Ithaka vzw
The customer
Ithaka coaches people with (suspected) disabilities to participate in and contribute to society.
The question
Not every project spans months. Ithaka asked us for rapid-response guidance to develop and communicate their new strategy. Before we began, Peter De Pauw and Siska Van Houtte processed a mountain of information and held an online session with the director to get a clear picture of where things were getting stuck, what they needed, and what they expected from the consultation. Only then were they prepared to hit their stride from day one. On day one, the entire board met to rethink the strategy. On day two, the whole team came together to test that strategy.
The impact
How can you sense where there is energy and where there is resistance? How do you communicate a strategy? Our two days were a quest to find the alignment between the board’s strategy and the reality on the ground. Ithaka isn’t a large organization: a small number of people handle many tasks and take on various roles. That makes it important to maintain a sharp focus—both in your strategy and within your team. In our process, too, the motto was “less is more”: one day with the board, one day with the team, and then right back out into the field.
The challenge
The preparation was intensive and necessary to achieve a high-quality result in a short period of time. This also made the process somewhat atypical, due to the “outside-in” flow of information and advice. Often, it’s the other way around—inside-out—where organizations draw advice and strategic choices more from within themselves. But this approach was a perfect fit for Ithaka’s needs and requirements.
The collaboration
At Ithaka, things never stand still. Since we began providing guidance, they’ve already adjusted their priorities, and without losing sight of their goal, they’re strongly focusing on agility. The monitoring tools we’ve provided them are effective for measuring progress, periodically reviewing the strategy, and objectively evaluating the entire process. A lack of resources or time is no reason not to dive into your strategy. Short, impactful initiatives also work well—and have a lasting impact. A bonus for them: the team at Ithaka also takes full advantage of our free webinars, blogs, and sessions.
“You can't change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust the angle of your sails.”
- It’s good to have someone from outside the organization take a look at how we operate (people with experience in strategy, organizational structures, …): for me, it was very helpful to see how we could do things differently to “keep all those balls in the air”: a different approach to communication and consultation, and working with a core team. Having clear points of contact for each area is very helpful and makes things clear for everyone.
- The importance of a widely supported strategy (we want everyone on board), but also of making it clear and visual. The strategy has been outlined in broad strokes, but it’s flexible enough to allow for adjustments and course corrections. And we shouldn’t spend a whole year working out a plan, because we need to move forward. So it can also be done quickly and efficiently.
- The feeling that you are people who “know” our organization makes it easier to reach out again for support, training, or a conversation—for example, to help us see the forest for the trees.
Does this case appeal to you?
We'd be happy to listen to the specific needs of your organization. We'll come as a pair to listen to your request and make an initial proposal. Based on the feedback and further co-creation, we'll provide a final proposal.
