It's time to evolve and grow. This year, I've decided to pursue more projects in the areas of organisational development and strategic planning. You might wonder why this warrants a blogpost. The reality is that, for a small operation, if you don't tell people explicitly what you do, they're not going to piece it together on their own.
So here are the whys, the whats and the hows:
Why?
Bassline Strategy's services mainly comprise my combined skillsets in strategic communications, public affairs, market research and public policy. I have packaged it as a comprehensive advocacy offering and it has been hugely fulfilling. I intend to continue providing these services, but I have also noticed an emerging pattern with client projects.
In strategic communications and public affairs work, I have had considerable success in advancing my clients' needs and campaigns through effective engagement and outreach. This has been, in part, because I have always insisted on a strategic and evidence-led approach before any external communication takes place.
Clients need to be clear about the goals they set. They need to know the audiences they are targeting and where their specific needs and interests lie. They need to craft messages that are appropriate to the goals and audiences, and that reflect the empirical evidence. Then there is scope for meaningful engagement.
I've found this background process has often taken me into the realm of key operational decisions. Whether feeding into their multiannual strategic plans or managing things through sensitive transitions, I've been able to demonstrate a steady hand and to be a trusted advisor to key leaders within organisations.
Added to this, my background in market research has provided me with a specific skillset in the facilitation of membership and stakeholder consultation. Where I am missing a specific methodology, I have a collection of providers with whom I have established partnerships. My work in a think tank and in community media gave a great grounding in workshop facilitation and interim management.
What?
This is both a natural evolution and strategic decision on my part. It means that, in addition to my ongoing advocacy work, I am seeking projects with a greater emphasis on organisational strategy and development. This includes:
Strategic planning
Internal communications and employee engagement
Membership surveys, interviews and focus groups
Workshop facilitation & training
Interim management
How?
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