Frequently Asked Questions

ACEs Blue Business Consulting provides business and management consulting services to help businesses improve their performance, productivity, and profitability.  The services can be applied in a packaged form, based on the size of the organization, or piecemeal as needed.  

Packaged services include all materials, regular progress audits, and weekly meetings to guide the implementation of the Success Operating System (SOS) as customized to the needs of the client. Services that can be applied piecemeal include Risk and Issue Management training, Lessons Learned process training, government contract pricing and proposal support, process analysis and improvement support, and project management process support.

The Success Operating System (SOS) can be applied to any structured organization whether for profit, non-profit, or a competition-based team. Our preferred implementation is the application of the full SOS because we believe that all aspects of it are important for long term success.  However, most any business can benefit from our services, with the approach varying based on the size and needs of the organization. We have seen notable success even with partial implementation.

The full SOS implementation is generally best for companies with some organizational structure, 25 - 250 employees, and approximately $300k - $10M in annual revenue.

Smaller businesses with up to ~25 employees benefit from a streamlined version of the SOS that addresses only the primary activities in each activity group.

Solopreneurs and single-member LLCs benefit from a condensed version of the SOS that focuses only on select activity groups in the leadership and operations area.

The cost of ACEs Blue Business Consulting's services varies depending on the scope of the project. Because any package can be expanded to include other services, and because we want you to feel 100% comfortable and confident in your choice to work with us, our preferred engagement method is a low-cost one-month trial where you can try out our services before committing to a long-term plan. Month-by-month plans are also available.

The Success Operating System (SOS) is a collection of 48 activity groups specifically designed to change the behaviors of the organization to build a better, more focused way of working. That new way of working leads to improved function and financials, more engaged and enchanted teams, and reduced dependence on the owner or a small group of individuals to function daily. 

The premise is that long-term stability, profitability, and repeatability only come when built from the inside out with self-sustaining behaviors and systems. Furthermore, they only exist in an environment where authentic leaders create inspiring environments that attract and retain enchanted teams that then follow those leaders willingly. For that to happen, the organization needs a shared vision, mission, and values and an environment that actively promotes and celebrates trust, growth, and collaboration.

Thus, the activity groups of the SOS are organized to include specific activities for leaders, the organization at large, and individuals, all around the characteristics of mission, trust, growth, and collaboration. Behind the scenes are practical steps supported by evidence, examples, and templates derived from real-world application. Investing in the behaviors that create self-sustaining systems and ways of working creates lasting value that continually propels your organization forward.

The Success Operating System (SOS) was built from a combination of three decades of experiences (good and bad), augmented by accepted tenets of the practical aspects of leadership, business, and organizational behavior. The activities in the SOS have been validated against the teachings of more than two dozen experts in these fields and reviewed by professional practitioners. This is what makes the SOS truly unique among other organizational improvement systems. You can bury yourself in the study of these topics, read dozens of books, and try to extract the useful parts, or you can implement the SOS which has already done that for you.

Risk management is the intentional process of defining, assessing, mitigating, and tracking the risks (and opportunities!) associated with the function of your business. It involves defining the list of risks along with the details of how they could occur, the likelihood, and the impact. That information is then used to prioritize the specific actions you will take to either minimize the impact or the likelihood, in the case of a risk, or maximize the likelihood or benefit, in the case of an opportunity.

The primary benefit of risk management is that it drives collaborative conversations about the business requirements, processes, sources of risk, and how you can prepare for them. It helps eliminate or at least minimizes the impact of unexpected change and the turmoil that follows. This is important because, while the likelihood of many risks is low, the impact can be significant. Think of it like car insurance. No one plans to have an accident but when it happens you don't want to bear the full impact alone. 

For example, how might a restaurant respond to the notification that their primary supplier is unable to deliver the anticipated supplies needed for a busy weekend of customers? Planning for such things in advance significantly reduces the likelihood, impact, and stress associated with unexpected challenges and positions the organization to take advantage of opportunities they may not have otherwise considered.

Project management is the organized approach to the execution of complex tasks, usually temporary in nature, and intended to deliver a specific product or service. An example might be developing an app or other type of software for a customer or internal use, organizing a major event, planning a building or system upgrade, implementing a major organizational initiative, or delivering a multi-step service. 

It typically includes activities such as defining the tasks that need to happen, the dependencies between then, milestones and deadlines to be met along the way, the resources that will be used, the stakeholders sponsoring, controlling, or otherwise interested in the result, details of the items/services to be delivered, risk management, budgeting and financial management, reporting requirements, and any other aspects that will or could impact the plan.

There are many standards and tools for supporting project management, with the most common method defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Best practices generally include stages such as Definition, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closeout with ongoing practices for Risk and Issue Management, Stakeholder Management, Reporting, and Change Management. The best approach for any organization is one that considers the accepted standards while also customizing it for that organization's specific needs.

The benefits of project management include better and more predictable outcomes, improved collaboration among team members and other stakeholders, better insight into project status, and fewer surprises.

This is the perennial business problem: knowing when to invest (time and/or money) to improve your business or focus on the things you are already doing. The problem is that what brought you to this point is unlikely to get you where you want to go. You aren't going to get ahead by working harder at what you're already doing. In fact you may already be overwhelmed. You likely realize that or you wouldn't be reading this.

That being said, taking on another initiative, even one aimed at improvement, requires investment. That's why the Success Operating System (SOS) very intentionally includes steps to remove some of the things you are doing today that do not align with where you want to be. That's also why we very intentionally start by clearly defining where you want to be (Vision), how you are going to get there (Mission), and how you will function along the way (Values). Leaning on vision, mission, and values as a decision aide, we help you trim out the activities that do not keep you perpetually pointed to your goals.

Done properly, this new focus pays for itself by freeing you from activities that aren't aligned so you can continue working on the things that are aligned.

The three roles of the Success Operating System (SOS) are Leadership, Environment, and Teams. The roles were chosen because they are generic to virtually every organization and at any given time, a single person may represent any one, two, or all three of them. For example, a team lead represents leadership for her team, but is also a contributor and user of the environment, and operates as a team member with her peers. 

Each of those roles embodies different behaviors, depending on the context the role is fulfilling at the time. Further, the behaviors in the SOS are intentionally complementary across all three. Leadership behaviors are generally concerned with strategy, definition, goals, and alignment. Environmental behaviors are generally concerned with the implementation of the systems and procedures designed to meet the goals and to be used by the teams. Team behaviors are focused on individuals and how they use and interact with the systems and each other. The behaviors in these simultaneously reinforce and fine tune the collective way of working.

The four characteristics of the Success Operating System (SOS) are Mission, Trust, Growth, and Collaboration. There is no single definitive source for these. Rather, they are the result of examining what leaders need from the organization and its people and what people need from the organization and its leaders. Synthesizing those needs into like categories results in these four characteristics, though each role seeks different, though not incompatible, things in each.

For example, when considering mission (broadly including vision, mission, values, and goals), leaders want the organization to implement systems that align and serve the mission. They also want the people to embrace the mission, pursue the vision and goals, and act in accordance with the values.

The organization seek clarity of mission from leadership and investment in the environment it builds and operates to ensure it is aligned with the mission. What the organization wants from the people is to adopt and use the systems and processes as intended while also providing constant feedback on their effectiveness.

For their part, the people want from leadership a mission that resonates with them personally and represents a purpose larger than simple exchanging tasks for a paycheck. They also want to see that decisions and actions from leadership are aligned with the declared mission, vision, and values. From the environment, the people want to be recognized as a professional in their role in pursuit of the mission, to have some autonomy in how they do the work, and to be recognized for their contributions and expertise.

For these reasons, the behaviors in the SOS in each of these categories are intentionally complementary across the roles and designed to promote and reward the behaviors that meet the collective needs of the entire organization.

The contents of the Success Operating System (SOS) are currently being compiled into a book that will eventually be available for purchase. In the meantime, various portions of the SOS and the philosophies behind them and their implementation will be shared piecemeal through various channels to include our newsletter, blog, Facebook group, and general posts to outlets such as Instagram, our Facebook page, and LinkedIn. We encourage you to join the group and/or follow us in one or more of these channels.

Consulting services are recommended in support of the implementation of the SOS for three primary reasons. 1) The behaviors are intentionally generic in language and the application to a specific organization is highly dependent on the context. That context is best uncovered through conversations with a professional implementer. 2) Without professional guidance, the steps in the SOS can appear overwhelming at first. The consulting services clarify meaning and application in a manner that is best suited for the organization. 3) Consulting services come with templates to ease implementation and the personal accountability needed to ensure you stay on track and don't get overwhelmed.

The activities in the Success Operating System (SOS) are organized into a table of behavior groups according to the role and the characteristic. The three roles of Leadership, Environment, and Teams make up the rows. The four characteristics of Mission, Trust, Growth, and Collaboration make up the columns. Thus, there are 12 main behaviors.

Each behavior is then further divided into the specific types of actions need to solidify that behavior. These include Align (defining, aligning, and accepting responsibility), Communicate (both sharing and requesting), Invest (time, money, and other resources), and Demonstrate (actively illustrating).  This results in 48 unique activity groups, each with unique identifiers of the form Role Characteristic Action. See our SOS page for a representation of the full set of activities.

For example, LMA is the activity group associated with Leadership Mission Alignment activities. ETD is the activity group associated with Environment Trust Demonstration activities. and TGI is the activity group associated with Team Growth Invest activities.

Where possible, these activity groups will be referenced in published materials to help convey the aspect of the SOS that is being discussed.

The benefits of implementing the Success Operating System (SOS) include being clear with your organization and everyone you work with about where you are and where you desire to be. This is needed to ensure the goals, roles, systems, and people are all aligned and moving in the same direction. That new focus allows you to stop investing in the things that don't keep you aimed toward your vision while shifting those resources to the things that do. In that sense, implementing the SOS properly should not cost you any resources since they are simply more properly implemented.

Another major advantage of the SOS is that it creates an environment where your employees are respected, trusted, and engaged. Not only will they be more loyal and committed to the mission, they will naturally work to improve your systems and processes, since they are the ones using them daily. Obviously, this requires trust to be initiated from the top down but that investment pays tremendous dividends in the long run.

From a financial perspective, each organization's Return on Investment (ROI) is different, but here are some examples based on nationwide averages for the cost of a typically employee. The savings indicated are based on an annual estimate.

-Reduce turnover of personnel by 1 person = $27k - $72k

-Increase profitable tasks by 1% per person = $5k - $125k

-Reduce unproductive time by 1% per person = $5k - $125k

-Reduce rework/waste = $1k - $10k