In the ever-changing landscape of business and management, one name stands out as a beacon of expertise and innovation: Phil Bristol. With a remarkable career spanning over 35 years, Phil has emerged as a trailblazing force in the industry, revolutionizing the way organizations approach project management and strategic planning. As the Founder and Managing Principal of Projectivity Solutions, his visionary leadership has propelled the company to unparalleled heights since its inception.
Phil’s journey towards excellence began after his honorable discharge from the US Army in 1984. Recognizing his inherent talent for strategic systems consulting, he swiftly secured a pivotal role with an esteemed international pharmaceutical company. Phil’s expertise flourished as he ascended to the position of manager of manufacturing systems, honing his skills and gaining invaluable insights into the intricacies of corporate operations.
Driven by an unwavering desire to effect meaningful change, Phil took the leap of faith and established Projectivity Solutions in 1990. Initially catering to the technology companies in California’s vibrant Bay Area, the company swiftly made its mark by providing cutting-edge project management solutions. As the years progressed, Projectivity Solutions expanded its scope to encompass program management consulting and training, setting new standards of excellence in the industry.
The Fortune 500 companies soon recognized Phil’s exceptional capabilities, flocking to avail themselves of Projectivity Solutions’ transformative services. However, in 2004, Phil made a conscious decision to shift the company’s focus towards empowering small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. This strategic pivot allowed Projectivity Solutions to make a profound impact on emerging enterprises, fostering their growth and facilitating their journey to success.
Today, Projectivity Solutions boasts an impressive client portfolio spread across the United States, Europe, and India. By continuously evolving its service offerings, the company has become a trusted partner for organizations seeking to embark on the path of strategic planning, business process improvement, leadership development, and organizational culture transformation. The integration of these enhanced services provides clients with a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to their unique needs and maturity levels, ensuring optimal engagement and long-term success.
With Phil Bristol at the helm, Projectivity Solutions has not only withstood the test of time but has emerged as an industry leader, pioneering a new era of business excellence. As we delve into the depths of Phil’s remarkable journey and the transformative impact of Projectivity Solutions, prepare to be inspired by the limitless possibilities that lie within the realm of strategic management.
Transforming Businesses and Empowering Leaders
Projectivity Solutions builds people; it builds relationships; it builds high-performing trust-based cultures. Unlike other organizations, Projectivity Solutions uses over 130 years of science and research to objectively gather client data by conducting targeted “X-Rays” focused on 1) business operations, 2) relationships, 3) financial performance, and 4) mindset. The current core offerings are Enterprise Foundation Program, Exceptional Enterprise Program, Exceptional Manager Program, Exceptional Mindset Program, and Exceptional Leader Program.
Enterprise Foundation Program: Focused on Fast Results
Projectivity Solutions grows in-depth solutions that are uniquely configured to a company’s business. It approaches a business as a dynamic, living system filled with interrelated elements. It crafts a configurable solution by identifying the most critical factors to infuse into a business and prioritize accordingly.
- Exceptional Enterprise Program: Moving from REACTIVE to FOCUSED
Projectivity Solutions helps grow exceptional businesses through Stages of Growth™ methodology that identifies and infuses missing vital elements into a company’s ecosystem to create high-functioning, highly profitable organizations.
Just as there are vital elements that make up a healthy ecosystem, there are 11 components that make up an exceptional business. Each piece corresponds to a structured engagement that strengthens that particular business area.
- Exceptional Manager Program: Working ON the business, not working IN the business.
Moving from DOING to CRITICAL THINKING. The Exceptional Manager Program is a unique 12-month learning experience that shapes the management team into the backbone of an exceptional company.
- Exceptional Mindset Program: Creating a Culture
Moving from ME to WE. An outward mindset is a foundation for how we help leaders achieve sustainable growth and performance. An outward mindset is a foundation for true collaboration and collective business success. As such, a leader’s inward or outward mindset profoundly impacts leadership style, treatment of people, innovation, collaboration, team building, and overall business success.
- Exceptional Leader Program: Optimizing Human Potential
Moving from CONTROL to INFLUENCE. This program incorporates self-mastery skills and adds leadership skills that optimize team potential by building trust-based relationships. The third component is a culture of collaboration which optimizes the organizational potential by balancing business acumen and compassion. Finally, this program’s advanced leadership modules include conflict transformation and key person acquisition.
Integrating Science and Leadership Development
In his early career, Phil prioritized achieving business objectives with a pragmatic approach and high standards in execution. His leadership style drew heavily from logic, mathematics, and science. He also recognized the significance of organizational and leadership development, incorporating them into his core abilities.
Three programs significantly influenced Phil’s leadership style. The first is the Arbinger Institute’s Outward Leadership program, which emphasized leading with an outward mindset, considering others’ needs and perspectives.
The second program, Conversational Intelligence by CreatingWe, enhanced Phil’s communication skills and promoted a collaborative and constructive approach to interactions, emphasizing effective dialogue and trust-building within teams.
Lastly, Phil gained valuable insights into understanding human behavior and motivations through the Target Training Behavioral Assessment Suite. This knowledge enabled him to tailor his leadership style to diverse individuals and situations, optimizing team performance.
Phil acknowledges that younger leaders often prioritize personal achievements over collective success. His experiences and the knowledge gained from these programs reinforce his belief in the importance of teamwork and collaboration for exceptional results.
Building Trust and Collaboration
According to Phil, the most important traits to consider when hiring a new team member are their ability to establish high levels of mutual trust and their capacity to co-create, innovate, and transform shared experiences for the betterment of the team and organization. It is crucial to find someone who can hold a neutral space when exploring uncharted territory, actively listening to connect and foster enduring bonds of mutual respect.
Adapting to New Responsibilities
Over time, Phil, as the founder, has witnessed a shift in his responsibilities. Initially, he focused on commanding and setting the pace for the organization. However, the most challenging transition occurred when profitability and processes reached stability, and staff development became the top priority. At this stage, finding the appropriate skills and effectively delegating responsibility for achieving results became a deeply personal struggle for Phil.
As the program offerings expanded and roles and responsibilities became clearer, Phil’s leadership style evolved into a more balanced combination of pacesetting, affiliative, and visionary approaches. Presently, his fulfillment comes from coaching new team members and making a positive impact on the communities his organization serves.
If someone is stepping into a leadership role for the first time, Phil recommends objectively evaluating their personal strengths and challenges. They should familiarize themselves with the knowledge and skills of their team, create a practical action plan, and seek out a mentor for guidance in their development and growth.
Phil’s Mission and Future Plans
Phil’s role at Projectivity Solutions is to enhance business value by effectively identifying and resolving hidden barriers that hinder client satisfaction and productivity. By accelerating organizational performance, Phil’s mission revolves around identifying and eliminating unseen obstacles that have a negative impact.
During 2022, Phil’s focus was on conducting a comprehensive retrospective of the company’s services, staff, and clients. This retrospective aimed to gather valuable insights and feedback to further improve Projectivity Solutions’ offerings. The company remains dedicated to serving organizations with 500 or fewer employees, emphasizing operational excellence and fostering team collaboration.
Looking ahead to the plans for 2023-2024, Projectivity Solutions aims to refine its strategic planning service, ensuring it aligns with the evolving needs of clients. Additionally, the company plans to expand its services in Europe and India, recognizing the potential for growth and new opportunities in these regions.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
