Surefoot Consulting, Inc., is owned by Jim Medema. As the founder, he and his team were struggling under the weight of success. As a result, they had a hard time keeping up with all the work that had come in. Friends and colleagues would say, “Well, that’s a good problem to have!” and smile. While true, it was still a problem.
Jim admitted that the primary obstacle that would have prevented him from working with Beyond the Chaos (BTC) was a bit of a stubborn ownership mentality. “I started this company from the ground up and know every part of it. I can figure this thing out!”
To the benefit of Jim’s company, he was way beyond having time to figure it out on his own. The company had grown to the point where the current processes were no longer adequate. Additionally, the team was struggling with chaos. There were too many projects, too many details, too much to manage, and wayyyy too much to keep track of in someone’s head.
It really was the pain of not having a life outside of work that made Jim’s decision to work with Beyond the Chaos an easy one. That, plus the fact that he knew, liked, and trusted the character and capabilities of Susan Fennema, BTC’s owner. If it wasn’t for those two key elements, he admits that he would have likely continued struggling on his own — trying this, trying that. So, they engaged in an operations management consulting agreement.
They worked together to review his current process. BTC provided input and refinement based on years of experience with custom software project management. Additionally, BTC collaborated with Jim to implement those recommendations into Basecamp®, his team’s tool to manage projects. BTC built a custom project template so Jim could easily open new projects without reinventing the wheel. BTC and Jim confirmed it would all work for the team. Finally, it was implemented for the whole team to use and follow.
But, BTC didn’t stop there, offering support during the team’s implementation and making sure all team members — including Jim — were held accountable to the new processes. BTC was also available to help solve arising challenges. Sometimes, it was teaching how the process worked. However, it also modified the process so that it worked for the team.
Our Chaos Killer studied us, the work we do, our processes, and how we operate. There wasn’t a pre-existing template that she threw over us…. She was a blast to work with! While we accomplished a great deal of work together, we sure did laugh a lot too!
Jim identified four things that he most appreciated about working with BTC:
1. “Our Chaos Killer studied us, the work we do, our processes, and how we operate. There wasn’t a pre-existing template that she threw over us.
2. “She helped us select the tools that would best serve both us and our clients and provided key information so we could make an informed decision.
3. “She was a blast to work with! There were some habits and procedures on our end that needed some tweaking, but her approach and demeanor made the incorporation of these changes a pleasure. While we accomplished a great deal of work together, we sure did laugh a lot too!
4. “She was always crystal clear and extremely organized. By following her own process, she beautifully modeled how we could (and should) be doing it. Expectations were always clear and never once did I feel like anything fell through the cracks.”
At the end of the engagement, Jim rejoiced, “I have a life!” Additionally, as a company, the team now had the capabilities to manage not only its existing project load but to add a few more here and there without folding under the pressure.
One of Jim’s key criteria was not to increase the effort to manage projects. And, he didn’t want it to be a hassle for his development team. The process had to be simple and serve the team, not the other way around.
As a result, Surefoot Consulting created a place for the development team to store and manage ALL the information about its projects. Plus, the team’s straightforward process governed it. It was now easy for Jim to keep up on projects, manage developers, manage project details and processes, and keep everything on track.
Jim noted that even if someone is able to manage his work processes well, there is still likely to be some helpful tweaking that BTC would be able to provide. If, however, you are having a hard time managing in one or more areas – like struggling under the weight of success – BTC’s Chaos Killers are likely to be angels in disguise.
If you’re looking to manage the weight of success — or to get your life back — schedule a meeting with Beyond the Chaos today.
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