JOHN CARROLL
ACIONISTA E CEO, CARROLL FAMILY FARMS
"My Bahia, Brazil based agricultural business began implementation of the Scaling Up methodology three years ago. After a year of self-driven implementation of the methodology we began looking for a coach. We had come a long way on our own but there were some concepts we didn’t fully understand how to implement. We hired Nick and he was able to cater to our specific needs. With our business already having implemented many of the concepts, Nick was able to bypass those and focus on the exact issues we needed coaching on. Besides walking us through the training modules, he also adds a fresh set of eyes and ears as we discuss strategy at our quarterly offsite meetings. My executive team has been together 10-15 years and we run the risk of thinking the same way and reaching the same conclusions without Nick there to make us question ourselves or see things differently”
We began by outlining which of the Rockefeller Habits were most lacking and would provide the best return once implemented, and then we set timelines for implementation. The habit of “Establishing a Communication Rhythm” was so well received by employees company-wide, that we received immediate complaints if a daily huddle was missed. Most of our quarterly and annual goals were focused on implementation of additional Rockefeller Habits.
Defining company values was not something I had deemed as important for most of my career. I was working closely with many of the employees and my values “rubbed off” on them. Scaling Up helped me realize that as the company had grown I’d lost direct contact with many of the employees which put us as risk at having an unwanted culture change. With the Scaling Up book in hand, we went on an 18 month journey to define what our values are. It was one of the most rewarding and impactful tasks I’ve ever undertaken, and those five simple values now stand at the centerpiece of every hire, fire, and decision made in our business."