CASE STUDY #3:

Scaling and Managing for Growth

The Challenge: The client was a rapidly growing real estate investment and development company with close to $1 billion in assets under management. As the company had grown, so had its need for the human resources and systems infrastructure to support this growth. At the same time, the company did not want to lose the "entrepreneurial feel" that had been a hallmark of its culture and success.

The solution: Kagan Associates worked closely with the executive team to drive a strategic planning process that engaged individuals at all levels of the organization in developing a three-year plan. The Plan included:

A clear, detailed three-year Vision that was grounded in a comprehensive set of Key Assumptions gleaned from discussions with major players from both within and outside the company.
A set of Strategic Growth Initiatives (SGIs) that would draw upon the talents and energies of cross-functional teams to address critical infrastructure and "scaling" aspects of achieving the Company's vision.
The CEO's operating goals for the coming year.
A copy of the Plan was distributed to everyone in the Company, and small team meetings were held to discuss it and answer questions. One of the SGI teams was tasked with assuring ongoing communication of progress relative to the Plan and with promoting the Vision. The SGI teams included individuals at all levels and in all functional areas of the Company, which supported the culture of entrepreneurship and collaboration.

The Results: Despite challenging market conditions, there's an atmosphere of excitement and accomplishment in the Company. Because progress relative to Plan is shared regularly, employees better recognize their individual and team contributions. Large-scale infrastructure undertakings are steadily being put in place, including a comprehensive training program, an integrated database, and the enhanced capacity to manage complex projects across disciplines. In the words of the Company's President, "Not enough companies take the time to create the strong foundation that serves as the basis of success for the next 3-5 years. You made this experience so worthwhile by being results-oriented, holding us to task, and spearheading a very trusting process."