Our Services

The Strategic Challenge

The Transcend Strategy Group helps firms to recognize and manage the dilemmas that get in the way of effective decision-making. We take a systemic and pragmatic approach to strategy. Profiled in our books, No Problem and The Power of the 2 x 2 Matrix, our methods help firms to quickly surface key issues and effectively and confidently move beyond treating symptoms to developing and implementing powerful strategic options.

Strategy Facilitation

Strategy is the art and discipline of competing effectively. Strategy is best viewed as an ongoing initiative, a capacity that depends upon careful positioning, accurate problem framing and the readiness to implement. We work with leaders and executive teams to develop this strategic capacity. Paradoxically, unique and timely strategic decisions are often the best times to start to create this ability within an organization. This is when everyone is focused on the subject. The first step is opening lines of communication. Agreeing to listen and learn together is a powerful event in itself. Second is upgrading the strategy process from implicit and hidden to explicit. Now we can see what’s working and what not: assumptions are differentiated from facts; patterns of influence become visible and can be challenged or altered; we can experiment with new ways to model and test strategic alternatives.

Successful strategic work begins with trust and is built on learning and behavior change. We capitalize on the current strategic challenge to improve methods and outcomes. It’s a win-win-win approach: address the immediate issue, learn and improve long-term methods and skill, and improve confidence and trust levels among the senior team.

For a case study report on a sample intervention, read about our work with the Fujitsu Corporation’s FTXS business.

Training & Education

We have offered training and custom courses on critical thinking and strategic problem solving at the following institutions around the world:

  • Schulich Business School (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Saint Mary’s University Halifax, Nova Scotia)
  • Memorial University (Saint John’s, Newfoundland)
  • San Jose State University San Jose, California
  • KDMC (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Custom, in-house programs are available to target specific learning needs of an organization or sector, and as a way to deliver the training to large numbers of staff at a more economical rate.

Our methods and tools can be taught in a number of different ways, reflecting a range of levels of investment and skill level, from half-day seminars to fully customized training programs. Download an overview of our critical thinking and strategic decision-making course.

Coaching

We offer a unique and high-impact coaching service to a limited number of clients, based on active and constructive listening, goal-setting and challenge. The object is to gain insight and expand competency and confidence. We focus our coaching support exclusively on the decision making and problem solving processes. Coaching services have been successfully offered in these industries:

  • Financial Services
  • Fire and Policing
  • Municipal Government
  • Workplace Safety & Insurance
  • Publishing
  • Resources