David Parker

David Parker has delivered more than 3,500 presentations, workshops, and strategic planning sessions for small, large and Fortune 500 companies. He brings with him more than 40 years of business consulting experience across the public, private, association, and non-profit sectors. His question-based approach to business strategy development has simplified how organizations approach strategic planning and walk away from a planning engagement with a tangible and actionable path forward.

Our Vision

In business today, leaders have many questions to wrestle with but among them is – how does my organization remain sustainable and relevant in an ever-evolving marketplace? Traditionally, this question is answered through strategy development which can be a daunting process for many. In our experience at OTM, we have found that strategic direction can be created by considering three critical

questions:

 What is happening in the marketplace that is impacting our business and our customers?

 So What are the implications of these trends on our business and the industry at large?

 Now What are we going to start doing, stop doing, continue to do to move the business forward?

Our Philosophy

We believe that strategic planning forces senior teams, directors, and business owners to envision and evaluate the future business climate and their strategic response in a structured and thoughtful way. Done well, it makes individuals, teams, and organizations more competitive and positioned to win.

Our Approach

Strategic planning should be designed to create a well-defined path forward that supports a vision for what the organization aspires to achieve. A critical outcome of our What/So What/Now What method is the development of a strategic pathway that leads to the effective execution of a series of actions based on prioritized strategic initiatives.

Engaging us to assist you with strategic planning typically follows this path:

Step One

 A virtual kick-off with business leadership to confirm scope and desired outcomes.

Step Two

 Conduct individual interviews with key stakeholders and business influencers (up to 15 interviews depending on the size of the organization).

Step Three

 Facilitation of a 1.5-2 day planning session with senior leadership (board members and trusted advisors, when appropriate). This session will be tailored to the needs of the organization, but typically explores:

 Environmental Scan Analysis

 Guiding Principles Confirmation

 Strategic Intent Development

 Strategic Initiative Creation

 Preliminary Action Plans

Optional Step

 One-day facilitated working session with organization stakeholders to refine Action Plans that inform their go-forward activities.

Your Outcomes

This approach allows your organization’s Board of Directors and senior leaders to reach a consensus on important strategies and tactics necessary to guide the organization into the future. The result will provide your board and leaders with the ability to establish clear direction, make wise business decisions, define a unique position of differentiation, and create an engaging workplace.

What brought you to the dance might not keep you there as customer expectations are constantly changing and customer loyalty can be as volatile as the cost of money. A confluence of global events (financial volatility, political unrest, and supply chain disruption) impacts how customers are served, and businesses are managed. Today’s leaders need to reexamine their priorities and focus on managing short-term pressures to position themselves for long-term viability. During our time together we will explore how the ability to pivot business focus during uncertain times is crucial to sustainable business success.

We have all heard and probably experienced the impact of the macro trends in the industry. The consolidation trend throughout the value chain has created three very distinct and frankly indisputable facts for distribution: there are fewer customers; control is in fewer hands; and competition is increasing. This session will look at two common distribution responses to customer consolidation: development and execution of a strategic account strategy and the talent required to meet the needs of the emerging customer. This session will share key observations, insights, experiences, and strategies from across a variety of industries.

Volatility and disruption are the new “normal” no matter where you play in the agriculture supply chain. Long-term planning windows have shortened, and organizations need to adopt a mindset and a business strategy that allows them to be responsive and agile. Organizations need to shift how their business operates and rethink where and how profit is generated. Given this dynamic, leaders in agriculture need the capabilities to determine the WHAT, SO WHAT, NOW WHAT impact of any market disruption so they can develop a strategic business plan that allows them to stay be sustainable when most of the time the rules of the game aren’t very clear. In this presentation, we will look at current trends/disruptors and their implications to future business survival and sustainability.

When choices are plentiful and prices are competitive, how do you persuade a customer to do business with you – by providing value, of course? 

Many make claims to deliver value, but is it value that is truly meaningful to the customer? Having a clear understanding of what your customer’s value and then having the means to deliver it will give you opportunities that your competitors may have a hard time competing against.

In this session we will explore:

• The importance of adaptability
• Defining value
• Showing up differently
• Moving your customer relationships forward

The seasoned seller of today must wear many hats. They must be seller, counselor, account manager, trainer, consultant, and visionary – just to name a few.

With these responsibilities comes the need to hone one’s skills, especially considering the increasingly competitive environment of tomorrow.

The ability to help guide customers through an uncertain future is critical to long-term success. Not just outstanding questioning skills, but guiding questioning skills are required, and the vision-selling session will focus there.

Additionally, the concept of differentiation of products, services, and seller, and how to quantify those differences will be addressed. Finally, focusing on long-term key account strategies to create customers for life will round out the session. 

One of the keys to a successful business is to get product to a customer at a competitive price, but also in a timely fashion. While efficient logistics is paramount to supply chain success – the recent pandemic has exposed a slew of vulnerabilities. Availability of labor, access to materials, economic limitations, political climate, transportation availability, storage capability, and seasonal demand are among the factors that must be understood to get a handle on how supply chain issues may impact your business. To be successful during the ebb and flow of your supply chain; accurate forecasting, planning, contingency planning, and of course execution will be essential tools for your business and critical to meeting the needs of new and existing customers.

Parker will also discuss the outlook for the current supply chain disruptions, and explore if/when ‘normal’ will return.

What makes effective teams? How can a manager make their team stronger? Exploring the dynamics of teamwork using stories and exercises will help leaders improve their teambuilding skills.  Participants will be able to go back to their offices and lead their teams through a series of exercises in order to build collegiality and team spirit – resulting in higher levels of productivity and profitability.