#CetusTalks

Cetus Services - S.3 Coaching and Mentoring

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 15:42:34 GMT

The Power of Corporate Coaching and Mentoring

In the dynamic landscape of modern business, where competition is fierce and agility is paramount, organisations are increasingly turning to corporate coaching and mentoring in order to cultivate talent and drive strategic success. These invaluable tools offer a structured approach to personal and professional development, benefiting both individuals and the organisation as a whole. In this blog post, we'll explore the methods, importance, and strategic implications of corporate coaching and mentoring.

Understanding Corporate Coaching and Mentoring

Corporate coaching and mentoring encompass a range of strategies aimed at enhancing the skills, performance, and potential of employees within an organisation. While coaching typically focuses on specific skills or goals, mentoring involves a more holistic approach, drawing on the wisdom and experience of seasoned professionals to guide and support mentees in their career journey.

Methods of Corporate Coaching and Mentoring

There is no one 'magic bullet' to coaching and mentoring that guarantees success (wouldn't it be a far simpler world if there were?!) however there are a number of different methods that can be implemented relatively simply that can help an organisation on the road to that success.

One-on-One Sessions: Personalized coaching sessions tailored to the individual's needs and goals allow for targeted skill development and problem-solving.
Group Workshops: Interactive workshops provide opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, and skill enhancement in a supportive environment.
360-Degree Feedback: Feedback from supervisors, peers, and subordinates offers valuable insights into strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
Job Shadowing and Experiential Learning: Hands-on experience and exposure to different roles and responsibilities foster growth and development.

The Importance of Corporate Coaching and Mentoring

So why implement coaching and mentoring initiatives and programmes at all? What's wrong with keeping things the way they are? The old adage may go 'if it ain't broke then don't fix it' however at Cetus Consulting, we believe in the adapted version of 'if it ain't broke then you ain't looking hard enough'. Again, there are various positives to investing time and energy into coaching and mentoring and these include:

Skill Enhancement: Coaching and mentoring help employees acquire new skills, refine existing ones, and stay abreast of industry trends, contributing to personal and professional growth.
Retention and Engagement: Investing in employee development through coaching and mentoring demonstrates a commitment to their success, fostering loyalty, engagement, and job satisfaction and ultimately improving retention rates.
Leadership Development: Identifying and nurturing future leaders within the organisation ensures continuity, succession planning, and a pipeline of talent to drive growth and innovation.
Organisational Culture: A culture of coaching and mentoring promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a growth mindset, aligning individual aspirations with organisational objectives.

Strategic Implications for Organisational Success

So you have implemented some coaching and mentoring initiatives, how will it now positively impact on your overall strategic success?

Talent Development: By investing in the growth and development of employees, organisations cultivate a skilled workforce capable of meeting evolving business needs and challenges.
Performance Improvement: Coaching and mentoring interventions targeted at specific performance issues or developmental areas can lead to enhanced productivity, efficiency, and overall performance.
Succession Planning: Developing a pool of talented individuals through mentoring ensures a smooth transition of leadership roles and minimizes disruptions in business operations.
Innovation and Adaptability: A culture that values learning and development fosters innovation, agility, and adaptability, enabling organizations to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

In conclusion, corporate coaching and mentoring are powerful tools for unlocking human potential, driving organisational success, and achieving strategic objectives. By investing in the growth and development of employees, organisations not only enhance individual performance but also create a culture of continuous learning and improvement that propels them towards sustained success in today's competitive marketplace.

Let us know what your coaching and mentoring requirements are or any previous success (or failure!) stories you have in this area and reach out to see how we can help you build a successful organisation.

Cetus Services - S.2 Executive Governance

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 23:35:29 GMT

The Key to Success

The Role of Executive Governance in Driving Strategic Objectives and Business Change Programs

Introduction

In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, organisations face the constant challenge of aligning their strategic objectives with their business change programs. Effective execution of these initiatives is crucial for staying competitive and achieving long-term success. This is where executive governance plays a pivotal role. In this blog post, we will delve into the importance of executive governance and how it can help support a company’s strategic objectives and associated business change programs.

What is Executive Governance?

Executive governance refers to the framework and set of processes that guide how decisions are made, implemented, and monitored within an organisation. Whilst it is typically the responsibility of senior executives and the board of directors to ensure that strategic objectives are being met, effective levels of governance can and should be applied at all levels throughout an organisation.

The Role of Executive Governance

So what are the main features of executive governance? How is it applied in practice? The following are some of the main components that make up a solid framework of executive governance.

Alignment of Objectives: Executive governance serves as a bridge between an organisation's strategic vision and its daily operations. It ensures that all initiatives are aligned with the overarching goals of the company, preventing the organization from drifting off course.
Decision-Making Authority: It establishes clear lines of authority and decision-making processes. This helps in avoiding conflicts and confusion, ensuring that decisions are made promptly and effectively and clearly defines who the decision makers are.
Risk Management: Executive governance provides a structured approach to assessing, mitigating, and managing risks associated with strategic initiatives and change programs. This ensures that the organisation can adapt to unforeseen challenges without derailing the entire process.
Resource Allocation: It oversees the allocation of resources, including budget, personnel, and technology, to support strategic initiatives. Proper allocation is critical for successful execution and completion of projects.

Supporting Business Change Programs

A business change program can be a real success driver for an organisation but it has to have a solid underlying foundation of executive governance to ensure that the business benefits of the change can be realised and maximised. Below are some key principles for any business change program.

Change Strategy: Executive governance ensures that change programs are integrated into the company’s strategic vision. It helps develop a clear change strategy that is well-coordinated with the overall business plan.
Accountability: With well-defined roles and responsibilities, executive governance holds individuals and teams accountable for the success of change programs. This encourages commitment and responsibility among employees.
Communication: Effective communication is key to change management as we have discussed in previous blog posts. Executive governance structures facilitate transparent and consistent communication at all levels of the organization, reducing resistance and enhancing adoption.
Monitoring and Adaptation: Executive governance continually monitors the progress of business change programs. If deviations or challenges arise, it can facilitate adjustments in real-time, ensuring that the initiative stays on track.

Conclusion

In the ever-changing world of business, organisations need to have a well-defined strategy and effective change management in place. Executive governance serves as the linchpin, guiding the ship towards its strategic objectives and ensuring the successful execution of business change programs. By fostering alignment, accountability, and adaptability, executive governance paves the way for sustainable growth and success in a competitive market. Companies that prioritise and invest in executive governance are better positioned to navigate the complexities of modern business and emerge as industry leaders.

Let us know what your experience (or not as the case may be!) has been with an executive governance programme and reach out to see how we can help you.

S1:E3 "Success At All Cost"

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:33:59 GMT

The Price of Success

Budget management is one of the core pillars of project management that involves planning, tracking, and controlling the financial resources allocated to a project. Effectively managing a project’s budget is essential for its success, as it ensures that the project is completed within its financial constraints and delivers value to stakeholders. In this blog post, we will explore what budget management in project management entails, why it is important, and the main challenges project managers face in this regard.

What is Budget Management in Project Management?

Budget management in project management refers to the systematic process of estimating, allocating, tracking, and controlling the financial resources necessary to complete a project. It involves creating a detailed budget plan that outlines the expected costs of the project, monitoring expenditure throughout the project’s lifecycle, and adjusting as necessary to keep the project on track financially.

The Importance of Budget Management in Project Management

Only in the rarest of cases will you have bottomless pockets or an unlimited budget (if ever!) therefore it is essential that the project manager is on top of the financial aspects of any change programme. Below are some of the key reasons why this is so important on a project.

Resource Allocation: Budget management ensures that resources, such as labour, materials, and equipment, are allocated efficiently. It helps project managers determine the right mix of resources to complete the project while minimizing waste and unnecessary costs.

Cost Control: Effective budget management allows project managers to control and minimize project costs. By tracking expenses and comparing them to the budget, project managers can identify cost overruns early and take corrective actions. It is vital that any difficult financial discussions are had early in the process and any major concerns are surfaced before things get too far along.

Stakeholder Expectations: Stakeholders, including sponsors and external clients, often have specific financial expectations for a project. Adhering to the budget demonstrates the project’s financial responsibility and helps maintain stakeholder trust. It will also benefit the project manager's reputation as one who can be entrusted to manage the financial considerations of a project.

Risk Mitigation: Budget management is a vital component of risk management. By identifying potential budgetary risks and having contingency plans in place, project managers can mitigate financial uncertainties.

Challenges in Budget Management for Project Managers

So, you have been trusted with the keys to the safe, now what are the major challenges that the project manager can face when managing a budget?

Inaccurate Cost Estimations: One of the primary challenges a project manager faces is inaccurate cost estimations. Overestimating costs can lead to unused resources, while underestimating can result in cost overruns. Estimations should be provided within clear threshold levels so that all parties are clear, and expectations are suitably managed.

Scope Changes: Scope changes can significantly impact a project’s budget. Project managers must carefully assess the financial implications of scope changes and communicate these changes to stakeholders (another overlap in the project management pillars).

Resource Allocation: Allocating resources efficiently is a complex task and getting it wrong can lead to budget problems. Project managers need to balance resource availability, cost, and project requirements.

Risk Management: Identifying and managing financial risks can be challenging. Unforeseen circumstances like economic changes or supply chain disruptions can impact a project’s budget.

Communication: Effective communication with stakeholders is essential in budget management. Project managers must keep stakeholders informed about budget status and any deviations. Clear and concise communication is key in all areas of project management and budget management is no different.

Tools and Software: Utilising the right budget management tools and software is crucial. Lack of access to suitable resources can hinder the budget management process. These tools can range in complexity from a simple spreadsheet to a full end to end accounting solution, the most important factor though is that there is some level of management in place regardless of the complexity, it can always be expanded on as the project lifecycle evolves and matures.

Conclusion

Budget management in project management is another critical function that contributes to the success of a project. It ensures that projects are completed within their financial constraints, meets stakeholder expectations, and mitigates financial risks. Project managers face various challenges in budget management, from accurate cost estimation to resource allocation and effective communication. Overcoming these challenges and maintaining a well-managed budget is essential for delivering successful projects.

Let us know in the comments or get in touch on the Contact page if you have any particular challenges around managing budgets and costs and we will be happy to help!

S1:E2 ""Scoping Things Out"

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 14:57:32 GMT

What's In Scope?

Project management is a multifaceted discipline, and one of its critical aspects is scope management. This involves defining, controlling, and monitoring what is and crucially what isn’t included in a project. Effective scope management is vital for project success, and in this blog post, we’ll explore what scope management entails, why it’s essential, and the primary challenges faced by project managers.

What is Scope Management?

Scope management refers to the process of ensuring that a project encompasses all the work required to achieve its objectives and nothing beyond that. It involves defining what will be done (scope planning), managing changes to the project scope (scope change control), and verifying that the project delivers what was originally defined (scope verification).

The Importance of Scope Management

So, you have a project in mind, or you've been given the briefest of briefs for a new project, why is it important to understand and define the project scope?

Project Clarity: Scope management sets clear boundaries and parameters for the project, ensuring that all stakeholders understand what to expect and crucially what not to expect! This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and conflicts.

Resource Allocation: By defining the scope, project managers can allocate resources effectively, with an aim of avoiding unnecessary expenditures and delays.

Risk Management: A well-defined scope helps identify potential risks and uncertainties early in the plan, allowing for better risk management planning.

Time and Cost Control: Scope management prevents scope creep, which is when additional work is introduced without proper authorisation from the project stakeholders or governance forums. This ensures that the project can remains on schedule and within budget (see how all our Project Management pillars are starting to overlap?).

Customer Satisfaction: Meeting the agreed-upon project scope is essential for delivering a product or service that meets the client’s expectations and leads to customer satisfaction and hopefully future business!

What are the Main Challenges in Scope Management?

So, we've defined and agreed a very clear project scope with all the right stakeholders, so what could possibly go wrong from here? Well, it's not unusual for a number of factors to occur throughout the project lifecycle that can start to put pressure on and impact the project scope.

Stakeholder Communication: Effective communication with all project stakeholders is vital. Misunderstandings or misalignment between stakeholders can lead to scope disagreements.

Unclear Requirements: Inadequate or poorly defined project requirements can lead to scope changes, misunderstandings, and project delays. Gathering and documenting detailed requirements is a key challenge and clear and continuous communication is key!

Scope Creep: Even with well-defined requirements, scope creep can occur when additional features or changes are requested without proper evaluation. Project managers must be vigilant in controlling scope changes and again, clear communication is a must.

Project Complexity: Complex projects often have intricate scope elements that require careful management. Project managers must be equipped to handle these complexities effectively.

Balancing Quality, Time, and Cost: There is often a delicate balance between the project’s quality, completion time, and budget. Decisions in scope management can affect this balance.

What are the Best Practices in Scope Management?

We've overcome all the scope-related challenges in our project, so how should we do it better next time?

Thorough Requirements Analysis: Invest time and specialist resources in understanding and documenting project requirements. This ensures that the project scope is accurately defined. It has been estimated that as many as 70% of software related projects fail due to poor requirements management, 70%!

Change Control Process: Implement a change control process to evaluate and approve any scope changes. This should involve thorough impact analysis. Start off simple and then build it out as your project management capabilities mature.

Scope Verification: Regularly verify that the project work aligns with the scope defined at the outset of the project. This can prevent unexpected surprises at the project’s end!

Effective Communication: Again with the communication! Maintain open and transparent communication with all stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding the project’s scope. This really is at the very heart of ensuring best practice.

Documentation: It sounds so obvious but is so often overlooked. Maintain comprehensive project documentation to track changes, decisions, and scope-related information.

Conclusion

Scope management is a fundamental component of project management, directly impacting a project’s success or failure. By diligently defining, controlling, and verifying project scope, project managers can navigate the challenges and ensure that their projects meet objectives, stay within budget, and keep stakeholders satisfied. Understanding the importance of scope management and implementing best practices is key to mastering this critical aspect of project management.

Let us know in the comments or get in touch on the Contact page if you have any particular challenges around managing scope and we will be happy to help!

S1:E1 "It's About Time"

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 14:15:05 GMT

Why Manage Time?

Time management is a critical aspect of project management that often determines the success or failure of a project. In this blog post, we’ll explore what time management in project management means, why it is so vital, and the main challenges project managers face when it comes to effectively managing time.

What is Time Management in Project Management?

Time management in project management refers to the process of planning, scheduling, and controlling the time-related aspects of a project to ensure that it is completed on time and within budget. It encompasses various activities and techniques designed to optimize the allocation of resources, meet project deadlines, and achieve project goals efficiently.

Why is Time Management Important in Project Management?

Having a plan makes everything simpler right? If you don't know where you're going, how do you expect to get there? Project Management is no different and below we've summarised some of the key reasons why it is so important.

Meeting Deadlines: Time management is essential for ensuring that project tasks are completed within the defined time frames. This is crucial for keeping the project on schedule and meeting client or stakeholder expectations.

Resource Optimisation: Effective time management helps in efficiently allocating resources, such as person power and equipment, to maximize productivity while always trying to minimise waste.

Budget Control: Staying within budget is a key goal in project management (see S1:E3). Proper time management helps prevent scope creep and budget overruns by ensuring that all the assigned project resources are used efficiently.

Risk Mitigation: Effective time management allows project managers to identify and mitigate potential risks and delays, reducing the likelihood of project failure.

Quality Assurance: Rushing through project tasks due to poor time management can lead to a decrease in quality. When time is managed well, there should be sufficient room for quality control and assurance checkpoints.

What are the Main Challenges of Time Management in Project Management?

But you said it was easy once you had a plan, right? Well...not always. There are a number of factors that can disrupt any plan or project and make a dent into your well organised and structured timeline. Some of the main ones are as follows.

Scope Creep: One of the most common challenges is scope creep, in short this is where additional requirements are added to the project after it has started. This can disrupt the baselined (original) timeline and require adjustments to be made.

Resource Allocation: Project managers often struggle with resource allocation, ensuring that the right people are assigned to the right tasks at the right time and often balancing this assignment against their so called 'day jobs'.

Risk Management: Predicting and managing risks effectively can be difficult. Unforeseen issues can cause delays if not addressed promptly.

Task Dependencies: Many projects have interdependent tasks, which can create bottlenecks in the plan. Managing these dependencies is crucial for staying on schedule.

Stakeholder Expectations: Balancing the expectations of stakeholders, particularly external clients, who may have unrealistic timeframes in mind, can be challenging. Effective communication is key to managing these expectations.

Effective Time Management Techniques for Project Managers

OK, it sounds like it's important alright...so how can we do it well? Like many things, experience is a major factor, as is the ability to stay calm in the face of seeming adversity. But on a more practical level, the following are some of the fundamentals that you should always look to put in place when starting up a project.

Create a Detailed Project Plan: Develop a comprehensive project plan that outlines all tasks, their dependencies, and estimated durations.

Set Realistic Deadlines: Hugely important! Avoid setting overly ambitious deadlines that can lead to burnout and quality issues. Instead, establish realistic timeframes.

Prioritise Tasks: Identify critical tasks that have the most impact on project success and focus on them first.

Use Project Management Software: Look at project management software tools like Microsoft Project, Asana, or Trello to help with scheduling, tracking, and resource allocation. We have recently been working with BestOutcome on their PPM product and it's a very impressive tool.

Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor project progress and be prepared to adjust the schedule if unforeseen issues arise. Never be afraid to admit that a timeline is under pressure and if re-baselining, make sure that all the key stakeholders agree with the revised schedule.

Conclusion

Time management is an indispensable component of successful project management. By understanding its importance and addressing the common challenges, project managers can significantly enhance their ability to deliver projects on time, within budget, and with high-quality results. Mastering time management is a skill that every project manager should strive to develop for long-term success in the field.

Let us know in the comments or get in touch on the Contact page if you have any particular challenges around managing time and we will be happy to help!

Cetus Services - S.1 Project Management

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 19:41:22 GMT

Project Management Series Overview

Project Management is one the key services that we provide to Clients and the intention of this Blog series will be to dig into this critical function and give you an idea of how we view it at Cetus Consulting, to show you the real value that structured and well organised Project Management can bring to your organisation.

There are 3 widely recognised pillars that collectively form the practice known as Project Management:

Time
Scope
Budget

This series will look at each pillar individually and look to address 3 main questions therein:

What does it mean?
Why is it important to manage?
What are the challenges?

By addressing these questions, we hope that it gives you some clearer ideas about the value that Project Management can bring to your organisation and hopefully get you asking questions about how to improve your overall approach to change management. As always, we will be right here to help you bring some structure to the chaos! Get in touch with us if there is anything you would like to know more about.

Enjoy Series 1...

A Question of Sport

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 21:23:42 GMT

The Name of the Game

"Write about what you know", so goes the adage most popularly ascribed to Hemingway, however in this spirit I am inclined to take the extended advice of Ursula Le Guin and "Write What You Know, but remember you may know Dragons..". In this month's #CetusTalks blog, I am looking at some change management principles in Sport and was inspired to do so by a story I saw at the end of last year relating to the Cleveland Baseball team (the 'Dragon' of the story..), formerly known as the Indians, now known as the Guardians.

Founded as a franchise in 1894, Cleveland underwent five name changes in their first 20 years of operation before settling on the Cleveland Indians in 1915, a name that remained in situ for 106 years before last year's rebrand. Now any organisation with a 100+ year history will have experienced a great degree of change over that time and the Guardians are no exception in that regard, however for the purposes of this article the focus will be solely on last year's rebrand.

History

So what prompted an organisation to completely rebrand after 106 years? A complex question undoubtedly but essentially one that centres around the Native American mascot controversy that had been gaining momentum since the 1960s. Cleveland became the Indians back in 1914 in honour of a Native American player for the Spiders (an earlier Cleveland-based Baseball team), Louis Sockalexis, and the name stuck along with associated nicknames, mascots, and logos. Criticisms of the Indians insignia first started to surface around 1997 with protests actively coming to the fore in 2015 on the centennial anniversary of the Indians name. These protests were initially dismissed by the Owners with no stated intention to change the branding. However, continued protest and an increase in the opposition voices lead Cleveland to drop the "Chief Wahoo" logo from the on-field uniforms in 2018, and finally seek to address the team name following the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the subsequent focus on the Black Lives Matter movement and the social justice implications thereafter. The new Guardians name was announced via a Twitter post in July 2021 with the change coming into effect in November of that year.

Change Is Inevitable, Successful Change Is Not

So what was the catalyst for change in this instance? Were Cleveland forced societally into the change? Possibly. By 2021 it had become increasingly difficult for any organisation to justify a public visual presence with such complicated connotations to negative stereotyping of minorities. Cleveland were far from alone in this decision, with the Washington NFL team dropping the "Redskins" from their name to become the "Commanders", whilst in Canada the Edmonton "Eskimos" renamed to the "Elks". These changes at professional level have started a trickle down effect to the School team network in the US however it would still be widely acknowledged that there remains plenty to do still in this area. The Exeter Chiefs Rugby Union team in England have recently announced their intention to drop their Native American imagery from next season whilst retaining their "Chiefs" moniker to align closer with their geographical Chieftain heritage. So it is hard to argue that such a name change and rebrand for Cleveland was not a positive move, indeed it could be seen as an inevitable one when viewed against the backdrop of social justice.

So when change is seeming inevitable, how should it be managed to ensure it is successful? What are the key change management principles that need to be considered?

Let's look at one of the most important change management factors, Stakeholder Management. Typically (but perhaps not correctly..?) changes are communicated to stakeholders towards the end of a project or change initiative, once the impacts have been fully assessed and understood. All necessary training and communications are completed ready for the go-live so its fresh in everyone's minds. It would be rare that stakeholders would be brought into the conversation prior to a change being made however Cleveland adopted a really interesting way of garnering initial feedback from their core stakeholder base, namely the Cleveland fans and the local Baseball community. They also broadened their reach further and engaged local and national Indigenous organisations for their subject matter expertise as it were. Approximately 1200 names were considered over the course of a year and the Guardians also conducted 140 hours of interviews with those fans, community leaders, and front office personnel. Finally, they surveyed almost 40,000 Cleveland fans to arrive at the final name, the Guardians. Conscious to ensure the new name would resonate with the local fanbase and community, the Guardians represent the 'Guardians of Traffic' art deco statues that stand prominently on the city's Hope Memorial Bridge that runs adjacent to the team's stadium, Progressive Field (note the parallel to the Exeter Chiefs there with ensuring local connections are maintained to the new identity). It is clear therefore, that the early stakeholder engagement was critical to the Guardian's decision making.

Launch & Land

How then to mange the communications of this decision? With all their social channels readily established it was clear that Cleveland needed this message to stand out and resonate with the target audience above and beyond a regular tweet or post, a principle we at Cetus HQ term as "launch & land". A simple principle really, in that the message/decision/announcement/ whatever it may be firstly needs to 'launch' into the right spaces so it is received by the right people (this could be social media, broadcast media, print media, desk drop flyers, any multitude of delivery mechanisms), and then it needs to 'land' the key message that it is delivering, in as clear and concise a way as possible. The Guardians went with the aforementioned Twitter post in July 2021, narrated by avid Cleveland fan Tom Hanks and featuring wonderful swooping imagery of the city and bundles of emotive archive baseball footage.

A 2 minute 11 second tweeted video to announce a change of a name that had stood for 106 years. What a launch. It certainly would have reached all of the intended primary audience in the baseball community and a large proportion of secondary recipients like myself, those with an active interest in Sport and Change but not directly affiliated to Cleveland or indeed to Major League Baseball itself. Tom Hanks delivers the pivotal quote at the halfway point of the video having acknowledged the steep history of Cleveland baseball over the first minute, "we remember these moments as we move forward with change" . The second minute looks to the future and the new identity for players and fans alike. The narration of such a heavyweight actor as Hanks really drives home the message and the change in an unparalleled way. We will have to look at getting Mr Hanks to narrate all key Cetus announcements going forward..

How did the message land though? In typical social media fashion, the reaction was completely mixed and polarised. Indeed the first 2 replies to the tweet at the time of writing were in complete contrast. The first congratulating the team " I like the new name...now let's PLAY BALL! ", with the second stating " Shameful...shame on you ". A lot of protesting voices online for sure, but how reflective is that actually of real-life opinion? It's a tricky one, it certainly can't be ignored but similarly shouldn't be taken as gospel mainstream opinion by any means. The Guardian's Manager Terry Francona summed it up quite succinctly; “ what’s important is how people that are different — not less, just different — how they feel about this, we’re trying to be respectful and trying to be unified. And change is not always easy, I get it, it doesn’t happen overnight" . In another 106 years will Cleveland fans look aback and wonder what all the fuss was about? Indeed, what did the 1914 Twitterati have to say when Cleveland changed from the "Napoleons" to the "Indians"? I suppose time will ultimately tell. What is certain now though is that Cleveland have navigated this very sensitive period of change with positivity and a bold new vision and identity, for that they should be applauded at least. I'll leave the last word to Mr Hanks which makes everything seem rather simple in the end..

"There's always been Cleveland, and that's the best part of our name".

Well, quite.

Beginnings

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 22:10:00 GMT

First Principles

The inaugural Blog post. Welcome to Cetus Talks and delighted to have you share this space.

When deciding what to include in this post, I went back and forth on various topics to address but after much deliberation, settled on returning to first principles (always the best option when approach on anything is uncertain) and describing the who, why, what, when, and how approach for Cetus Talks.

Who am I?

Martin Thompson, Founder and MD of Cetus Consulting. I am a business consultant and change management professional and I started this company in the second half of 2021 in part in response to Covid-19 and the professional challenges it presented, but also in part because it was something I had always wanted and planned to do eventually. I've helped a number of businesses in my career so far with their change portfolios, whether that is in setting up PMO structures, running projects and programmes, leading business change initiatives, or defining and delivering technical change enhancements, I've always been focused on improving the status quo and supporting businesses in taking their performance to the next level.

Why the Blog?

To provide an alternative look at change management and how change as an overall concept is addressed, managed, handled, mishandled, implemented, rejected, across various subjects, businesses, industries, sectors, cultures, societies, pretty much the whole picture really! The Blog will also look for opinions and viewpoints, both to support and challenge, to drive discussion and debate with our readers.

What will it look at?

Nothing prescriptive! Everything and anything that looks interesting and can attach an element of change to it. We will look at current and topical subjects, historical events, future trends and everything in between. If it changes, we will examine it. As a keen sports fan, I have been following the recent Cleveland Guardians and Exeter Chiefs re-branding processes with my change management hat on and is definitely a topic I want to examine further. It would also be remiss not to look at the change in working culture too with the move to and from remote working and the possibility of the hybrid working model looking ahead. Digital change is also a topic of interest, particularly the digital disruption space in banking and lifestyle management.

When will it publish?

Monthly on this site is the baseline standard that I've committed to. That said and in the spirit of change, should a topic come up in the interim periods then I will follow the lead and post more frequently.

How can you stay informed?

Updates will be posted on the Cetus Consulting social channels so make sure you are following us to stay informed and up to date. Look for the #CetusTalks on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram (@CetusConsultLtd) and follow the links. You can also sign up to our quarterly newsletter on this website on the 'Contact Us' page so subscribe today and join the Cetus Talks.

Looking forward to engaging with you all and driving the change discussion!

- Martin

First blog post coming soon...

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 18:13:54 GMT

Cetus Talks...first post coming soon

Looking forward to talking with you soon!