Employees Step Up to Higher Performance While Owner Steps Away to Renew and Reflect

Situation

The owner and founder of the Prouty Project, Jeff Prouty,wanted to “step away” from his strategic planning and team-building firm to reflect on his 20-year success and consider the next 20 years. Prouty’s interest in taking a business sabbatical was triggered after hearing Platinum Group Partner Steve Coleman present a case study on helping another business owner to plan and execute an extended time away from the business to renew and reflect on next steps.

Challenges

• How could Prouty take several months off without jeopardizing business performance?
• Would his employees step up to higher performance levels and meet accelerated business objectives without him?
• How would his role change upon return?

Response

Prouty engaged Platinum’s Coleman to help him plan for a four-month sabbatical that included a trip to China with his family. Coleman met with Prouty, his family and managers to explore pre-sabbatical interests and issues. He mapped out the sabbatical plan around the firm’s business plan, which had accelerated business objectives for the coming year. New roles and responsibilities were outlined, including the promotion of a key manager to the new position of CEO.A clear understanding of business expectations was essential for each of the firm’s key employees. By defining off-limit areas, such as no major changes to the company’s name and banker, all other decisions were considered within the boundaries of the new CEO and his team. Once Prouty left, Coleman played the role of sounding board to the management team; then facilitated a re-entry plan between owner and his employees as the sabbatical neared completion.

Results

During his time away, Prouty had opportunity to reflect on past accomplishments and future opportunities. His daily journaling had captured 38 business ideas for future consideration. He returned and embraced many changes in his role, schedule, organizational structure, and physical office. Prouty is less involved in the day-to-day business, which has freed up time to devote to key accounts and new business. His reflection time inspired him to devote greater priority to his nonprofit foundation and invite others to participate in it.

Prouty found that his new CEO and team had “stepped up,” and one long-term colleague left to pursue a new professional opportunity. A modified business delivery model, the impact of a business development leader and the signing of two large new clients resulted in higher revenues than any time in the company’s history.