Do you want another PowerPoint pack with more methodologies, another answer to someone else’s problem being squeezed into your space? Perhaps a dozen more hard-working and enthusiastic grads who just lack experience, sprinkled with revolving door contractors? Experts at what you do because they used to do it, but don’t necessarily bring anything new, because they don’t know anything new. If you want this then stop reading, it will be a waste of your time.
So much good intent, unfulfilled. So much management, so little achievement. So many change managers, so little change. Benefits realisation, not being realised, program offices with a life of their own.
We know it’s not for the want of trying, and we have never met anyone not wanting to do a good job. Frankly, though, if you want a different outcome, you must try something different.
If outcomes are your business, and you are prepared to at least consider something different, read on.
That’s what we are building, something different. It’s why we are in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Canberra. This is a business of people who can think, do and lead – supported by teams built around your problem, not the team we have at hand. Our biggest team was 25 people for five years, largely drawn from the oil and gas industry because the problem needed experts in fuel operations. Our smallest was one person negotiating a billion dollar innovative IT agreement, who had experience delivering for the IT industry.
We work mostly for the public sector, and across the public-private sector boundary. It’s about perspectives: the insight to understand the objective, to deliver an effect and not just a task to satisfy the client’s perspective. To understand it’s not compliance, it’s more health care workers available faster. That it’s not just trains, but their cost, mobility, jobs, education, infrastructure, the economy, the environment, and opportunity.
We look for people with private sector experience because they have an impatience to deliver and are masters in pragmatism. Having owned a P&L changes your DNA. They bring depth to public sector delivery. We are delighted our people have experience in both the public and private sectors because they see both sides clearly – and new pathways for better outcomes – for both.
We are not big; although we are aiming to be bigger – because it means more people of higher calibre servicing bigger opportunities with bigger effects. Money is the consequence of coming to work, not the reason. The reason our people come to work is fulfilment, purpose, to make a difference.
We do a lot of work in the Federal government, but we are doing more and more with State governments. The rubber hits the road in the States. If the train doesn’t run, the Minister gets 500 calls from the platform. Federal work is important but lacks urgency and customer focus. We want to make a difference to people not process. We want the people who do this work – because they know how to do the work we need to do.
Self-sustaining branches in the States offer us a catchment of educated, driven, entrepreneurial people who can help us make a difference. We want to export that brilliance – nationally and internationally.
Here’s what we don’t understand. Why is so much money thrown at the Big 4, and others of course – all international – almost without competition? Great favour is shown towards their brands. Great marketing, great sales, no added benefit to Australians, to the State and local economies. They may sound safe, but they aren’t. Nor are they valuable. This has been proven recently.
We need to build an alternative, a thriving Australian advisory business sector that can take Australia to the world. We want to be one of those, not the only one because we can’t do everything. We just want to be the best at what we choose to do. We want to be your first call when you need the job done.
It would be trite to say we don’t want a hand-out, just the opportunity. But maybe there should be a bit of a preferential hand for those who continue to work tirelessly to help build Australia, the States, and local capability. Adding to the collective good, rather than taking. Service over self, trusting that the reward will come.
Perhaps it simply starts with the invite, ‘Here’s an opportunity, show me what can you do?’. If you want a different outcome, try something different. If you want to build a different future, it takes a little courage to try something new.
Don’t we all want the opportunity to build, not just buy? We would be delighted to have a chat with you about how.
