Expertise:
Meeting You at the X-Roads
How can we help you?
George brings 20+ years of experience managing people, leading teams, coaching leaders, and advising organizations, teams and individuals through change at Fortune 500 companies and national nonprofits, mentoring next generation leaders, and serving on nonprofit advisory boards, boards of directors, and committees.
Understanding that each organization has its own culture and appreciating that each sector works differently, X-Roads Advisory brings best practices and a bespoke approach across business, nonprofit, academia and government through consulting, training & executive coaching.
His expertise is grounded in a systemic approach to change management at the crossroads of People, Process, Systems & Structure in the following areas
Leadership & Management
As a leader, you have vision, create, and inspire ideas and people. You're 10 steps ahead. Prepare and bring your people, process and projects along to what’s next aligned with the culture you want and need.
George's approach: "I work with you through what you might need to transition; identify what might get in the way; outline what you, your people and organization might need to adapt, understand and engage to succeed, and communicate what changes/ does not."
Services might include
- Coach leaders, executives & next generation/ high potentials as an accountability partner & a confidential confidant
- Mentor next gen/ high potential leaders, etc.
- Plan & facilitate a retreat or offsite
- Develop & teach leadership / management training
- Advise & devise a succession plan
- Develop dashboards of expectations & accountability
- Advise on navigating change in organization, structure, people, process, systems, location(s), etc.
- Suggest improved delegation & accountability
- Pilot a part-time executive role to test sustainability, need & scope
- Cover a short term executive absence
Nonprofit Board Development
Nonprofits balance delivering services between the board and staff with evolving roles, responsibilities and accountabilities as they grow.
George's style: "I collaborate with you and your teams to understand the dynamics between board, volunteers and staff to align your priorities with your resources, capacity and appropriate governance models."
Services might include
- Audit & advise on Board composition, recruitment & retention
- Audit & develop Board onboarding
- Develop & deliver Board training & development
- Audit & advise on Board meetings to focus on mission and dashboard of priorities
- Plan & facilitate a board retreat, leadership summit, team meeting, offsite, etc.
- Coach executive staff, board members & high potential leaders
- Advise on evolving systems & restructures of committees and board
- Audit & advise on improving, clarifying and accountability board-staff relations
- Evaluate current governance model from hands-on management boards to strategic governance boards
Operations Strategy
People and processes need to evolve as your organization does. Find ways to work smarter - more effectively, efficiently and with impact - in a changing environment.
George's take: "I break things down into manageable parts to get things done most effectively, efficiently and impactfully by creating paths to more agile operations. I connect and convenes stakeholders to understand goals and expectations, define timelines and deliverables, regroup and report progress regularly, and ensure collaborative communications to deliver on-time and aligned with strategy for great results."
Services might include
- Lead & facilitate project management with stakeholders for events, priorities & projects
- Map & draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) / manual for quality & avoid reinventing the wheel
- Audit & advise how to improve meetings
- Conduct an operations assessment & give specific recommendations to increase efficiency, improve workflow, streamline systems/ process, and improve time & cost management towards the overall profitability
- Map out CRM ideas to improve client relations, knowledge management, duplication, etc.
- Clarify prioritization & escalation standards
- Operationalize an idea, strategy, strategic plan, communications plan, etc. by breaking it down into manageable parts with next steps
Organizational Development & Dynamics
Organizations must grow and evolve. Ensuring people, process, systems, structure and culture are aligned today and ready for what's next.
George's methodology: "I collaborate with you and your teams to understand your vision, how people are working, what might need to evolve, develop a plan to change, align with culture & resources, engage stakeholders to develop a plan, and advise on implementation through the process."
Services might include
- Facilitate a project, team, group or community meeting
- Plan & facilitate a retreat, leadership summit, team meeting, leadership retreat, offsite, etc.
- Audit, evaluate & advise on alignment of culture, norms & expectations, and operations
- Evaluate & advise how reward & recognition align with current and desired culture
- Evaluate, design & implement an internal communications / employee engagement strategy
- Conduct an organizational culture audit
- Evaluate & advise on team work / dynamics
- Evaluate & clarify empowerment & accountability expectations
- Evaluate & advise on norms and expectations for remote/ hybrid workforce & matrixed team
- Evolve client-centered organizational & staffing models
- Evaluate & clarify roles, responsibilities & accountabilities
- Develop staffing model & job descriptions
VIP Engagement
Whether clients, celebrities, donors, speakers, executives, etc., VIPs require special attention to detail and handling.
George's style: "I work with you and your team to understand your goals and expectations, and engage with VIPs and their teams to advise on white glove service for engagement and events."
Services might include
- Develop VIP client relations protocols
- Advise on VIP engagements & expectations
- Advise on VIP event operations, including onboarding, greeting, greenroom, rider, gifting, guests, etc.
- Advise teams and/or staff VIPs at rehearsals & events
- Advise on coordination with security, producers, tech, travel services, agents, publicists, managers, etc.
- Advise and/or engage VIP's representatives, e.g., staff, agents, managers, publicists, etc.
Deliverables
Deliverables might include some of the following
- Tangible. e.g., change management plan, internal communications plan, offsite/ retreat content planning, event production (part-time management of a business function, oversite, content, VIP management, etc), meeting/ agenda plan, staffing plan, matrix staffing model, culture analysis, process improvements (standard operating procedures, manuals, norms and expectations, job descriptions, etc), implementation plan of a strategic plan, evaluation of operations, programs, culture, etc; non-profit board development, non-profit board evaluation, non-profit board recruitment plan, etc.
- Intangible. e.g., coaching, external POV and recommendations on effectiveness & efficiencies, facilitation of meetings/ events, mentoring, modeling desired culture/ leadership, facilitating change management, succession planning, staff engagement, business management, program management, execution of plans developed, etc.
Direct Report, Colleague, Producer
"George's strength lies not only in his deep understanding of complex challenges but also in his collaborative and empathetic approach to finding solutions.
He has an innate talent for listening, which allows him to grasp intricate problems swiftly.
What truly sets him apart is his commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of solutions."
Direct Report, Colleague, Internal Client
"No two days are alike (or predictable) in the entertainment industry and it takes a certain type of patience, and emotional intelligence that George has not only mastered, but learned to balance while taking others under his wings to write their own paths and navigate their own challenges."
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