CASE STUDY - ALISTAIR DOIG, Doig Hart Consultants
Alistair Doig used the Positive Action Club twice to resolve the problem of a succession plan which wasn't working.
Alistair and founding partner Dennis Hart successfully built up Doig Hart Consultants, but when Dennis retired Alistair admits he made a mistake in appointing a new partner who wasn't performing adequately and didn't have the drive the grow the business. Alistair feared the company would go out of business after he retired, threatening the loss of some or all of his capital and the jobs of the staff of nine.
Alistair involved his under-performing new partner in the Positive Action Club to address the issues that were concerning him about growing the business, but the partner didn't complete the course or face up to the challenges put to him.
Alistair enrolled on a second Positive Action Club course himself and as a result of discussions, he realised he needed to sell the business or merge it.
"We had a good practice and quite a few people were chasing us but I was worried that they were simply after our client base and would eventually lay off most of the staff," he said.
Doig Hart had worked with Capital Project Consultancy for a number of years and there was an awareness and mutual acknowledgement of the symbiosis that existed between the practices and the wisdom of adding a cost consultancy arm to the project management side of the CPC business.
Alistair had a good relationship with CPC's Glasgow manager Frank Crilley and a merger seemed a natural fit. Alistair approached CPC and they drew up heads of agreement for CPC to buy Doig Hart.
"Being at the Positive Action Club made me do it as opposed to just talking about it," said Alistair. "I went to CPC positively and month by month we drove things onwards and I would report my progress back to the Positive Action Club.
"I was driven on by the people in PAC who asked me some really in-depth questions and it wasn't always comfortable. People are often not very open and frank but, because of the complete confidentiality of PAC, you can be really honest and often find out that the problem you have is not the one you initially thought you had."
Alistair's business partner agreed to the buy-out and both partners became employees of the merged business.
"It was clear that the succession plan wasn't working. I knew what the problem was and the beauty of the Positive Action Club is that it made me do something about it," added Alistair.
"We could perhaps have soldiered on as Doig Hart Consultants but the risk was unacceptable and I knew that I had to act. The Positive Action Club ensured that I did exactly that."