April - 19 - 2022

What is it that ActioGlobal really does?

Hello!
I'm Carole Viaene,

Head of Global Expansion & People Transformation Lead at ActioGlobal.

It's been a month since I joined ActioGlobal and what a ride it's been.
I decided to join ActioGlobal because they believe in the power business and work has to change the world and to do good, and so do I. Companies impact day to day lives in many significant ways, and they can be used to shape the future, especially a sustainable one.

But what does that mean, really, “shape the future”?
Many of you have asked me:

What is it that you do?

What is it that ActioGlobal
really does?

It took me a while to understand why it’s so hard to explain. But then it hit me:
ActioGlobal deals with so many pain points of companies all at once, that it’s hard to condense it all into one simple answer!

From what I’ve seen the last month, from what I’ve heard from CEOs and leadership in our client companies, I’ve come to understand the following 5 points:

1. They solve growth and transformation issues systemically

Companies struggle with growth and change. Always, and in many ways. Employee engagement, Covid-19, a hybrid workplace, talent turnover, a lack of alignment in projects, leadership and trust problems, a lack of transparent communication, scaling too fast, scaling too slow, no time to strategize, but most of all: no one-stop-shop with a clear solution that tackles these problems, systemically.

2. They require leadership from
C-level

Sure, one could hire 40 consultants or organize a training on how to “get things done” or “how to communicate internally”, but all the corporate shackles are connected into an operating system and (invisible) culture that is deeply ingrained into a company, and it’s very hard to change without buy-in and commitment from C-level executives.

(We’ve all been to the annual “let’s give each other feedback” or “brainstorm” workshop. We all know we’re not really committed if we don’t trust our manager to organize follow-ups to really implement it.)

ActioGlobal orchestrates that difficult change with the leadership team and makes it very clear: if you’re not on board, this will not fly. If they are not on the same page, the story doesn’t continue. They need leaders to lead. And they are experts at navigating this with diplomacy, patience, and most of all: inspiring consultants that are able to persuade many bright heads of a common goal.

3. They created their own patented operating system and have proof of concept

I’ve understood that over the last decade, ActioGlobal has gathered knowledge from many methodologies (Lean, OKR, Kanban, Agile, The Toyota Way, etc.) and has created its own, patented way of working. If there’s one thing they do best, it’s the implementation of strategy. The hard part. And they haven’t just invented it, they have tried it, tested it, revised it. And it works.

I see CEOs that are fans, not just clients. They say: “I could not imagine working the way we used to work.”

4. It liberates leaders from the burden and pressure of finding a solution and having to break the status quo on their own

Many of the leaders I’ve listened to, know the problems in their company exceptionally well. They are smart and sharp enough. They see their people struggling, they experience the politics, people management problems, the lack of engagement or motivation, the communication problems, the gap between rock star performers and people that are unhappy in their roles, the list goes on. The task they have is to solve these problems. To have a legacy of results. To break the mold. That’s not an easy challenge.

Leaders are grateful, because thanks to ActioGlobal, they can shine in their own way. They can use the way of working, and implement it in areas they understand more than anyone. They truly lead, because they are the ones making it happen. ActioGlobal provides objective metrics to take both easy and difficult decisions.

5. By asking a company about the future, they create a cultural change that’s already needed

How most of us are used to work, is in projects, activities, and measuring them with KPI’s. But leading companies don’t operate that way anymore. Look at companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, etc. and you’ll see that they are outcome-oriented. Where are we going? Where are we playing to win? How are we going to get there? And not just: what have we done reasonably good? What have we done wrong? It’s a shift in mindset.

What we humans really desire (whether you’re an employee or CEO) at work, is this: an efficient place to work, with clear objectives. Having an impact with our talent. Getting that applause when you’ve reached your goals. Getting support when you don’t. Meritocracy. Wellbeing. Candor. Clarity about company strategy. A place where you can grow, learn, and have great relationships with colleagues. Fair yet challenging metrics. Tactics. Solving things.

All of this, and much more, are things I’ve witnessed and I’m proud of. So, when people ask me, “what does ActioGlobal do”, how do I tell them their favorite verb is to act?