AMC21 CaseStudy3 stle large

Case Study: Strategically Leveraging Possibilities

Using Anticipatory Organization methodology to anticipate future trends and challenges and leverage the possibilities they provide to enact transformative change.

Challenge

The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) is the premier technical society serving the needs of more than 13,000 individuals and 250 companies and organizations that comprise the tribology (the study of interacting moving surfaces) and lubrication engineering business sector. 

With technology’s rapid growth and profound effect on tribology, STLE realized they needed a more robust strategic plan to set the next stage for its future. The organization sought a qualified strategic planning expert and skilled facilitator who could help the Society address current trends, anticipate what lay on the horizon, and develop a plan to help STLE remain nimble and forward-thinking.

Process

STLE worked with AMC Consulting Services to first evaluate their current strategic plan. While it was an effective tactical plan, AMC Consulting discovered that a more strategic and forward-thinking approach would better position STLE to anticipate future trends and challenges and leverage the possibilities they provide.

AMC hosted several sessions using the Anticipatory Organization framework with STLE’s executive committee, board of directors, and staff. This included reviewing concepts from The Anticipatory Organization by Daniel Burrus. While retaining a mission and vision, Burrus offers a framework to look at trends and data in a way that creates a culture of innovation as it relates to both every day and transformative change. These sessions enabled the stakeholders to redirect their focus and raise their level of thinking to orient them into an anticipatory mindset for long-range strategic planning.

AMC also worked with STLE’s executive committee to think strategically about where they should be, what they could be doing, and developing a better understanding of what role STLE plays in society at large.

Results

After facilitated strategic planning discussions, AMC was able to help STLE craft a new plan with a forward-thinking strategy driving the tactics. The 3-year plan has helped and will continue to shape the actions and allocations of resources for the organization. In addition, AMC helped STLE reach its goal of being more transparent and creating a shared vision of the future with its stakeholders by creating visually appealing versions of the plan for their members and prospects. This has allowed the organization to increase transparency and build unity in where STLE is headed.

“AMC Consulting came through for our organization in many ways, some that we expected and some that presented unique challenges. We expected and received solid guidance on how to evaluate our situation and modify the existing strategic plan. What we did not expect was a need to keep our leadership on task with the plan despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic hitting right in the middle of the planning process. The AMC consultants enabled us to steer through that situation and complete a plan that will serve STLE well as we navigate the ‘new normal’ of a post-pandemic world.”
—Ed Salek, CAE, Executive Director, STLE