627. Rod Neuenschwander, Author of From Crisis to Clarity and Co-founder of GIFT·OLOGY.

Show Notes:

Rod Neuenschwander, author of From Crisis to Clarity and co-founder of GIFT·OLOGY, recounts his early days with John Ruhlin, their initial plan to buy companies, and their first turnaround experience. He also talks about the formation of Ruhlin Group and their transition to GIFT·OLOGY, focusing on corporate gifting.

The Transition of Ruhlin Partners

Rod talks about the development of Ruhlin Partners, a firm that helped companies through crises, and how it was the foundation for a new book project. He discusses John Ruhlin's sudden death and his immediate need to reconstitute the firm. He explains his initial struggle with gifting, his team's expertise, and the overall support from his team. 

Fulfilling a Promise and a Framework for Turnarounds

The conversation turns to the idea of writing a book to fulfill a promise to John and provide a framework for turnarounds. He shares how John had been the top lead generator and how his crucial role in the firm left a large space to be filled. He explains the evolution of GIFT·OLOGY’s philosophy and the development of the Beyond GIFT·OLOGY program. 

The Focus of GIFT·OLOGY

Rod explains what GIFT·OLOGY is, how it works, and how it differentiates from other firms that play in this field.  The focus is on personalized, non-promotional gifts to build relationships. He talks about the importance of reaching clients on a personal level and being present to clients’ inner circles. He expands upon the acceleration of their platform and training program after John's passing, and how he managed the transition.

A Relationship Operating System

The interview moves on to the introduction of the Relationship Operating System to support leaders in building relationships, and Rod explains the components of the Relationship Operating System, including help identify, help  connect, help equip, help track, help celebrate, and help scale.  He talks about demonstrations of value, clarity conversations, and meaningful touchpoints through gifting. He also shares details about the development of a CRM plugin to support the training and execution of the Relationship Operating System and goes on to give a step-by-step explanation of the system.

The Design of Connection

Rod gives a detailed example of a client engagement, including the design of a connection plan, demonstration of value, how you communicate who you serve and how you serve,  and gifting campaigns. He explains the  role of GIFT·OLOGY in supporting leaders in their relationship-building efforts, and shares a detailed example of a client engagement, including the design of a connection plan and gifting campaigns. 

A Framework for Companies in Crisis

Rod explains how he uses  the same framework for GIFT·OLOGY as he does for other companies in crisis. He identifies the four types of crises: chronic underperformance, broken mirror, slow leak, and fire. Rod details the one-page recovery plan: clear purpose statement, go-forward operating plan, financial plan, and team plan. And he emphasizes the importance of moving fast with the plan and learning along the way.

The Success of From Crisis to Clarity 

Rod talks about his book and his satisfaction with the feedback received for From Crisis to Clarity. He explains that the book's focus is on providing a simple framework for founders to navigate crises. He shares how the editing process was precise to ensure the book is concise and valuable for its target audience, and he shares his thoughts on the ongoing support and growth of GIFT·OLOGY despite the challenges faced.

Timestamps:

04:05: The Impact of losing his business partner and friend.

09:53: GIFT·OLOGY’s Unique Approach to Corporate Gifting 

11:47: The Relationship Operating System and Client Engagement

20:48: Rod's Framework for Crisis Recovery 

28:44: The Success of From Crisis to Clarity

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rod-neuenschwander/

From Crisis to Clarity: https://fromcrisistoclarity.com/

GIFT.OLOGY Group: https://giftologygroup.com/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-627-rod-neuenschwander-author-of-from-crisis-to-clarity-and-co-founder-of-gift-ology/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

*AI generated timestamps and show notes.