Finding focus: Uniting an organization to change an industry’s status quo.
- Services Provided
- – Fast Forward
Metal Toad is a software development firm that helps transform and modernize businesses by building applications for clients such as SONY, Cisco, PBS, Verizon Wireless, the Golden Globes, and Habitat for Humanity.
The company is a successful, growing business with a great reputation and substantial ambitions. But its management team was at a crossroads as the firm began pursuing too many diverse initiatives. They were determined to gain collective clarity around key issues: What do we need to focus on to close the gap between our current reality and their future vision? How can we grow at a fast pace while continuing to deliver flawlessly?
Through the Fast Forward engagement, the Metal Toad leadership team came together, collaborated, and crafted a powerful brand promise: “Leading the ethical software movement.” This promise united the executive team and provided focus and clarity to optimize present and future organizational initiatives.
Fast Forward helped Metal Toad align their leadership team, envision their future, and put them on a path to implement change.
What We Learned Along the Way
Pause. Regroup. Then start the journey.
Pressing pause allows a team to clearly see the challenges holding them gives them time to get aligned on where the business is heading.
A sharp diagnosis fuels a clear plan of action.
By aligning and focusing the leadership team to identify what to let go of and what to keep, we created a more strategic go-to-market strategy.
Agile, not just for development projects.
Agile is a different way of approaching strategy. It takes trust and the ability to work on multiple items in tandem and be able to iterate on the go. This process can speed things along, while creating ground-breaking ideas.
“In less than a week, Emotive Brand was able to give us a powerful and differentiated platform for our business. Differentiated, authentic, and achievable.”
Tony Rasmussen, VP Engineering, Metal Toad
Experience that Works
Address challenges head-on. ____________
After completion of day one on-site, we were able to present a clear, shared understanding of the issues to the leadership team. Our sharp diagnosis empowered them to move quickly to implement tactics that addressed each challenge.
Make a plan – and attack. __________
We developed a map of the emergent, dominant, and residual forces shaping Metal Toad and its industry. It generated discussions and created a place for shared understanding. This set a solid foundation for change.
Build momentum and take it to the finish line.
Fast-moving processes need fuel. We quickly digested and developed drafts, summaries, and concept territories to keep momentum high. These efforts allowed the team to see rapid progress and kept engagement high.
Expand the circle. ______________________
We included key “Toads” beyond the leadership team to get a more complete picture of the challenges and explore ideas for possible directions. We created a sense of investment in the project’s outcome by including additional employees at appropriate junctures throughout the process.
