Dar & Company
Our services are organized around the concept of Navigation, which is both a management tool and a way of thinking. Navigation is what equips an executive, a Board, a management team and an enterprise filter noise from trends, harness advantageous trends to increase return and protect against disadvantageous trends to limit risk to a business unit or corporation. Navigation is not a substitute for traditional strategic and business planning, particularly budgeting, but it does replace some aspects of planning and enhances others. It is a new conceptual envelope within which planning can occur better and more effectively.
Navigation Stresses enterprise adaptation to an inherently unpredictable environment and a willingness to adopt and shed initiatives at fairly short notice. Strategy is a way of thinking about risk and reward. Consists of financials and set initiatives based on a high degree of certainty and stability in the operating environment. Strategy is a formal document, a reference manual for activities. Information synthesis, concept development and teaching based on the use of navigational tools. Monitoring and operational intervention based on annual plans. Ignores or is untroubled by variance from desired performance because of noise but quickly heeds and responds to variance because of trends or business models. Hopes variance from desired performance can be eliminated by working harder and cutting costs. Does not consider quite frequent tactical organizational redesign and periodic strategic organizational redesign to be stressful or abnormal; views organization design as a means to an end. Places a premium on fixing organizational design for fairly long periods; views organizational change as quite stressful and structure as the end rather than the means. Emphasis on early warning systems; looks to leading indicators of change. Emphasis on accounting-based (i.e., historical) lagging indicators of change and post-event warning systems. Short cycle decision making; puts resources into providing managers with a context for decision making. Long cycle decision making; puts resources into making decisions for managers. Accepts the reality that in turbulent times, information is fuzzy, incomplete and contradictory; demands superior interpretation and synthesis. Insists on precision and documentation and has a high tolerance for formal studies and stale data; demands quantification.
Navigation Versus Traditional Planning
Traditional Planning
Strategy
Executive Role
Reaction to
Variance
Organizational
Design
Indicators
of Change
Decision
Making
Business
Information
We Offer Three Broad Services:
1. Executive Coaching and Advice
We work on a confidential, long-term retainer basis with senior executives to provide executive guidance and advice on the entire range of business and management concerns that affect executive performance, enterprise success and relationships with key external audiences. The guidance can range the gamut from helping clients:
· Hone their skills in thinking strategically
· Improving corporate and Board governance
· Managing the relationship between regulated and unregulated enterprises
· Deciding which businesses are core and non-core
· Aligning the organization with CEO and Board priorities
· Successfully assimilating new top executives into the senior management team
· Grooming the next generation of enterprise leaders
· Building a more cohesive top management team
2. Specific Consulting Engagements
Within the umbrella of the retainer arrangement we assist clients with the development and implementation of business and management concepts, tools and programs. Our focus here is to work onsite to help clients accomplish specific initiatives and high priority tasks faster and better than clients can undertake on their own.
3. Moderated Management Discussions i. Present on a specific business or industry topic of CEO/COB interest, at a client site ii. Moderate a client discussion to engage senior management on issues and trends
These are two-part, half-day or partial day programs where we: