What’s different about Third Phase?
Most consultants’ services focus on either process (hard) issues or people (soft) issues. But problems are usually a mix of both. The proportion might vary from issue to issue (and problems seldom come one at a time) but unless both elements are addressed, most apparent solutions to individual problems often turn out to be short-term fixes. The problem soon crops up again. Time is wasted, people get frustrated and attention is diverted from other (often more important) tasks.
The key to successfully delivering change is the attitude, motivation and morale of the business owners or senior leadership. We start with the leadership and work closely to understand their strengths and blind spots, where they are effective and what they miss. For change to be effective and long-lasting it has to be embedded at the top of the organisation before being implemented more widely. Why? because building a successful business takes time and energy. If it isn’t delivering personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement to those at the top, it is impossible to engage and influence anyone else.
The Solution
Only when the business leader knows what they are trying to achieve for themselves can they identify what it is their business needs to deliver for them.
Only when the top team known what the business needs to deliver can they plan the strategy to achieve their objectives.
Only when the managers buy into the strategy can they build the team that will deliver day to day results.
Only when the team share the values and purpose of the business will they fully engage with their individual role.
Only when each individual is fully engaged will you unlock the potential of the business.
Only in a business where every person is fully engaged and realising their potential can the business leader achieve their grandest ambitions.
Who are we?
Third Phase was founded in 2007 by Dave Paton. After a varied career that included banking, estate agency, credit control and the army he served in the fire and rescue service for over 30 years. Achieving senior rank he was responsible for turning round a failing training business, managing through industrial disputes, leading an assessment team on behalf of a government department and delivering consultancy work in the middle east and europe. His proudest achievement was creating and managing the service critical incident debriefing (CID) team that provided support and education to firefighters dealing with the fallout from distressing incidents. He even found himself leading a team providing CID in London to personnel of a US airline post 9/11.
Along the way he spent 6 years as a part time member of the parole system at a local prison, crewed on a round the world yacht race, did business mentoring for the Prince’s Trust and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and supported young people with the Ocean Youth Trust. He’s built extensive leadership skills in difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances. Growing those skills has involved frustration, pressure and sometimes getting things completely wrong. Having had to deal with the problems and insecurities faced by many business owners and leaders he understands where they come from and how to overcome them.
Third Phase are a select team of business professionals whose complementary skills offer a comprehensive source of business knowledge and experience for the small to medium sized business.
Third Phase believe that business owners have huge potential for personal and professional growth. Identifying and nurturing that potential for every individual is what motivates and energises us.