How can someone work with you? Yes. That's the
perennial question, right? They were all out
here trying to do and make a difference, but
how do they get in touch? How do they work with
us? So the Plago Group, I'd say the primary way
is to reach out to me either via LinkedIn, via
the website, theplagogroup .com. There's the
contact section. They can find time. And really
so that I can understand what are the needs and
what's what are the challenges they're facing
and then really look to see how can we partner
with them to help them achieve the results they're
looking for. So that's one on one executive coaching.
What's the timing? What are the challenges that
that. uh individuals facing what are the opportunities
they're facing so really trying to understand
if it's a team where's the team what's going
on if it's an organization that needs strategic
planning or there's just some work going on at
the organizational leadership level so let's
start with a conversation i try to get some data
and insight and then really figure out how to
partner and support why would someone want to
work with you and your team debbie like why do
you think that's necessary or not necessary Yeah,
you know, hopefully I'm doing something that's
adding value, right? So I think there's a couple
of ways I'll answer that. And I'll start with
at the heart of where the Plager Group, we're
focused on working with leadership teams. Why
it's a business necessity? I just think about
the world around us today. I think about the
complexities that business teams are faced with,
particularly senior teams. We see what's happening
in the geopolitical world. We see what's happening
with interest rates. We see what's happening
with consumer confidence and demands. And if
you think about as a company, how are you reaching
your customers? Are you doing it as effectively
and efficiently as possible? Do you need to get
product out the door faster? Do you need to double
in? You know, in revenue, what does that mean
for the size of your organization? You're not
going to double the size of your organization,
but how do you grow in a way that allows you
to grow more profitably, right? These types of
critical challenges and questions are hitting
businesses faster and faster. And so my work
with leadership teams is helping them get clear
on what is the priority. What's the one or two?
business goals that really they need to focus
on and they need to not just do but do really
really well because we're talking about this
is what's keeping their business going so i help
work with teams and get clarity on that and then
help them achieve that hold them accountable
and how they're achieving that and then really
also pay attention and help them build the muscles
so that they can work more productively and effectively
together so that they can face challenges together
so when you think about a senior team of a $200
million organization, let's say, I was working
with a senior team and they knew they had to
grow to 400 million over five years. It wasn't
just, how do they, it was, how do they get there?
There are many, as I like to say, many roads
to roam, but what's, where do they think their
success is? Helping them align on their strategy
and then helping them say, how are they working
today? And where are they getting in their own
way? And what's working for them and how do we
double down? So it's not just the what they need
to focus on, but the how they need to do that.
To me, this is not a luxury. This is a necessity.
The demands of senior teams is more. The demands
of our stakeholders are more. And so you need
that team operating on all cylinders. And that's
what I do at the Playground Group. Awesome. Thank
you for sharing that. Yeah. What would you say
that from what you have said? When would be a
good time for a company or a team to have you
talking about maybe working with you or maybe
considering working with you? Yeah, that's a
great question, Harry, because I think it depends.
And I hate to say it depends, but there's usually
certain times of the year or certain times in
the strategic planning lifecycle where it makes
sense. So it could be there. executing a plan.
They already know what their goals are, but maybe
they've run into challenges and the CEO or there's
another member of the senior team's like, we're
just not, this is a lot harder than it needs
to be. We're not doing this as effectively. Stress
levels are higher than they need to be. That's
usually an indication. Something's going on and
they are getting in their own way. So that could
be a reason when it's trying to work out. It
also is, we're looking to grow to the next phase.
And we're realizing, so maybe they're getting
funding elsewhere, and they're a $100 million
company. And I know that leading a $100 million
company is very different than leading a $500
million company. You can't wait to grow your
leadership capabilities until you're $400 million.
You've got to grow while the business is growing.
So if you've got a growth plan in place, that's
a great time to connect with us. and say, okay,
not only again, how are we going to get there,
but are we clear on roles? Are we clear on how
we're making decisions? Are we utilizing the
best of what the leadership team is bringing?
Is our organization structured in the right way?
So sometimes when you've got dramatic change
coming or you've got aggressive goals coming,
that's another good time. Last, well, let me
give you two more examples. You may have recently
been acquired or gone through a merger. You now
have basically a new team. You have some of the
old and some of the new, but together you're
really a new we. How do we create this we? How
do we better understand and trust each other?
And how are we, this new we, aligned on where
we want to go and how we want to work? So again,
there's an outside event that may have precipitated
why it's a good time to work with me. So I guess
to recap, right, it could be we've got to grow
and we're recognizing that we don't have the
skills or the capabilities. of leading in the
future state, or maybe we know what worked for
us at this size is not going to work with us
at that size. So that's a good time outside influences
like merger acquisition, or it's just right.
A team is not the, they're just not humming the
way that they know that they should. They've
got really exceptional talent on the team and
they're acting more individually than as a team.
I guess one more I'd put in there is sometimes
it's when there's a new leader. Right. So someone,
you know, I'm working with one client group where
the CEO retired. And so the president takes over.
The president is now in that chair. And so it's
a good time to reconnect and recreate what that
team is. Thank you for sharing that with our
audience, Debbie. I have one last question for
you before we end today's segment. When it comes
to seeing the pleasure group. in the future where
do you think or where do you see your vision
going in the future yeah i love that question
and i'm not surprised to get it from vision pros
right so for me right i'm just finishing up two
years of being an entrepreneur so i'm about to
start year three which i know is a pivotal milestone
so where do i see myself let's say a few years
from now um first of all i'm I'm working with
more senior teams. The Plager Group is working
with more senior teams and some of them could
be just me. Some of them I'm working with other
phenomenal consultants out there and coaches
out there. So depending on the size of the team.
So we're known and trusted in the space that
depending on what business challenge or opportunity
is in front, they know that we have got their
backs, that we've got the right capabilities
and we've just, we've got great results. So that's
one. Two. is we're known as an organization that
gives back. So whether it's giving back to, in
my case, I love to give back to different strategic
HR organizations that's building the next generation
of talent. I teach, I work with other people
who teach. So it's how are we, like you just,
you described your company going and volunteering.
One of the things I'm really looking at is you
know, is the Plager Group, do we want to be a
B Corp or how are we thinking about that? But
giving back and making the world a better place
is a really critical component of what we do.
And so that answer will be known in a few years.
And whether we're a B Corp or not, just understanding
how we're able to give our gifts and connect
the gifts of people we know with others to make
a difference. will be well on our way. Thank
you for being here today. I'm really happy that
you tuned in to Vision Pros Live. I'm looking
forward to seeing your reactions as these episodes
continue to move forward. This is going to get
more and more fun. We'll have more and more engagement
as well. We'll invite people to participate in
the show. And thank you for giving us your time
and attention. Have an excellent time building
out your vision and becoming a vision pro yourself.