Case Study: An Organization-Wide Turnaround
Years of operating losses were the most visible problem facing this national regulatory organization, but they weren't the only one. Teams were working in silos, morale was low, and strategic planning and budgeting weren't functioning as connected organizational processes.
Addressing the deficit required more than cutting expenses. It meant changing how the organization set priorities, allocated resources, measured progress, and worked across departments.
The Challenge: The organization had experienced years of operating losses and was facing a $5 million deficit. At the same time, siloed teams and low morale were making it harder for leaders to work across the organization and make coordinated decisions.
I was brought in to lead an operational restructuring that addressed both the immediate financial situation and the organizational practices contributing to it.
The Work: I integrated strategic planning and budgeting so that resources were tied more directly to organizational priorities. I also introduced OKRs and KPIs to create clearer expectations and a consistent way to measure progress.
The restructuring included work with the senior leadership team to improve collaboration across functions and establish a more transparent planning and decision-making process. Rather than treating finance, strategy, and operations as separate issues, we addressed how each was affecting the others.
The Result: Within one year, the organization moved from a $5 million deficit to a $1 million surplus.
It also had a more transparent and sustainable approach to planning and budgeting, clearer measures of organizational performance, and stronger collaboration among senior leaders. Those changes gave both staff and the board greater visibility into priorities, resources, and progress.