“‘Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment…‘
“The opener to a timely and effective comment made by Toby at a organizational planning meeting I attended with him. Despite tempest external conditions (New England winter), and unpredictable internal dynamics (half dozen tired, over worked, and hungry professionals), conditions not too far removed from a corporate board room, his interruption and insertion of an astute analytical observation could have led to an undesirable outcome.
“But it didn’t … through the above comment, Toby led the group to action through process comment and reflection.
“The issue, which he helped the group to see, was the absence of strategy and alignment at all levels of the organization. Without alignment the organization was poised for serious realization of risks, in particular, loss of resources (human capital, time and money). Our actions, all the way down to daily agenda items, needed to be tied to strategy, if not, in all sense of the word, waste.
“Toby possesses two skills that are rarely seen in the same person, natural communication skill and analytical foresight. Not only at this meeting but countless times, I’ve observed how he eloquently identifies hidden dynamics and issues central to an organization’s raison d’etre, it’s mission & vision.
“He has guts and resolve, if you’re looking for someone to provide a common lens to see through the tempest, talk and listen to Toby. I recommend him as an executive change agent, organizational performance practitioner, human capital expert and most importantly core team member.”
Find out more about Ernest Byers on LinkedIn.