FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do I need a management coaching firm?
How do I know when it's time to bring in a management coaching firm?
What should I look for in a management coaching firm?
Let's say I'm interested; how do I start?
What does Derby Management specialize in?
Why do you use the title "senior management coaches"?
Do you provide references?
What are your fees?
Why do I need a management coaching firm?
Through our experience and the hard data that we have acquired from working in hundreds of emerging companies, we have found that the management of the more successful businesses consistently looks for outside objectivity to assist in establishing their longer-term goals. Sometimes the best objectivity comes solely from your board of directors, or from an internal manager who has the strength to take a step above, look at the forest from 500 feet, and not get lost in the trees. And sometimes it comes from outside advisors who have the experience and skills to challenge you and your senior team to plan for the longer term and stretch beyond your standard performance. We believe that the best objectivity comes from a well-balanced mix of board members, key internal managers, and experienced outside advisors.
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How do I know when it's time to bring in a management coaching firm?
You'll know when (1) your market and your competitors are passing you by, or (2) you are consistently falling behind in performing to your business plan, or (3) you're working harder than ever just to keep up, or (4) you have fewer answers and fewer people with whom you can honestly and openly discuss your concerns.
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What should I look for in a management coaching firm?
We're very resolute regarding this answer, whether you work with us or with other consultants. You absolutely must push yourself to find the best advisors who bring you an equal balance of four features: (1) personal comfort between the consultants, you, and your management team, (2) total confidentiality, (3) hands-on experience that has created measurable success backed up by references, and (4) the ability to commit to specific objectives.
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Let's say I'm interested; how do I start?
Unless you have an immediate demand such as "I need a business plan next month," we encourage one or two "get acquainted" meetings. These no-cost meetings between the managers of both of our companies are designed to meet three objectives.
First, to decide whether we have the right mix of personalities, backgrounds, and skill sets to meet your needs in the short term.
Second, during our initial meeting we want to pose the question, "What are the issues affecting future growth?" We then ask you to take time offline to think about this and come back to us with your ideas at our second meeting.
Third, we are totally focused on objectives. We typically rough out the objectives of a potential assignment directly with you at our second meeting. We then follow up this meeting with a written proposal detailing our understanding of your needs, a definition of the objectives, and an outline of the time required along with a budget.
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What does Derby Management specialize in?
First, we are not generalists. At the top level, our focus statement is that "we specialize in senior management coaching to emerging companies located in New England." Our specific core competencies are focused in the areas of (1) the senior management team, (2) business plans and the process of strategic planning, (3) sales and marketing plans with execution tactics and measurements, (4) venture capital funding, and (5) interim senior management.
A number of our managers specialize in entrepreneurial companies that are past the start-up level. We work with the senior managers of these companies to ensure that their business planning is on track and that the operating objectives match management's expectations. Matching our entrepreneurial expertise, we also work with a large number of venture capital firms providing strategic planning for their firms.
Finally, we work with a number of large corporations as their strategic planning advisors, coaching the senior management team to plan entrepreneurially and execute "outside the box."
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Why do you use the title "senior management coaches"?
At the outset, the term "management consultant" never made us feel comfortable; we felt that it placed an unnecessary barrier between us and our customers. In many cases, the phrase "management consultant" had all of the appeal of the words "auditor" or "IRS agent," so we evolved our management style and language to include "senior management coach."
Each of us had a coach somewhere in our background. That person in high school or in college was someone whose experience we valued and who was able to lay out a game plan by which—if we practiced, if we drilled, if we worked hard—we would move ahead. In many cases, we may have had issues with this coach, but there was always a level of experience, confidence, and success that we respected. This is why we refer to ourselves as management coaches.
Each of our managers at Derby Management is a heavily experienced executive who has the operational background of having been the senior manager in two types of companies. Each of us has managed large corporations, and each of us has owned our own businesses.
We specialize in our core competencies, taking from our experience curve the positives and the negatives and using these to assist our customers in creating tactical game plans that need to be analyzed, agreed upon as a team of players, and consistently practiced.
As senior management coaches, we know how to win! Our job is to provide you with the same expertise and to ensure that your management team is unified around your company's game plans.
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Do you provide references?
Absolutely. After we have progressed through an introductory meeting or two we can, if you want, put you in contact with some of our customers who, we think, would match the potential assignment with your company.
In the meantime, you can check out a list of some of our customers on our Web site and a list of testimonials that we have received from a few of them.
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What are your fees?
We charge our customers in one of two ways depending on our experience with the customer or investors. We charge a flat rate per coach for a full day or a half day. Based on our experience with the company or the venture capital firm, we may also charge a blend of fees and equity based on performance measurements.
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For other questions, just e-mail us any time at postmaster@derbymanagement.com, or fill in the information requested on the Web site and "Ask Jack."
Thanks for asking.
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