The Work
"What if" – a simple phrase that unlocks the vast potential of human creativity and innovation. Language shapes our reality and powers our imagination. Our work starts with these two words, expanding possibilities before narrowing to deliver impactful results within the cruel but necessary constraints of time and budget.
Aussie retail icon Dymocks turns to purpose-driven strategy to stand out in the new world of books.
It all begins with an idea.
Project Context
Ne-Lo were initially engaged by Dymocks five months into the tenure of MD, Mark Newman. While there had been a series of 3-year strategic plans, a brand strategy and a recent strategic review, there was a pressing need to tackle three specific challenges:
Q1.
Align on and define a clear company purpose to build focus and alignment around key strategic initiatives.
Q2.
Better utilise employee insights and engagement to build buy-in and awareness of the strategic direction of the company.
Q3.
Embed the Dymocks company purpose in strategic decision making to avoid it being just another document.
Solution
The Ne-Lo team first engaged the entire head office team in a full day offsite workshop which provided the platform for everyone to have input into clarifying the Dymocks Purpose. The insights from the day were then refined across a series of executive team workshops to develop the Purpose Framework, consisting of ‘Shared Belief’, ‘Vision’, ‘Mission’ and ‘Values’. The framework was then shared with the Dymocks board, employees and franchisees for input before being further refined and used to develop a suite of shareable assets to keep it front of mind across the organisation and to guide development of the company’s 3 year strategic plan.
One year on from the initial project, Dymocks engaged Ne-Lo to facilitate an annual strategic review to ensure the company purpose was being effective in moving them towards being a purpose-driven organisation. In partnership with decision-making science consultancy, Catalyze APAC, we facilitated a workshop to review progress against all Dymocks’ strategic pillars, identified the potential options for focus in the coming year and aligned the Dymocks team on the criteria through which they would decide which strategic option to focus on. We ensured that the company purpose was appropriately represented in the criteria and facilitated the process of clarifying the key strategic actions for the coming year.
“Every stage of the process of clarifying our purpose made us feel we were in control of the journey, but provided clear, succinct input and advice to help us get there.”
ASX-200 listed McMillan Shakespeare refreshes purpose and clarifies EVP to become an employer of choice.
It all begins with an idea.
Context
Ne-Lo were engaged by McMillan Shakespeare Head of Strategy Andrew Suckling, CEO Mike Salisbury, CHRO Suzanne Shepherd and Chief Customer Officer, Julia Edwards-Smith to facilitate a refresh of their company strategy. The previous purpose had been developed five years previously but there was a feeling that it may not be as relevant in the current state of the business and it wasn’t providing the desired strategic focus in the face of some major business decisions.
The program of work centered around three key deliverables:
Engage as broadly as possible across MMS’ 1200 employees to clarify a purpose that unites everyone at an organisational level.
Develop a company purpose that builds strategic alignment and focus.
Connect the new purpose to the development of an employee value proposition, the MMS ‘Human Deal’, to support them to stand out as an employer of choice.
Solution
The Ne-Lo team first engaged the board, C-suite and group level executive leaders via 1:1 interviews, focus groups and team workshops, as well as reviewing previous purpose work and relevant strategic plans, employee surveys and customer insights. From there, we were able to develop an aligned executive draft of the MMS Purpose Framework. From there, we designed, developed and facilitated an online forum, designed to give a select group of MMS people awards winners and key stakeholders the opportunity of having a detailed and interactive contribution to the purpose refresh project. We also designed, filmed and managed a video survey, using VideoAsk, which was distributed to all MMS employees. Data from these engagements was analysed and refined into key insights which were workshopped with the executive team to develop the final MMS Company Purpose. As part of the refinement phase, final drafts were run by key stakeholders and the board for final feedback, and shareable assets were developed to support the launch of the new purpose.
Following the completion of the purpose refresh project, the Ne-Lo team worked with CHRO Suzanne Shepherd and her HR team to use the purpose framework and insights in developing an employee value proposition that would support MMS to stand out as an employer of choice in a challenging labour market. We presented pertinent purpose insights and conducted further primary research with key stakeholders before organizing focus areas on a quadrant consisting of a distinctive-hygiene axis and an emotional-rational axis. This aligned the team around the 1 emotional and 1 rational factor that they were going to be known for, and the 1 or 2 emotional and rational factors they were going to maintain as a baseline. Based on further research we identified where MMS were currently performing well or falling short against these promises, and developed a strategic roadmap to amplify the strengths and address the shortfalls.
Outcome
The new MMS purpose has led to focused and aligned decisions on some pressing matters and has informed many new cultural initiatives, such as the development of the aforementioned Human Deal and EVP strategy and the launch of a team award at the company’s much-celebrated people awards.
“Ne-Lo Consulting is exceptional to work with. They have engaged through all levels of our business and their methodology and professionalism have given us very high outcomes that are of real value”
ASX-listed Selfwealth invest in deep customer insight and refreshed purpose to focus strategy and support ongoing growth.
It all begins with an idea.
Context
Ne-Lo were initially engaged by Selfwealth Chief Product Officer, Josh Sprague. He was developing his strategic product roadmap in response to an ever more competitive investment market, with the intention of adding more value for customers and avoid price erosion and aimless feature adding. To do so, Selfwealth needed clearer insight on what mattered most to their customers.
While there had been recent work conducted by a big 4 consulting firm, the report delivered plenty of data and little insight, leaving three pressing needs:
Go beyond a demographic understanding of their customer by understanding their beliefs, behaviours, motivations and perception of value in relation to investing
Turn customer data into targeted insights that inform focused strategy
Align the exec. Team around an objective view of what matters most and where to focus attention and resources
The Solution
100% of employees engaged
3600 current customers surveyed
600 target customers surveyed
The Ne-Lo team first engaged the Selfwealth executive team, board and all employees via 1:1 interviews and focus groups to define the strategic questions to be answered and identify any known unknowns. We then identified the target customer groups who would be best placed to give insight into these areas before designing and managing a mixed methods research that saw us collect targeted data from 3600 current Selfwealth customers and 600 target Selfwealth customers. Data was then analysed through the lens of the research question(s) to provide targeted insight that informed pressing strategic decisions.
Through the initial research project, it became clear that Selfwealth required an objective approach to inform aligned strategic decision making. The company was experiencing significant change as a result of rapid growth and had new expertise and new perspectives joining the business. We worked through a purpose framework program, engaging the board, executive team and employees across the business via 1:1 interviews, focus groups and online forums, to clarify the Selfwealth company purpose, consisting of shared belief, vision, mission and values. The Purpose Framework program led to a Selfwealth rebrand, in partnership with BigSpace Agency (insert case study link) and the subsequent launch of the Selfwealth GYGT employer brand.
The Outcome
Selfwealth have a set of customer behavioural archetypes that help to frame conversations and shape the strategic direction of the company. This led directly to the launch of the strategic product roadmap, in burger form.
The clearly articulated Purpose Framework has aligned the business on future direction and strategic focus and led directly to a re-brand, in partnership with BigSpace Agency and subsequent launch of the Selfwealth GYGT (Grow You Good Thing!) employer brand.
“Ne-Lo’s approach gave us a firm grasp of who our customers are, why they choose to use our platform and importantly what delivers them value. We have also benefited from having a clearly articulated company purpose that aligns and focuses the business to achieve strategic outcomes.
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