It’s been a busy but extremely productive few months at Latchgate headquarters. If you follow me or subscribe to my newsletter, you might already be aware that I have dedicated a lot of time to leveling up my skills. This is not a new thing for me. My journey from freelance VA to OBM has been well documented in my feed. It’s a practice that I see as part of my ongoing personal and professional development, and also a direct response to the growing needs of my clients. I am on this journey as much with them as for them!

 

So where am I going next? Read on to find out more about my shift into the seat of Director of Operations and what it means for me and my clients.

 

So, what do my clients need from me now? What’s different?

I’d been seeing my OBM work make a subtle shift to responsibilities that included overseeing more operational aspects of my client’s business strategies. I was being asked to work with the directors to define and set more strategic goals and be increasingly responsible for the flow of operational information to the chief execs and the board. In effect, I was already doing a DOO role, but without the badge!

 

I knew I was a pivotal part of many of my client’s businesses and it was time to make it official.

Having spent over 15 years in Corporate Senior Management and then having come from a VA and OBM background (a progression-based step up the professional ladder), I knew I had more skills and abilities to tap into and share with my clients that were not exclusive to the VA/OBM space. These were..

 

• a natural ability and desire to lead
• operational experience from my previous corporate life
• and a rigorous approach to project management

These skills were begging to be put to better use. I was desperate to lead and build teams, to help CEO’s design new products and services and to put strategies in place to make these projects work and be profitable.

 

The certification presents itself like a smorgasbord of killer skills

It’s important for me to not only talk the talk but prove I can walk the walk too. I’m working closely with CEO’s and board members and they need to be reassured that I have the framework and skills to keep the company profitable and support them to build sustainable and efficient business models.

 

My certification with The Ops Authority is nearly complete (My certification was completed in October 2021 if you’re reading this at a later date). Human resources, project management, leadership, financial and data, communications, business structures – these are the six core areas I can now deliver on for my clients in a way I might not have done before.

 

This is a big deal and a step in my development that will see some changes to Latchgate in the coming months. I’m looking forward to taking on the new challenges brought to me by the role, and to supporting my existing clients with their business growth.

 

And this seems like a good time to tell you about one of the key services I’m now offering – the Strategic Mapping Method™. A laser-focused deep-dive into my client’s business strategy, from which a set of actionable, measurable and accountable steps are created to achieve the big picture goal. My clients love having the yearly, quarterly and monthly tasks broken down into an easy-to-follow action plan. Watch this space for more success stories coming soon!

 

I’d love to know from you what structure of support has worked best for your business and whether you see the role of a DOO becoming more prevalent as your business grows? Let me know in the comments!

 

If you want to hear more from me, follow me over on Instagram @Jane_devos or sign up to my fortnightly newsletter. And if you’d like some help structuring your business, getting your latest product launched, or advice on how better internal leadership can give your business the competitive edge, please book in for an informal coffee chat with me here.

 

For a detailed overview of the DOO job spec, check out this handy fact-sheet over on the I.O.D website.

 

Thanks for reading!