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Focus - how one young CEO works to exceed client expectations

Jade Meskill heads up a Chandler-based software solution company called Integrum.  Meskill started the complany as an offshoot of his work with Liberty Distributuon, and over the last three years has about doubled the company's size.  What's really interesting about Integrum, though, isn't its continuing and steady expansion (although in 2009 that alone is a nifty note). 

No, what's really cool about Integrum is the way Meskill has so thoroughly integrated a singular management style/practice that genuinely puts the client experience first - and still allows plenty of room and time to develop a tightly-knit and committed team.

He works through a system called agile. The agile movement, establsihed by a group of "independent thinkers about software development" averse to "Dilbertesque organizations," espouses the value of individuals, interactions and customer collaboration over processes, over-documentation and contract negotiation.

In Integrum's work, this means first removing the barriers between the workers and the clients - which allows everyone to develop a shared understanding of the project at hand.  Then, Integrum's people are responsible for giving the client daily and weekly updates - so there are no surprises on either side.  Weekly team lunches update everyone internally, and give everyone an opportunity to review what's working, what isn't and why.

Two or three important things about this system - it's totally transparent, which means there's no fudging possible anywhere.  Second, it's designed to make project move efifciently, garnering the most productivity from everyone involved. 

Here's the next important thing:  This gives everyone an opportunity to develop a work life balance.  Because, as Meskill says, if you're consistently working 60 or 80 hours a week, there's no way you can be genuinely effective in your work. 

Does it work?  Integrum hit 30 percent growth last year - and they say they're poised to double that this year.  And yes - they are indeed hiring.

13.01.2009. 09:07

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