A STORY ABOUT THE COURAGE TO GET REAL

The mood could not have been any more serious: a very big and well-known international consulting firm (VBF for Very Big Firm), was hosting a first-ever stakeholder summit. Attendees included client VIPs — high-ranking Department of Defense officials and members of the military brass. The goal? To get alignment on a strategic initiative, the likes of which had never been undertaken before. A tall order and VBF was taking no chances. It had brought in the expertise of BossaNova to help design and facilitate this big stakes and highly interactive conference.

As the creative tension of the two-day meeting mounted, BossaNova shifted into the role of conductor, allowing both VBF and their clients to participate fully for the best results possible. The event was so successful that one senior client immediately hired VBF for a repeat performance; once skeptical, they had been blown away by the event’s value.

Immediate recognition of value — that is the kind of result BossaNova’s clients receive. Much like the 1960s marriage of Brazilian rhythms to American jazz that produced the original music for which the firm is named, the right partnership can push boundaries, redefine convention, and inspire action. And, because BossaNova knows their clients so well, the partnership is seamless. Just hours into the summit, several participants asked how long the BossaNova team had been VBF employees.

Ask JB, the VBF executive who oversaw planning for the event and hired BossaNova. “This is the first time I have worked with a consultant who truly has our best interests in mind,” JB says. “The folks at BossaNova are not scared to push back. Andrea Howe, the company’s president, is gutsy. And she is a genuine person who cares about her clients and more importantly, her client’s clients.”

The partnership was music to everyone’s ears. Soon after the summit, VBF hired BossaNova to train their own people to design and facilitate strategic client events. VBF recognized an ongoing opportunity to not only deepen their relationship with clientele, but to increase bottom line results.

From the very beginning of the training, the VBF-BossaNova team was having fun. “BossaNova has ignited a new passion toward my work.” says SW. “I have found the right niche at VBF; I’m really engaged with our clientele. With the tools and techniques that I have learned from BossaNova, I know I provide more value to our clients.”

SW also has been able to communicate with her clients on a new level. She is redefining consulting by providing her clients with ways of working together that emphasize openness and collaboration: “After the facilitation training, I was able to help one particular client through a very difficult issue that ultimately changed the direction we were heading with a major initiative.”

BossaNova is not only about delivering high-quality facilitation and training; it’s also about changing the lives of the consultants they serve. Now that’s true partnership; that’s doing the bossa nova.

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BossaNova bridges the gap between the technical and people sides of consulting.

That’s why when David Seelke, a manager at consulting giant Booz Allen Hamilton, wanted to prepare their next generation of consultants to work with clients, he called Andrea Howe, BossaNova’s President. According to David, “Many of our recruits are only months away from academic life. We want to ensure their success with our company and BossaNova’s training is a surefire way to do that.”

BossaNova carefully selected a team of two experienced facilitators. Sara Rohling, a former employee, knew the Booz Allen culture inside and out. Andrea brought over 15 years of experience in the consulting industry. Together, they created a pathway for the new staffers trying to find their way inside a global consulting firm with 19,000 employees serving clients on six continents.

BossaNova’s Consulting in Action methodology combined classroom work with real-life assignments for the trainees. Participants liked this arrangement — the academic portion provided the foundation, but the practical applications helped connect theory to reality.

During the program, the consultants learned one of the most important consulting skills: trustworthiness. BossaNova uses the Trust Equation and other unique tools in much of their work, thanks to a special partnership with Charlie Green, the man who literally wrote the book on being a trusted advisor. Of all the material covered in class, this is what stood out for the team – learning how to genuinely connect with their future clientele through proven knowledge, communication and trustworthiness.

“From the get-go, Andrea and Sara were encouraging and set the right tone,” says Mark, one of the participants. “When they critiqued us they were always constructive, thorough and energetic. Their feedback was valuable and professional, which is just what we need at the start of our careers. And, from day one we knew we could talk candidly about anything in class.”

In the end, many salient connections were made. And, months later, David is still impressed by his experience with BossaNova. “Sara and Andrea obviously knew the consulting environment. They combined their own experience with strong facilitation skills and an ability to motivate our people to really engage in what they were learning,” says David. “Their approach was really well-rounded and helped our new consultants make a smooth transition from academia to professional life.”

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A STORY ABOUT THE COURAGE TO GET REAL

Who knew that a group of consulting engineers could bring the house down? BossaNova did.

That’s why when Chris Brown, CEO of christopher consultants, ltd. wanted to bring some excitement to the firm’s annual gathering, he called BossaNova. Their suggestion: try improvisational comedy.

From the beginning of the evening the firm’s engineers, who specialize in civil engineering, land planning and surveying, were sitting on the edge of their seats. This was appropriate because they soon learned that BossaNova’s Work Can Be Fun(ny) workshop, which is a lot like the popular show Whose Line is it, Anyway?, is anything but a sit-back-and-be-entertained performance. On the contrary, under the skilled guidance of BossaNova’s improv guru Shawn Westfall, corporate types magically transform into comedians, as the “audience” becomes its own entertainment.

Bringing new life to annual management meetings and sales meetings is a challenge. But BossaNova’s innovative designs and inviting style help everyone participate in ways that are refreshing and real. “This was the most successful annual dinner we have ever had,” said Ruth Fields, christopher consultant’s CFO. “I’ve never seen people linger so long after dinner!”

Chris saw his team in a new light. “It was refreshing to see another side of the people I work with,” he said. “This workshop made us all real in each other’s eyes.” Bill Zink, regional vice president, was also impressed by the hilarity that ensued that night. “I never knew the people I work with could be so funny. BossaNova’s facilitators did a fantastic job guiding the improv. The tone they set made the laughter contagious. It filled the air. It took some courage, but everyone in the room participated.”

Being real has myriad business benefits. Improv invites people to be quick on their feet; a skill which helps with the ever-changing needs of the firm’s clientele. Chris had the courage to ask his team to step out of their comfort zone and they embraced the challenge. The results of that one evening have benefited his entire company. Because of this experience, christopher consulting’s leadership team can better relate to each other — and their clients — inside and outside of the office. With a new perspective, they now appreciate people on an entirely different level.

Improv takes courage. Getting real produces results.

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