impact your performance and the results of teams within your organization.
•  Create a process that allows you to improve the quality and outcomes of meetings and to address performance issues (self, others and organization) from a positive perspective.
• Practice skills that will support you in creating intentional and aligned thoughts and actions to achieve improved business results.
•  Identify one clear action step that will support you in sustaining an above-the-line culture.

PREPARATION:

1. Invite a member of your Executive Team to join you at this meeting. This person will be your accountability partner around the commitments and daily practice that will be clarified during the meeting.

2. Take 10 minutes to complete a Personal Leadership Energy Survey.  
Click HERE for the survey.

PRESENTER: SHANNON BRUCE

Shannon Bruce is a Catalyst for Culture Change who uses her skills as a Team Coach, Facilitator and Trainer to save companies time, money and pain caused by unresolved conflicts and toxic relationships. As the Owner and CEO of StoryBridge™ she helps companies rewrite the story of ineffective communication and silos among teams to create an inspired story of team collaboration and peak performance. 

Shannon’s greatest strength is her ability to create a safe environment for individuals and teams to address “what’s not being said”. With a unique blend of compassion coupled with truth telling, she brings to light the unconscious negative thought patterns that hinder relationships and the performance of teams. Through active listening and evocative questions, Shannon reveals the unhealthy engagement patterns of teams to redesign new ways interacting as a team while getting the work done with vitality. The end result is highly engaged team members with healthy communication and effective conflict handling that improves both top line and bottom line performance.

Using the Get Clarity™ training “Shift to Above-the-Line Culture”, Shannon is improving the team dynamics of organizations to one of positivity with increased results. Her proven track record in working with several health care teams and a Call Center Department in the Pacific Northwest resulted in customer service level increases of 26%, reduced absenteeism that translated into a decrease of call wait times of 39 seconds and overall team improvements of 35% for positivity and 36% for productivity.

She has 20+ years of experience as a CPA, Auditor, regional and corporate Operations Manager and Entrepreneur. She holds a B.A. in Business from Washington State University and received her coach training from the Coaches Training Institute. She is credentialed through the International Coach Federation and also works as a mentor/supervisor for coaches going through the credentialing process. She is also a authorized and licensed facilitator of Team Coaching International.

Living in Bremerton, WA with her 13-year old daughter, Shannon enjoys quality time with family and friends in addition to reading, hiking and spending time outside.

 

Work Your Business Plan

WHAT:  March CEO Retreat

WHEN: March 12, 2014

WHERE: TERRA Staffing, Tacoma

March is our Members Only ~ Work Your Business Plan CEO Retreat 

We will meet at Terra Staffing;  1101 Broadway Tacoma, WA 98402.

Click HERE for a Google map and directions.

Click HERE for a link to Sound Transit if you are taking the Tacoma Light Rail.

Lisa Forrest, Vice President of Union Bank for Washington and  Oregon will be our Lunch & Learn Presenter.

Lisa will be speaking on Business Transition Planning for the Privately-Held Business Owner:

There are many strategies that Privately-Held business owners can employ for a successful exit.  With enough time, planning, and involvement of a competent advisory team, sellers can optimize the value of their companies and create a successful exit strategy. 

One of the strategies could involve the sale of the company to a partner, family member, key employee(s), or outside third-parties either from a financial and/or strategic standpoint.   

If a sale is deemed the best option, I will share 10 tips for the seller to consider that will enhance buyer financing outcomes.   

About Lisa Forrest:

Lisa Forrest, Vice President, SBA Lending Union Bank.  Lisa has specialized in SBA lending, leading the industry for 25 years.  She is known for her high loan closing ratio, her attention to detail, and her caring/committed approach to her clients.

ADDRESSING COMPLEXITY AS YOU GROW: THE CHALLENGE OF COMMUNICATION

What: February CEO Roundtable

When: Wednesday, February 12th, 2014

Where:  Jesse Engineering, Tacoma  

Communication is the lifeblood of organizational health, and is challenging even in the smallest organizations. As your business grows, your focus and planning on communication as a critical growth strategy is essential.

In this program we will work on:

· Understanding the critical need for communication

· Understanding the various modes of communication

· Recognizing what shifts or changes in communication as the organization grows.

· Creating a specific set of plans and goals to make communication in your organization better, and to sustain it and enhance it as you try to keep the organization “on the same page.”

MEMBERS:

Members arrive at 7:30am for breakfast and check-in. Please RSVP to Michele Bosworth by January 28, 2014 if you will be bringing employee guests.

MEMBER CANDIDATES:

Member Candidates are invited to join us for the workshop and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm. Please arrive by 8:50am and wait by the door to Building C.   Lauren Owen will come get you. The the workshop begins promptly at 9:00am.

EMPLOYEE GUESTS:

Employee Guests are invited to attend the workshop from from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Please arrive by 8:50am and wait by the door to Building C.  Lauren Owen will come get you. The the workshop begins promptly at 9:00am.

HOST:

Jeff Gellert of  Jesse Engineering

WHERE WE WILL MEET:

Jesse Engineering; 1840 Marine View Drive, Tacoma, WA 98422

The meeting will be held in Building C.  As you enter, the guard will steer you towards parking.  The stairway will be marked with an Excell Puget Sound sign. 

Click HERE for Google Directions

TITLE OF WORKSHOP:

Addressing Complexity as You Grow: The Challenge of Communication

AGENDA:

Click HERE for the Agenda


 QUESTIONS THE CEO SHOULD BE ASKING:

• What have I tried, so far, to communicate my vision and our plans?
• What communication tools have worked in the past?
• How do I continue to communicate effectively as my organization grows?
• What are the modes and techniques of communication that will serve to keep my organization on the same page?
• Communication is a strategy, just as much as marketing, or technology, or capital planning. It’s just as important as anything else and deserves a focused and alert management approach.

TAKEAWAYS:

• Understanding communication as a core strategic issue
• Creating a game plan for communication as their organizations grow and expand

• Understanding their personal role in communication strategy

• Identifying the needs that are currently present in your organization
• Five key best practices for communication

PREPARATION:

• Your communication plan, if you have one and, if you don’t have one, think about what your goal would be if you had such a plan.
• An Organization chart

 PRESENTER:  Jim Hessler

Jim Hessler brings over 25 years of business management and executive leadership experience to Path Forward, which he founded in 2001.

Jim has been an award-winning salesman, sales manager, general manager, and executive. He has specialized in turning around underperforming operations, and in the mid 90’s he helped lead a massive national reorganization for a Fortune 150 company.Jim’s experience in general management has resulted in broad and deep knowledge of nearly all aspects of a well-run business. From building and managing a sales organization, to managing complex inventories and delivery systems, to generating vision and trust in demoralized organizations, to leading complex restructuring efforts, Jim has earned a depth of knowledge and insight that serves his Path Forward clients exceedingly well, regardless of the leadership challenges they face.

Jim lives in Issaquah, Washington, and has been married for 32 years to Paula Weiss, a teacher in the Issaquah School District.