Pat Nichols works with others to transform non-profit/non-governmental organizations, to enhance the lives of those they serve and to sustain the change he creates with his clients. Pat does this by:
- Serving as interim CEO of organizations facing strategic transitions, and
- Consulting with strong boards and CEO’s facing similar transitions.
Organizations are, and must be, constantly in transition. Periodically though, they find themselves facing more fundamental, strategic transitions. These include a turnaround, the startup, surviving an reputational crisis, exploring and/or executing a merger or reworking an outdated mission and strategy and restructuring around the change.
Surviving and prospering through such transitions requires a different set of skills than managing a stable organization. That’s where Pat comes in.
“Transition Leadership requires that we put the mission first, always first, building a renewed sense of teamwork around the values it implies. Second, out of the mission we build greater clarity—what does the mission require of us, how are we doing in meeting those requirements, how well do our strategies and tactics link to our mission?
Third, we commit ourselves to the highest standards of integrity—in intellect and in behavior. The growing rigor of this process pushes us, ultimately, to accountability—who must do what to advance the mission, to sharpen and reinforce our growing clarity? How do we set, judge and reinforce the integrity of our assessment and performance?
All of this, every element, requires that we listen, listen and listen some more, first to those we serve and then to other constituencies, engaging diverse perspectives and participants. It requires that we communicate with radical candor and transparency. It requires that we move both forcefully and experimentally. We move decisively, setting precise goals and strategies and evaluating our progress with great rigor always prepared to jettison ideas or strategies that aren’t working. And, it requires that we share and celebrate success.”
“Pat reminds me of something I heard…not long ago…“Right is right, even if no one is doing it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”
“(Pat) is a quick study, a gifted leader and mentor and tough as nails when the situation calls for him to be…He took the lead in making the operational changes and in bringing us together around some major strategic choices…Along the way (we) consistently met revenue and other board approved goals, reversing a number of years of shortfalls.”
“My view, simply put, is that Pat is the best in the turnaround business.”
‘I continue to marvel at how much had been accomplished…(The team’s)… diligence, preparation, commitment and deft touch in this transition were substantially a product of Pat’s…leadership.’
“…Integrity, intelligence, experience, professionalism and guts! And a nice guy to boot!”
“Whereas Pat demonstrated his fortitude by entering the perfect storm….
Whereas this storm required the ability to rebuild the ship and sail it at the same time…
Therefore be it resolved by the…Board of Directors that….we will always hold Pat in highest esteem and gratitude for being and authentic and capable captain and lantern holder to us as we navigated rough waters together and arrived safely to a new and better shore.”