Vision

What if the interests of businesses and employees were fully aligned so that both could prosper? Broughton Consulting seeks out and spotlights businesses that engage the ingenuity of all employees to operate more effectively and efficiently, and that share the financial benefits of doing so with everyone.

Re-imagining Leadership

The leaders of these businesses value every person and every job. They lead with humility, understanding that they can have a profitable, successful business while treating employees well. Some even share ownership with employees through ESOPs or broad-based stock options. One CEO of a metal forming company we spoke with recently could not imagine running a company any other way. “The people who work here are my posse,” he said. “They have my back and I have theirs.”

Alignment

There are blue collar employees who understand the workings of business so well that they are in great demand to serve on the boards of directors of local nonprofits. The employees at these model companies are motivated to learn a multitude of skills so that they can create products and supply services quickly, efficiently, and in a way that delights customers. They know that if they do their jobs well, they will earn a significant bonus check for their families. And they work as well-oiled teams, supporting each other and making improvements in processes and procedures as needed and with the full support of management.

Shared Values

Many of these companies have clear core values that they created together as a team and that serve as a shared language and structure in which to operate. One company went from a traditional “command and control” setup to a much more employee-driven structure. The CEO says his job is much easier and more fun now. Most of these firms have “no blame” problem-solving structures as well. They know that setting up these types of disciplines is worth the time and effort.

More Profits

Best of all, nobody is doing this just to be nice – it is a huge benefit to the bottom line. Fully engaging and tapping the ingenuity of every single person is the best proprietary advantage. These model companies inspire us, and we want to help many other businesses share the inspiration and find ways to adapt these practices to increase their alignment and bottom line success.

“It was a pleasure working with Anne-Claire on The Human Capital Advantage: A Curriculum for Early Stage Ventures. In addition to her considerable employee engagement expertise, she truly walks her own talk, empowering her partners to contribute to the development process. The result is a curriculum that will serve as an excellent resource for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders.”
- Renata Hron Gomez, Director of Entrepreneur Programs
"Anne Claire is the knowledgeable and enthusiastic consultant every business owner dreams about! She always had pertinent insights and was able to open doors I did not know existed. Highly recommended if you reach a crossroads and need help choosing the most vital option for maintaining and expanding the essence of your business."
-Blaise Kielar, Owner
"Anne Claire’s expertise in the field of employee engagement, as well as her tremendous research, writing, and communication skills, were essential to the development of our Business Action Guide initiative. She is a leader in her field, and brings great creativity and diligence to her work. She is great to work with and I would strongly recommend her."
- Tom Strong, Senior Program Officer
"Too often, I have worked with advisors who made assumptions about my business. Anne Claire, in contrast, first listened carefully and gained a deep understanding of our situation. Her analysis gave me valuable insights into the best path forward. I look forward to working with her again."
– Robert Petrusz, Owner
“If you can get Anne Claire to work on your project, you are already ahead of the game. She brings a valuable combination of knowledge, enthusiasm and clear direction to everything she does.”
-Heather Beard, Executive Director
“Anne Claire worked with M Creative, a value-driven strategic communications firm, to increase our transparency and accountability, helping us to ‘walk the talk.’ Her insights, compassion, and humor were invaluable as we became a certified B Corporation and implemented open book management. I highly recommend Anne Claire!”
-Mary Jamis, President
"Anne Claire masterfully coached me to uncover my true career path. Her insights and skills are life-changing!"
– Anna Adler, Storyteller and Senior Manager of Literacy Programs