Past Work
Rapid Program Design and Deployment
OVERVIEW:
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Designed and executed strategy for half of a U.S. state’s COVID-19 economic recovery efforts - all initiatives relating to business, local government, and non-profit support
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Built and directed cross-matrix teams of over 60 leaders from the public and private sectors in data gathering, stakeholder engagement, and program creation
RESULTS:
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Created nearly $100M of new grant resources for small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments in less than 3 months.
Transforming Team Strategy and Structure
OVERVIEW:
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Following a large reorganization, led strategy and execution for operational and cultural transformation of a 55-member team
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Set clear team priorities, clarified roles and responsibilities across the organization, and built a leadership development strategy for managers and rising stars
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Redesigned and enhanced leadership team by creating new positions for operational excellence, upskilling team members, building succession plans, and recruiting key leaders​
RESULTS:
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Massive increases in all-staff organizational health data, including:
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Accountability up by 54%
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Team engagement up to 95% overall
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Shared vision up by 111%
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Employee involvement up by 133%
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Public Sector Reorganization
OVERVIEW:
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Designed and executed the largest reorganization of a U.S. state's government in nearly 40 years, impacting over 1,000 staff, coordinating 5 agencies, and made the complicated steps clear to each key stakeholder
RESULTS:
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Successful navigation through executive and legislative branches
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Successful realignment of 5 agencies, better targeting their missions, services, and operations to improve services for citizens across the state
Government Process and Policy Improvement
OVERVIEW:
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Directed major process improvement initiative for government tax credit programs totaling over $20M, which previously had reputations for being overly long and complicated
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Conducted robust stakeholder engagement and feedback
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Identified policy and process improvements
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RESULTS:
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Dramatically improved the application process and policies, resulting in:
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Saved nonprofits over 30 hours of work per application
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Reduced team's overall review time by nearly 50%
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Boosted team's confidence and capability for the future
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Negotiating to a Better Future
OVERVIEW:
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Helped a family-owned digital media business negotiate a clean, successful exit from a once-promising partnership that took ~30% of co-founders' time and failed to produce revenue
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Structured co-founders' needs, wants, best- and worst-case scenarios
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Designed multiple strategies depending on other party's response
RESULTS:
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Negotiated an exit that preserved co-founders' needs and ensured public relations alignment and litigation-free closure with their former partner
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Co-founders enjoyed considerable drop to their stress levels
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Co-founders able to focus time on revenue-generating areas of their business
Testimonials
"As a fast-growing nonprofit, my team was fighting fire after fire while working to get a handle on other very important things.
After listening to each of our teammates and truly understanding our mission and challenges, Michael helped our team structure our work, build out our priorities, and make sure we’re tackling the most important actions to help align as a team to serve our most important assignment, the community.
Would definitely recommend!"
Beverly Jenkins
President and CEO, Refuge and Restoration
"Michael’s tenacity to make a difference in the lives of citizens the world over is rooted in his insightful ability to analyze the real, underlying issues. Not only does he listen to what is said, he also notices what is unsaid. His methodology and penetrating questions help pinpoint the areas that need to be addressed with strategy and purpose.
This intentional approach was on display time and again as Michael set clear initiatives, priorities and professional development tracks that led to staggering increases in his team’s organizational health data.
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Exceptional!"
Ann Pardalos
Former Manager, Missouri International Trade and Investment Office; Former Deputy Division Director, Missouri Dept. of Economic Development
“Michael Lanahan is an exceptionally discerning servant-leader. He understands team dynamics in deep and impactful ways.
His work with the Ferguson Commission helped us navigate policy change in a complex environment while helping us to listen deeply to understand real and complex issues.”
