Breaking the Cycle
Breaking the Cycle
Challenge
A leading national investment manager found itself in yet another painful restructuring - a cycle the company seemed to endure every seven years. Why?
Solution
• To understand the organization and earn employees’ trust, conduct a confidential, nationwide assessment interviewing staff at every level.
• Assemble cross-functional teams of mid-level executives to analyze financial performance, see issues firsthand, and propose solutions directly to senior management.
• Surface the root cause: a flawed HR model - especially a “two-years and out” analyst program that lacks a real “out.” Cohorts stack up, clogging the system and creating corporate bloat. As promotion opportunities narrow and company performance declines, painful layoffs become inevitable - every seven years.
• The fix: redesign the HR lifecycle from recruiting through succession. Reinforce the “two-years and out” rule so only a few exceptional analysts are invited to stay beyond two years.
Results
✅ A deep, one-time 10% reduction in force - painful but necessary to right-size the organization
✅ Increased morale as retained employees saw their recommendations drive change
✅ A leaner, higher-performing team delivering improved financial results
✅ No further restructurings required - 15 years and counting
Lesson
The best advisors use their ears and mouths in proper proportion: two to one. Listening builds trust, and together they yield vital information. Intelligently guiding employees to diagnose and solve their own problems - and frame recommendations so senior leadership can act on them - creates lasting change and strengthens culture.
About v3.0
Founded in New York in 2008 and headquartered in Miami since 2011, v3.0 helps businesses across the U.S. and beyond navigate complex challenges. We specialize in complex situations that demand broad, hands-on leadership across multiple functions for companies at major inflection points in growth, exit, integration, or turnaround. We serve as Interim or Fractional CEO/COO/CFO or as a highly embedded advisor. Our work spans strategy and operations, finance and marketing, analytics and execution.