Ways of Working

LAUNCH BEHAVIOR CHANGE INTERVENTIONS BEFORE INVESTING SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES.

You need to create internal programs, processes, and platforms to upskill your organization on lean, iterative, customer-centered ways of working. However, there is a gap between a plan on paper and scaled delivery.

We bridge that gap by rapidly launching programs and testing and learning with your employees to get evidence on a program’s direction to pivot or persevere, minimizing waste before spending a lot of resources.

How We Do It

  • We ensure we solve the right problem: We clarify the core problem and align on a shared vision. Together, we map the future strategy while identifying quick wins to build early momentum and gain traction.

  • We get out of PowerPoint and into the world: We rely less on theoretical plans and more on validated ideas with employees. We validate ideas through test and learn sprints, gathering concrete behavioral data to inform future decisions.

  • We find fertile testing ground: we broker strategic relationships and leaders and teams who are “Yes, and” people who want to champion your early change.

  • We influence through storytelling: We create communication that can help showcase early wins to integrate into All Hands, VP+ forums, etc. to help pitch for future funding. We focus on storytelling, empowering internal champions to share successes and inspire others. This helps foster a culture that keeps customers at the center of everything you do.

  • We pivot as needed: We adapt based on evidence we are learning from early pilots.

Case Studies

How do we transform into a global, net-zero company and drive customer-centric experiences through digital products?

THE MOMENT

A newly appointed Chief Product Officer approached our team to accelerate toward a product-led way of working. The organization, weary from previous re-orgs, needed tangible, early wins to demonstrate the value of customer and product-centered approaches. This would help build trust and early adoption among business partners and secure continued investment in this transformative direction.

THE WORK

Over 18 months, we navigated the complex global structure, establishing strategic senior partnerships to launch early pilots that demonstrated the value of product-led changes. Key initiatives included:

Product Discovery Launches

We developed a product accelerator program for high-performing teams, global HCD and data-led training initiatives for early adopters, and a monthly, business-unit-specific practice lab. These programs allowed teams to apply new behaviors directly to their work, with in-house influencers trained to deliver at scale.

Design & Product Bridge

We brokered critical conversations between Design and Product leaders to align around a shared, customer-centric vision, reducing stalemates and fostering collaboration at the highest levels.

L&D Strategy

We aligned HR and product leadership to form a responsive, cross-functional team. Together, we created team charters, a clear north star vision, and a structured OKR framework to improve the speed and impact of training programs.

Skills Standardization

Co-led the redesign of global product standards and skills assessments across human, business, technical, and leadership skills, establishing standardized metrics and rubrics for hiring and progression.

Coaching Programs

Launched multi-week coaching programs across the enterprise for newly formed cross-functional teams, embedding product-led ways of working into daily practices and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

THE IMPACT

  • 47% increase in product/market fit confidence: The accelerator program boosted team confidence in product direction within just 7 days, enabling one team to secure a six-figure product development budget.

  • 26+% skills improvement: Product management skills improved by over 26% across global teams

  • 58% cost reduction: Achieved a $0.5M savings in the first year on a global training program, while enhancing knowledge retention by bringing the program delivery in-house.

  • Widespread adoption of best practices: Product discovery and customer-centric best practices are now embedded globally, driving consistent and effective product management organization-wide.

"Thank you David and team for your partnership. We couldn't have done this without you."

Global Chief Product Officer, Fortune 100 energy company

How do we shift to a relationship-centric culture to enhance the solar panel buying experience and differentiate in the market?

THE MOMENT

Sunrun, a leader in solar energy, embarked on a rebrand focused on guiding customers through the complex buying and installation process. However, employees questioned, “Aren’t we already doing this?” Skepticism arose from the abstract, top-down rebrand, with employees unclear on how it would impact their daily interactions and team dynamics across the U.S.

THE WORK

We embedded ourselves within the transformation team, alongside the Chief Customer Experience Officer, to pilot early-stage solutions and capture initial insights before committing to a full-scale rollout. This led to three strategic initiatives:

1. Practical Toolkit

Developed to promote customer-focused behaviors at individual, team, and customer-interaction levels. This toolkit served as an early testing ground, providing concrete feedback on adoption rates and behavioral shifts.

2. Live Training Program

Trained senior management as coaches, equipping them to implement change across their teams. By piloting the program with management first, we gathered valuable data on effective coaching practices and identifying champions before expanding to larger groups.

3. Self-Service Digital Platform

Launched a self-service intranet for teams to practice new behaviors and access centralized resources, enabling continuous learning. This platform provided early data on engagement levels, allowing leadership to refine content and messaging before integrating at scale

THE IMPACT

  • Teams: Improved clarity and confidence in adopting customer-centered behaviors, empowering teams to lead with purpose.

  • Leadership: The VP of Customer Success shifted performance metrics from an output focus (# minutes per call) to an outcome focus (customer resolution). This change was based on early indicators that showed the value of relationship-focused metrics over transactional ones.

  • Organization: Positioned Sunrun with a competitive edge by establishing a relationship-focused approach to customer service, differentiating them from industry norms and setting a new standard in customer experience.

“Thanks again for getting us started on such strong footing— the ongoing Be the Guide rollout is receiving such a warm reception!”

VP Customer Marketing

Ready to launch small behavior change pilots?

Let’s talk.