Syntelos

(sin-teh-loss)

The name Syntelos combines the Greek syn, meaning ‘together,’ and telos, meaning ‘purpose’ to convey the idea of ‘together in purpose.’

‘Together in purpose’ means two things in my consulting.

First, it describes what strategy is ultimately all about—enabling people to work together to achieve a common purpose.

Second, it represents how I engage with nonprofit leadership teams. I avoid the traditional transactional consulting relationship with clients: agree on deliverable, produce deliverable, get paid, move on. I have worked in that model before, and I no longer think it gives nonprofit leaders what they are really looking for.

Nonprofit leaders want meaningful strategic progress via a process they are proud of.

I help them reach this goal through deep partnership in guiding an organization’s strategic journey.

My partnership

Often, I support nonprofit leaders in guiding their organizations through a strategic planning process.

I help organizations assess their strategic current state and aspirations for the process through the lens of the interconnected choices strategic framework.

I then partner to co-create both the goals and scoping of the effort, as well as a process that is tailored to the unique values, context, and needs of the organization.

Then, the organization and I embark on the journey, adjusting as needed along the way.

Depending on what an organization needs most, I sometimes support in more targeted ways.

This can include clarifying specific components of strategy, for example:

  • Strategic diagnosis/theory of change development

  • Nonprofit operating model and business model design

It can also include strengthening organizational capabilities relevant to strategy execution, for example:

  • Annual goal-setting and planning processes

  • Strategic budgeting processes

And it can include processes for ongoing strategic learning, for example:

  • Regular strategic sense-making/option-framing/decision-making processes

  • Metrics/measurement and learning processes

  • Research/analysis and hypothesis testing

My Purpose

I’m building toward a future in which our economic and governance systems are equitable and just, and in which humans exist in harmony with our planet.

My contribution to this collective journey is to make strategy a more useful exercise for the mission-driven organizations who are actively building that future.

My partnership helps nonprofit organizations make meaningful strategic progress through a process they are proud of.

This is my purpose.

— Nick Takamine

Stay in touch

Curious? Send me a message, sign up for an occasional newsletter, or connect with me on LinkedIn.

I send occasional newsletters via Substack. Submit your email below if you want to receive these emails.

You can also send me an email using the form below: