Consulting

.shaping business

Innovative Services
Strategy Design & Execution
Facilitation
(working on the business and in the business)
from.. Sasikanths work bench

Ver 3.0

Kochi

Our target customers

We provide grass root level consulting for
economic prosperity

Any Enterprise

Micro, Small and

Medium that wish to improve their business

from.. Sasikanths work bench

Kochi

Our Business is.. make you do business

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Part 1
Consulting
.shaping business

Business is full of mysteries!

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Kochi

Why a few enterprises thrive

in the worst of times?

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Kochi

3 types of problem
Simple Problem : the problems and solutions are
easily defined

Complex Problem : Problem is known but solution is

not

Wicked Problem : Neither the problem nor the

solution is known

Characteristics of Wicked problem: It is a problem that is

difficult to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing
requirements that are often difficult to recognize.
Time

is running out

The solution depends on how the problem is framed and viceversa

Stakeholders have radically different world views and

different frames for understanding the problem
Those seeking to solve the problem are also causing it

Most people show a preference for rewards / results that

arrives sooner rather than later. They are said
to discount the value of the later reward
The problem is never solved definitively

Most business owners wish to grow business..

But something prevents the growth.

Growing business is simple.. but it is a

wicked problem

Growth is actually not a problem. It

appears

Business

Needs
0

10

20

30

Wants
40

50

75

90

100

We handle the Wicked

Problems in business

We work more on unidentified

unattended / unseen aspects of

business..

Problems
Issues
Concerns
Possibilities
Opportunities
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Kochi

Some observations

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Kochi

In business we make all sorts of assumptions. For example, you might hear
people say:

Competition sets the price level in our industry

We must constantly raise our quality and service
delivery
We can sell our product only on credit

We should hire people who has experience in

our field
If we train our employees they will leave and our
resources wasted
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Kochi

1. Smaller organisations believe that business

strategy is only for the large companies

Do you feel business strategy is significant to

your organisation?

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2. Business owners are often too involved in the

daily issues and lose track of the business
aspects. Or. They are not fully
committed to the business.

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3. business and strategy need to be

given the most priority in any organisation in
order to create health and wealth. But..

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4. Business Strategy is one of the most

commonly used, misunderstood and

feared management terms

How do you view of Business Strategy?

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Kochi

5. focusing on Business and Business

Innovation, any organisation can develop a

competitive advantage and win in the market

What is your competitive advantage?

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Consulting
.shaping visions

Part 2

Profitability / Cash flow

Stages of business

stagnation
Maturity
Decline

Infancy
begining

death

Growing

Aging

Time / Number of years

Common Business Paradigm

Deliver
Greater
Perceived

Management

Committed

Value

Delighted

Increased

Customers

Market
Share

Revenue

Growth

Committed

Delighted

Employees

Stakeholders
Reduced
Continually

Waste

Costs

Refine
Processes

Greater
Productivity

Where is the focus now ?

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Improved Margins
Lower

Improved Asset Utilization

Improved Competitive
Position

Value Creation: What a Business Aims to Achieve

Capture
Better
Deliver
Greater
Perceived

Value
Delighted

Increased

Customers

Market
Share

Management

Committed

Value

Revenue
Growth

Committed

Delighted

Employees

Stakeholders
Reduced

Continually
Refine
Processes

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Waste

Improved Margins
Lower
Costs

Greater
Productivity

Improved Asset Utilization

Improved Competitive
Position

When integrated view of business is absent this happens

Here

Ok

Here

CEO /Directors
10

Managers
90

Staff
360
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What do You innovate in an

organization?

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Innovations in an organization
1. Innovation in Cost reduction / pricing
2. Product innovation
3. Process innovation
4. Technology innovation
5. Business innovation

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Relative frequency of innovations in an organization

Most frequent
Cost reduction /
pricing
Product

Process

Technology

Business

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Frequent

Less Frequent

Less Frequent

Rarely done

Kochi

What is business innovation ?

A good business fulfills its purpose by supplying goods and

services at a price people can afford in a manner which
makes the activity sustainable.
John Browne
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Business innovation is NOT.

Operational Excellence or TQM/BM/BPR/QC/Kaizen/six Sigma,
MBO, CRM etc.

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A business-innovation changes
primarily the (rationale / idea /
paradigm / passion ) about the
business and then change how
an organization creates, delivers,
and captures value

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Innovation and growth

Innovation area

Business innovation matters!

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Kochi

from.. Sasikanths work bench

Kochi

Benefits of business innovations

Flexibility
Improved cost / revenue structure
Focus and clarity of direction
Create and capture new market
Rapid development of new products
Faster response to channels
Stronger partner alliances
Increased social capital
Productive usage of assets

Makes competition
irrelevant
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All these is known

.. Wished in the
organisation
.we facilitate for you to do it...
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This situation allows us to intervene with

programs ..
..to develop a suitable business strategy
..to

reconnect all in the organisation

with the business and build social capital
..to establish principles of growth
..to participate in execution
..to monitor and adjust the efforts
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Kochi

Consulting
.shaping visions

Part 3
Fertile Strategy + Quick Execution = Outstanding Results

Strategy Design & Execution Workshops

are to
build a

Sustainable

and

business

from.. Sasikanths work bench

Growing

Yes ! It is possible

Our tools and methods

Our tools are a blend of

Insights Methodology Implementation

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Free market

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Stages of
Business growth

Reaching the destination

Spiraling
Spiraling

Day to day
execution
Spiraling
Set direction

Build up
Take off
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.. In systems as in life, when

threatened, [it] move towards the
edge of chaos.

Discomfort
Zone
Comfort
Zone

At this edge experimentation and

mutation occur from which
creative solutions can emerge.
When this occurs living systems
organise and new forms or
patterns emerge.

The challenge for leaders is to

disturb or disrupt the movement at
the edge to provoke the desired
outcome sometimes referred to
as perturbing the edge.
McKimm et al, (2008)

DNA Scripting

Structure of Business renewal / renovation

workshops

Chai Board (prelims) : Half day interaction with the

client in understanding the business and the environment.

(requirement : tea, biscuits, snacks and relaxed time )
Opening the project: - Day 1
Ice breaking, challenges, expectations, concerns, problems,
base line data, industry structure etc.

Business Acumen: - Day 2-3

Customer , Core Competence, value propositions, return on
assets, customer segmentation, values/ Beliefs, Business
metrics.
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Kochi

 Leadership grooming: - Day 4

Envisioning, crafting values, inspiring scripts, Impact and
result orientation
Organization structure: - Day 5-6
Organizational purpose, reviewing Values/ beliefs,
Organizational Goal Setting , Linking Key activities to Roles
/ Jobs, crafting Principles of decision making and
communications.
Team Building: - Day 7
Trust building, Creative conflicts resolutions and avoiding
personal conflicts, Accountability charting, result
orientation.
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 Concluding the project: - Day 8

Change indicators, Story telling, corrections, sustaining the
growth and best practices.
Chai Boards : Every two months to energize and
strengthen the business / organization

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Kochi

a business innovation workshop changes the

value an organization offers to various customers
and configures the capabilities and partners
required for creating, marketing, and delivering
this value and relationship capital with the goal of
generating profitable and sustainable revenue
streams

DNA crafting is a long-term business fitness

plan, not a crash diet (consulting).

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What makes our Business

innovation workshops unique?

Dont survive, thrive!

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..Credo based

Every business is a growth business !

Every person can be a businessman !
Every ordinary person can do extra
ordinarily !
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Kochi

The Enterprise Ice-berg

Visible

Tangible
about 12%

Invisible
Intangible

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The Enterprise Ice-berg

Revenue | Profit | Margins

Tangible assets | Systems
| Results | Structure | Actions
Customers | Products
People and their Performance

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The Enterprise Ice-berg

Revenue | Profit | Margins

We build from
here

Tangible assets | Systems

Sales | Results | Structure
Customer base | Products
People and their Performance

Customer-knowledge | Values | Purpose

Mindset | Shared Vision | Leadership |
Trust | beliefs | Market knowledge |
culture | Tacit know how | Commitment |
Business awareness | Dreams | Execution will
power etc

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Key players oriented

Every successful business have key players

Identifying key players in your organisation is challenging

(Anybody in the organisation could be a business key player (the range may
include from a receptionist to the CEO))

Key players contribute to the survival and the competitive

advantage of the business
Key players directly or indirectly attracts /retain the customers.

Key players are committed to the business and take decisions

that significantly impact the business
Key players prioritize the business tasks and the resource
allocation to the business

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Facilitate learning..Not teaching oriented

Service Goal

Act

Customise
tools

Co-create
Collaborate

Execution

Generate

Advisor

Facilitator

Outsourced
service

Consultant

Apply tools

Low

High

Very High

strategy
Prescribe

Client involvement
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Methodology

Provocative (individual / group awakening)

Interactive (group)

Generative (Output oriented individual &

group)

Spaced (time intervals)

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Actionable output is the accumulation of parts

insights, ideas, observation, awareness, and so on
that leads to shared understanding and committed
action

The workshop outputs

shape future of the business and
organisation

create shared understanding

Outputs are valuable only when

implemented
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Disentangle three strands of an Enterprise

Business more

Organisation well
Organization is a set of people who live the business

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Management .

less

Kochi

The Paradigm
Enterprise

Business

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Kochi

What do you

(the business organisation)

get?

The effects of workshops

Intangibles

Tangibles

Clarity: of business

Improved revenue / cost

structure
Faster supply chain
response
New product
development and services
Unblocking of assets

direction, goals, wants

Focus: on direction, goals,

targets, measures, objectives
etc.

Leadership alignment
and team formation:

common understanding |
(financial, technological, human,
mutual influence | shared views social, environmental, market etc)
| cooperation | synergistic
efforts

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We enable / promote two important

non-financial capitals

Knowledge capital
Social capital together

Business is a social enterprise with

economic ends.
DANIEL P. BURNHAM
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Total Energy Available is Limited!

Total Energy available

Energy used for emotional survival

Social environment

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Threatening

Adversarial

Permissive

Cooperative

Supportive

Energy used for business contribution

When there is integrated view of business among all the

key players Social

capital grows!

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1. We innovate.
2. We change mind set
3. We connect .
4. We construct..
5. We collaborate
6. We adapt

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Questions

????

Suggestions
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Ideas

Feelings

Kochi

Consulting
.shaping visions

Thank you
sasikanthprabhu@yahoo.com
margatreya@yahoo.com

Finally
The work of the facilitator perishes with
the end of each workshop.
but
..the value of the experience lingers,
becomes memorable and get engrained
in the mindset of all participants.
Our tools are questions. Answers will be discovered and later applied. Once the
answers are applied, the questions are forgotten.

A solution from an Expert is perfect for this moment only. The next time we approach
our doctor, tax advisor, tailor etc. the perfection will be for that next moment.
from.. Sasikanths work bench

Fire broke out in a house. Within, a heavy, big, weighty man was
sleeping. The rescuers tried to carry him out through the window, but
could not. They tried through the door, but could not. He was really
fast asleep. Again, they tried from another window and later through
another door, they could not.
One wise man said, "Wake him up, he'll get out by himself!"
(Zen and the Art of Meditation by OSHO, 1997)

Whenever we go about our daily work

tasks,
we are learning naturally and intuitively

much of the time not even conscious

that
we are learning.

Where do ______________your revenues come from?

Where is cash spent?
Where do I (you) fit on the business model?

Human systems move towards what they

continually ask questions about
(Cooperrider and Srivastva, 1987)

Mosteller (1981) provides a brief history on the rational approach to an important

problem. At one time, scurvy would contribute to the deaths of perhaps half of the
sailors on long voyages. In 1601, an Englishman, James Lancaster, conducted an
experiment and found that lemons were effective in preventing scurvy. This was the
first in a series of rational steps. But the British Navy did not adopt the use of
lemons. About 150 years later, James Lind conducted an experiment that showed
citrus fruits to be effective in preventing scurvy. The British Navy did not adopt citrus
fruits until 1795, nearly 50 years later. The British Board of Trade followed 70 years
later, in 1865. In other words, given rational and convincing evidence on the lifesaving capability of citrus fruits, it required 264 years for the findings to be adopted
by the British merchant marine.

Ownership
(dimension)

The likelihood that

someone will actually do
anything to improve the
situation, regardless of
their formal
responsibilities

Accountability,
responsibility,
action, and
engagement
(what it determines)

(what it is?)

Ownership by passion, by ambition, by stakes, by emotion, by gains, by profits,

by gratitude, by commitment, by position, by attachment, by sentiments

To facilitate, is to help something (usually a process)

move along. The word derives from "facile" which
is French for "easy". To facilitate, then, is literally to
make something easier.
Facilitate does not mean "solving a problem" or "doing
it for someone".
It means doing something that makes a process
run a little better.