About Us
We help decision makers and consultants in organizations and businesses make the best decisions to achieve their purposes. We accomplish that via our FoRSE® Matrix software. The Family of Related Systemic Elements (FoRSE) Matrix software provides a proven effective and efficient, multi-use tool for feedback, direction, decision-making and a host of options for people wanting more in their life, whether personal or corporate.
How We Got Started
It all began with a consulting gig for a school district in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia while I was completing a MA on alternative learning. Enthralled with research, learning and helping organizations, I carried on with a PhD in which I investigated the tension between business and education specifically when they partnered together. Part way thru my doctoral studies, I took a break and bought a master franchise in the emerging internet world, completed an entrepreneurship program, became bitten by the Systems Thinking bug, and applied it to my research after unloading the franchise and returning to complete what I'd started.
After numerous iterations of a matrix that combined Systems Thinking with behavioural studies, decision-making and management techniques, the end result is the FoRSE® Matrix, currently built on the Salesforce platform –thanks to my business partner– and available beyond a Salesforce subscription. It has proven effective for multiple applications.
The products and services we offer
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Products & Services
The Family of Related Systemic Elements (FoRSE®) Matrix system is a robust software program that guides users to ask or answer penetrating question...
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Recent Activity
[I am using "you" in a general sense here] The adage, "Know yourself", is fundamental before and throughout the role of COO as much as any leadership role. That looks like getting down to the roots to understand what you do and why you do what you do, what your triggers are and why you have those...
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[I am using "you" in a general sense here] The adage, "Know yourself", is fundamental before and throughout the role of COO as much as any leadership role. That looks like getting down to the roots to understand what you do and why you do what you do, what your triggers are and why you have those triggers, how to trace the "hard wiring" in the brain that occurs early on in life to set up those triggers and your coping mechanisms as well as leadership qualities/talents/gifts/personality type. If you don't understand those aspects of yourself, you'll always be limited in how you respond to issues, how you operate with and know people —particularly your organization's people, and how to be an effective (a loaded term) leader. Then ask yourself what kind of COO you want to be. I know that's a cliché question, yet it remains a good question. People may not answer it, assuming the answer and moving forward anyway. People may also answer it with thoughtful and well-meaning words. The real answer will show in action (walking the walk). The kind you want to be and the kind you are require ongoing review that takes us back to my opening point (know yourself). You want to be a good COO? Or a fair and honest COO with integrity? Or...(fill in the blank)? That's good. Prove it. Do your mentors agree? Do your organization's people support your view of yourself in action?The mechanics of COOing (gotta like that word!) can be, and largely are, learned in practice or can be. That's not rocket surgery. Learning about yourself? Now that's a challenge few (men in particular) wish or know how to undertake. It's also not a solo journey. This is a beginning answer.
If you'll permit and look past the "plug", I suggest a case scenario pertinent to your biz. Ask the person to respond to the scenario (let's call it an event) in a brief timeframe (your call) that examines that event thru a simple Matrix that I call the Family of Related Systemic Elements...
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If you'll permit and look past the "plug", I suggest a case scenario pertinent to your biz. Ask the person to respond to the scenario (let's call it an event) in a brief timeframe (your call) that examines that event thru a simple Matrix that I call the Family of Related Systemic Elements (FoRSE®) Matrix system. First, have them speak to the Purposes of the event and how they understand it to relate to the overarching purpose of your organization. Look for an engagement that shows understanding of your biz and how broadly they can think. Have they done some "homework" on your organization, the position, the field?Follow that with their view on how their response about Purposes looks in real life: The Form or Design. That is, does their response take into account the geographical or virtual or blended setting? How does their understanding demonstrate the connection (important) between Purposes and Form/Design (beyond optics)? Is it realistic? Does it support the Purposes? To what degree or depth of understanding does it show? Finally, have them take their responses for the Purposes and F/D and apply them thru what I call the Infrastructure, or additional support necessary to see the Purposes and F/D thru. There are 4 sub categories in this cluster: Governance or decision-making/power model, Action (steps, procedures, policies, communication), Resources (capital, physical, human) and Timeline. For the Governance, what do they think of your organization's decision-making process or governance model? What Action would they implement or support to see the Purposes and F/D thru to success or rejection? What Resources would they consider necessary? Last, what would be a reasonable Timeline to achieve the whole?Do their answers align? Do they provide a better glimpse into the person's thinking, reasoning ability, broad/narrow perspective? That is, is what they say reasonable or disconnected or problematic or lacking? Be sure to have a gage of what you would expect to be an acceptable level of engagement of this exercise. This is a relatively simple exercise but it will give you a standard by which to gage, and engage, all applicants. There are further, more sophisticated questions you could add to the mix (for example personal impact of the event in the exercise, effects they might foresee on the community whether that is the organizational community or the outlying community and environment, and their key principles by which they view the world and others). Their answers will likely elicit more questions from you, whether for further clarification, etc. Worth a try. ;-)
Please help me understand your question a bit better. Are you asking your question generally speaking, as in "how does one measure corporate success" or are you just wondering how individuals here perform measurements? I'm banking on the former rather than the latter. David Rippe's answer gets to...
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Please help me understand your question a bit better. Are you asking your question generally speaking, as in "how does one measure corporate success" or are you just wondering how individuals here perform measurements? I'm banking on the former rather than the latter. David Rippe's answer gets to the nub for me. Depending on the request by a company or, possibly, misreading by the solutions provider, a narrower focus on particulars might be warranted. However, I stress the importance of taking everything back to the Purposes of the company followed by the purposes of the query, which in this case is about success. The many factors that play in determining success are part of the systemic or big(ger) picture of the whole company / organization. So, I help organizations determine (including predetermine) success via a matrix that examines all the vital or critical elements (factors). After all, I want customers to enjoy sustained success rather than short term, one shot or zoomer success.
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The utility of a consultant is in providing objective input to your questions or "problems" along with, ideally, the wherewithal to see you thru a successful achievement of your goals and mission. In other words, things, ideas, further questions that you could miss just on your own. May I suggest...
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The utility of a consultant is in providing objective input to your questions or "problems" along with, ideally, the wherewithal to see you thru a successful achievement of your goals and mission. In other words, things, ideas, further questions that you could miss just on your own. May I suggest you ask yourself –and brainstorm this– what the purpose is or would be to "partner" with a consultant. How does or would that tie in with your ultimate purpose or mission? Then write out what that looks like in your mind. That is, what expectations and desires are you bringing to the relationship or how do you think the relationship should proceed? Then explore how to achieve your purpose thru your governance or decision-making model, your actions (steps, communication), your resources (physical and financial), and finally the timeline, from initiating the dialogue to agreement to realizable and beneficial outcomes.
So, in direct answer to your good question, as the band Boston would say, "it's more than a feeling...," it makes good business and organizational sense. Just remember that it's your business, your emotional investment, and your passion, so keep a keen eye on the process to ensure it goes in a direction that helps you see achievable results. It might be a tad uncomfortable, but a decent consultancy will walk with you throughout the process with your best interest in mind.
Good question but it's kind of like socks: We each like different ones because of the fit or color or thickness. I've been intrigued by how different reads strike a chord with individuals. I'll recommend readings to friends or customers based on talking to them and getting a sense of their...
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Good question but it's kind of like socks: We each like different ones because of the fit or color or thickness. I've been intrigued by how different reads strike a chord with individuals. I'll recommend readings to friends or customers based on talking to them and getting a sense of their interests. Having said that, one that sits on top of the stack is Type Talk by Theusen and Kroeger. It so helps to understand people including myself. Doesn't help me understand why I do the dumb things I do (that's another matter of discussion), but it does give a good glimpse into personality types and how I could work with or deal with or love on others. Other reads are useful info bytes, some insightful, others immediately or eventually helpful, but in all readings all over the place help me to gain a broader or bigger picture of the world. This is also a good place to encourage "book clubs" (or reading rooms or breakfast meetings...whatever) with like-minded thinkers who want to stretch their perspective thru brief discussions (avoid forcing fellow participants to justify their view. Just let it flow, listen, chew on it, and move along).
Read widely, even outside my domain. Observe and see who is offering what. Took notes, especially on points that struck me as odd or different or revelational. Thought deeply. Asked myself what about those readings and notes that struck me and why. Then I asked how they struck a chord as I...
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Read widely, even outside my domain. Observe and see who is offering what. Took notes, especially on points that struck me as odd or different or revelational. Thought deeply. Asked myself what about those readings and notes that struck me and why. Then I asked how they struck a chord as I contemplated my own business. Had an epiphany that led to the long process of refining my idea (still refining into the 17th year) all the while looking around me to see if it still made sense, if there was a perceived need.The process, for me, was iterative. That is, as I was developing my product/service and reading/thinking, I was revisiting my Purpose and revising or tweaking both the criteria for and the actual target audience (I'm using upper case on the term because it is the crucial category. I call it, along with two other categories, a "cluster") for any organization/business. The Purpose is the summation of your raison d'être, your mission or goals and the stakeholders, the criteria for which, as you mention, is created. To help me determine both the audience and the criteria, I asked myself stemming from the above, various questions, such as: Why do I like this idea? What real or perceived purpose does it achieve? Who is likely to benefit from it? How do I know that? What is the ideal group for whom it will work and, realistically, where is it more likely to fit? (some trial and error worked for me on this one along with Michael Gerber's, E-Myth content) Related questions stem from those previous ones because my target audience is affected by them, such as: How am I going to get this product/service to my target audience? What will the product/service look like (i.e., brick and mortar or physical delivery, online, hybrid)? How much time is necessary to deliver or to see results?And I'm merely adding to the wisdom here that others have offered.
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As with April's answer, I had a pro create the logo and business cards with it. Then I created "stationery" by pasting the logo into a template in Word that I created. Add your contact info. Check out some stationery layout designs to give you an idea (e.g., Google images). Depending on your...
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As with April's answer, I had a pro create the logo and business cards with it. Then I created "stationery" by pasting the logo into a template in Word that I created. Add your contact info. Check out some stationery layout designs to give you an idea (e.g., Google images). Depending on your business (perhaps?), consider decent biz cards. Don't print them off on your own, perforated card stock. Looks and feels cheap. If you have a color printer, then you're all set. Otherwise, take your template to a local printer and have them produce the quantity you want. Consider using a higher grade paper stock, too, to present a quality image.
Most: Customer service. Both are worth consideration together. Part of customer service includes a fair and reasonable price.
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Most: Customer service. Both are worth consideration together. Part of customer service includes a fair and reasonable price.
