A Message from the Founding Partners of Berlineaton
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Our Ongoing Promise to You

Ethically Grounded

It has always been important to us to be truthful, honest, and responsible in all areas of life, in our professional work and in our personal lives, in the people we are, who we hire, and who we choose to work alongside. This will always be our anchor.

Data Driven

We aim to harness the power of data in all we do, and in the future use data and evidence more fully to inform our work.

Adaptive

We commit to continuous learning and improvement and building this into our work.

Making A Difference

At the end of the day, this is what keeps us going and why we exist. Without this, there would be no Berlineaton.

25 Years of Methodologies, Tools and Tips for You to Download.

Organizational Effectiveness

Organizational Effectiveness Model

Our first tool is our seminal model of Organizational Effectiveness which started everything off, 25 years ago.  It provides a lens to see what creates organizational effectiveness and based on this, what interventions could be used to improve.

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People Development

Executive Coaching Approach

Our second tool is from our People Development Service Area. Here you’ll find out about our approach to Executive Coaching, our six steps of a coaching engagement and tips to get the most out of it!

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People Development

GROW Model

This is a tool we use with our Executive Coaching clients. We’ve included 25 questions you can use to get the most out of it!

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Continuous Improvement

The Power of Team Process Mapping

Our process mapping tool has been a staple in our set of tools. It has helped many of our clients come together in a fun, engaging, and objective forum to discuss process improvements, by looking at current processes, identifying areas of opportunity for improvement, and then redesigning the processes for implementation.

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Continuous Improvement

Continuous Improvement Methodology and Toolkit 

Our Continuous Improvement Methodology has been in place for over 20 years, and we have developed many tools and templates to assist us with clients. While an entire process is more than 6 tools, we wanted to share with you some of the templates we use and invite you to try them out.

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Strategy Development & Execution

SWOT Analysis 

At Berlineaton, we pair the analytical strength of a SWOT Analysis with an authentic opportunity to engage stakeholders and constituents to create collaborative SWOT Consultation Sessions. Alongside this framework, we’ve included questions you can use to facilitate your own SWOT Consultation Sessions.

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Strategy Development & Execution

Problem Solving Model

At Berlineaton, we adapted George Polyas’s 4-step model (c. 1945) into a more robust 7-step model, modernizing it for today’s workplace and challenges. It has helped us, and our clients solve problems, large and small and is adaptable for both. Alongside this model, we’ve included explanations about what to do at each step, and key questions that will help you use this model..

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People Development

William Bridges’ Transition Model

At Berlineaton, we use Bridges’ model as a foundation to guide leaders on how to best manage change. It has helped us coach leaders on how to recognize the human side of change and integrate people-focused strategies into change management plans.

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People Development

Communicating During Times of Change

When communicating change, we recommend leaders build the case for change, set the conditions required to make the transformation successful, and develop a communication plan that recognizes each person’s perception of what the change means them to them. At Berlineaton, we use a change communication matrix to help construct messaging that will address all audiences’ perceptions of the change that is happening.

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People Development

Tuckman’s Model: The 5 Stages of Team Development

Tuckman’s Model is a key tool in helping teams become high performing. We came across this model in the early days of Berlineaton, and it has guided our work for over two decades. Whether teams know it or not, they are moving through various phases. Sadly, some teams never get beyond “Storming”, and for those who have experienced this, they are very challenging situations. On the other hand, those teams that experience “Performing” have indelible memories about how great it was and seek to replicate this in their future teams.

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Collaborative Solutions

How to Host Better Virtual Meetings

One thing we all have in common is that we all attend a lot of meetings in our work day!  Some are better than others.  Since the onset of COVID-19, traditional in-person meetings have shifted to virtual platforms with individuals and organizations adapting the way they prepare for host, participate, and follow-up from meetings. In this post, we provide 10 tips you might find helpful when hosting or attending a virtual meeting.

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Collaborative Solutions

Best Practices and Tools for Effective Meetings

Given we spend so much time in meetings, it’s worth the investment to make them as effective as possible. At Berlineaton, we endeavour to model effective meetings consistently by paying attention to 3 key elements: (1) Preparation, (2) Delivery and (3) Follow Up. We use tools, including meeting agendas, action trackers and session evaluations to increase the effectiveness of these elements. In this post, we provide a series of best practices and tools to help make the meetings you attend more effective.

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People Development

Personal Strategic Plan 

The turmoil of this pandemic has led many of us to reassess our personal, career, and financial priorities. As we make decisions about our future, it is essential to have a north star to guide us.  A personal strategic plan is a powerful tool to define your north star for 2022, and beyond. We have taken our organizational strategic planning methodology and revised it for personal use. Give it a try and see if it helps you gain clarity during these uncertain times.

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Strategy Development & Execution

Strategy Development & Execution Methodology

For the past 25 years, Berlineaton has been helping leaders set a bold course, with an aspirational vision, unique purpose, guiding values and effective strategies. Using our highly engaging and collaborative 6-step Strategy Development & Execution Methodology, we’ve helped hundreds of clients design exciting, bold and courageous futures, coupled with achievable, well-executed plans.

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Strategy Development & Execution

Strategic Framework

Our Strategic Framework serves as a “plan on a page”, and includes an organization’s Vision (desired future), Mission (unique purpose), Values (beliefs that drive behaviour) at the top.  VMV are further articulated into Goal Pillars, which are broad results that when achieved move an organization closer to living its mission and fulfilling its vision. Under Goal Pillars lie Strategic Priorities, the handful of ‘must dos’ and the non negotiables required to achieve your goals. Nested under each Strategic Priority are key activities which articulate who will do what by when to achieve the Strategic Priorities.

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Strategy Development & Execution

Tactical Planning Template

Our Tactical Planning template helps execute the plan on the page, and turn words into actions and results by helping organizations to identify and define the key activities required to achieve the goals and strategic priorities that underpin their vision, mission and values. Key activities are an essential part of defining how each strategic priority will be achieved, including who will do what by when, resourcing, and its importance. While strategic priorities can endure over many years, tactics in a tactical plan are typically refreshed every 12-18 months.

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Data & Insights

Communicating Insights from Data

Data is critical to decision making.  At Berlineaton, this is an area we continue to invest in, and encourage our clients to do the same. In 2020, we officially opened our Data and Insights practice and entered into a partnership with Qualtrics.  This leveled up our abilities, and we haven’t looked back. Drawing insights from data is a skillset all on its own and requires a thoughtful blend of art and science.  These five principles guide us in our work.

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Organizational Effectiveness

Board Governance Framework

Boards govern a multitude of organizations and yet, effective board governance is an ongoing quest. For the past 25 years, Berlineaton has been helping Board’s and the organizations they govern become more effective. Recently, we developed a Board Governance Model that outlines the drivers and attributes of effective boards. Our goal is to help Board’s self assess and then create action plans for improvement.

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People Development

Principles of Adult Learning

Andragogy, or Adult Learning Theory, recognizes that adults learn differently than youth or adolescents and require different approaches. We begin with 4 “must haves” for adult learning and provide 6 adult learning principles. At Berlineaton, we use these principles daily.

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Collaborative Solutions

Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a strengths-based approach to problem-solving. It involves the art and practice of asking questions that heighten positive potential. At Berlineaton, our approaches to solving complex problems consistently use Appreciative Inquiry.

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Collaborative Solutions

Open Space Conference

Designed by Harrison Owen, an Open Space Conference is a tool used to tap into the wisdom and ideas of a group while creating networking and sharing opportunities. At Berlineaton, we’ve facilitated dozens of Open Space Conferences over the past 25 years. They are fun, energizing, and elicit excellent results in a very short period. It is one of the most powerful and innovative facilitation techniques we use.

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People Development

Giving & Receiving Feedback

One of our most important tools came to us via our friends at The Roy Group, almost 20 years ago.  It has stood the test of time and has had a profound impact on our work, how we do things internally at Berlineaton, and how we work with clients.  It is the Feedback Model, and while simple, when applied well and consistently, this tool has the power to eclipse old ways of giving feedback and seed a dynamic, feedback rich culture that improves engagement, performance and results!

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Continuous Improvement

Deming’s PDSA Cycle and Principles of Continuous Improvement

Dr. Deming loomed large in Berlineaton’s early days. His work, beliefs, and principles guided the development of our Continuous Improvement methodology, which kickstarted our firm’s 25-year journey in March of 1996.

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Thank you to all our clients for these 25 years, some of which are noted:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Berlineaton staff are proud members of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants.  In 2021, Shelly Berlin & Richard Eaton were awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for their contribution to the profession.

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  • The emphasis on Strategic Management was important to us, since we didn't want a plan that sat on the shelf after several months of strategic thinking. I found that Berlineaton didn't come to our organization with a preconception of what our strategic plan would look like, but they made an authentic effort to understand the people in our community and be in tune with its ethos, its goals and its people. They gained trust and confidence and continue to work with us on the implementation of our tactical plan.

    Head of School in Victoria,

    British Columbia

  • I have engaged Berlineaton over the years to support a few different initiatives. I have found they bring very strong skills and tools in the areas of strategic planning, change management, facilitation, problem solving, project management, engagement management and team building.

    Associate Deputy Minister,

    BC Government

  • Your efforts in guiding the robust planning process that has resulted in UCC’s Strategic Directions were quite simply extraordinary; your partnership was integral to any success achieved. Thank you. I hope you are as proud of the final product as we are.

    Sam McKinney, Head of School,

    Upper Canada College

  • Overall, I would highly recommend Berlineaton for anyone seeking superior results in the field of facilitated, team-based process improvement that blend a focus on more task focused business results with the team, and overall people, engagement required to promote higher levels of ownership and execution success.

    Executive Director,

    BC Government

  • Berlineaton helped me work through staffing changes and a significant workload immediately following the COVID-19 outbreak. Our coaching sessions were very much appreciated, and I was able to re-focus on the strategic goals of our organization, while still leading my team and day-to-day operations. Being able to improve my leadership competencies and navigate the last few months was invaluable to say the least.

    Executive Director,

    Not-for-Profit Organization in British Columbia

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