Leading by DESIGN - Comprehensive Analysis Report
Summary
Leading by DESIGN is a leadership development company established in 2014 by Rodger Price in West Michigan. Its core mission revolves around empowering individuals to discover and cultivate their inherent leadership potential, guided by the belief that effective leadership is a learnable skill developed through experiential and reinforced models. The company is committed to fostering a strong leadership community in West Michigan, aiming to establish the region as a hub for exceptional leaders. It plays a significant role in the leadership development industry by offering personalized, application-focused programs that move beyond traditional content delivery.
1. Strategic Focus & Objectives
Core Objectives
Leading by DESIGN's main business objective is to equip leaders with essential tools and training. The programs are designed to help individuals align with their unique leadership blueprint, fostering long-term success through sustained processes and practical application. A key goal is to ensure leaders internalize concepts via on-site learning and reinforce these learnings through real-world application, supported by structured accountability and ongoing coaching.
Specialization Areas
The company specializes in various leadership development programs, including one-on-one executive coaching, executive team development, and small group classes. Their unique value proposition lies in a personalized, experiential learning model that emphasizes self-discovery, practical application, and continuous support. This approach differentiates them from traditional, content-heavy training by focusing on leadership as an individualized journey.
Target Markets
Leading by DESIGN primarily targets leaders and organizations within West Michigan. The company aims to build a strong regional presence and contribute to the area's leadership ecosystem.
2. Program Offerings
Key Programs/Services
Leading by DESIGN offers a suite of leadership development programs:
One-on-One Coaching:
Description: Personalized coaching sessions tailored to individual leaders.
Development Stage: Fully mature and actively delivered.
Target Market/Condition: Individuals seeking intensive, custom leadership growth.
Key Features and Benefits: Deep self-discovery, focused skill enhancement, and direct accountability.
Executive Team Development:
Description: Programs designed to enhance the cohesion, effectiveness, and strategic capabilities of leadership teams.
Development Stage: Fully mature and actively delivered.
Target Market/Condition: Executive teams aiming to improve collaboration, decision-making, and overall performance.
Key Features and Benefits: Improved team dynamics, better strategic alignment, and collective leadership growth.
Small Group Classes:
Description: Structured learning experiences delivered in a small group setting.
Development Stage: Fully mature and actively delivered.
Target Market/Condition: Leaders who benefit from peer learning, shared experiences, and group discussions.
Key Features and Benefits: Collaborative learning environment, diverse perspectives, and community support.
LEAD 24/7 Alumni Program:
Description: A continuous professional development program for alumni, jointly served with DISHER.
Development Stage: Ongoing operational program.
Target Market/Condition: Graduates of Leading by DESIGN and DISHER programs seeking continued leadership insights and application.
Key Features and Benefits: Sustained engagement, exploration of evolving leadership concepts, and networking opportunities.
3. Methodology & Approach
Leading by DESIGN employs a distinctive methodology rooted in experiential and reinforced learning models. The company’s approach is centered on:
Experiential Learning: Leaders learn by doing, applying concepts in real-world scenarios.
Reinforced Learning: Key learnings are solidified through practical application and structured accountability.
Ongoing Support: Continuous guidance and support are provided through group discussions and one-on-one coaching to ensure long-term behavioral change and leadership growth.
Personalized Blueprinting: Emphasis on helping individuals discover and develop their unique design for leading effectively, moving beyond generic leadership models.
4. Leadership & Management
Executive Team
Rodger Price - Founder and Managing Partner
Professional Background: Founded Leading by DESIGN in 2014. Possesses a background as an engineer and businessman, complemented by extensive experience as a coach and teacher.
Notable Achievements: Established the company with a unique perspective on leadership development.
Key Contributions: Drives the company's vision and core methodology, passionate about science, learning, and faith.
Elizabeth Rolinski - Managing Partner
Professional Background: Years of experience building and leading global teams as a key operations leader.
Key Contributions: Focuses on developing leaders in West Michigan, championing environments where team members are invested, growing, and excited.
Jeffrey Boersma - Learning and Development Principal
Professional Background: Coached top-level leaders in various industries (business, education, non-profit) since 2000. Holds a doctorate in leadership.
Notable Achievements: Trained numerous other coaches.
Key Contributions: Brings extensive coaching expertise and academic rigor to the development programs.
Meredith Nieuwsma - Learning and Development Principal
Professional Background: Coaches a diverse range of individuals, with a focus on women, emerging leaders, and those in career transitions.
Notable Achievements: Trained hundreds of people in coaching methodologies.
Key Contributions: Provides specialized coaching insights, particularly for specific demographics and career stages.
Tami Sneller
Key Contributions: Leads the LEAD 24/7 alumni program, providing a platform for continuous exploration of leadership concepts and their application.
Brent Heeres
Professional Background: Over 30 years of experience in engineering, ministry, and leadership development.
Key Contributions: Dedicated to fostering resilience and well-being in team members and advocating for supportive professional and personal environments.
Gerald Alvaro
Professional Background: Deeply committed to people, having coached individuals and developed multiple leadership programs.
Key Contributions: Supports individuals in their career and personal advancement, committed to community and workplace growth.
5. Social Media Presence and Engagement
Digital Footprint
Leading by DESIGN maintains an active social media presence, primarily through its leadership team on platforms like LinkedIn. The company's digital footprint highlights its commitment to experiential learning and continuous support in leadership development.
Brand Messaging and Positioning: The messaging consistently emphasizes personalized approaches to leadership training. It distinguishes the company from traditional, content-heavy programs by focusing on self-discovery, dynamic team interactions, and the practical application of leadership principles.
Community Engagement Strategies: Content often includes insights into transforming leadership definitions and practices. The company engages its audience by sharing testimonials from clients, such as engineering and HR directors, who attest to the transformative impact of their programs.
6. Competitive Analysis
Major Competitors
While specific direct local competitors in West Michigan were not detailed, the broader market for leadership development and sales training includes a variety of firms with different specializations:
SuccessCOACHING: Offers coaching programs, often focused broadly on professional development.
JB Sales, Skaled, SaaSy Sales Leadership, Force Management, Sandler Training: These companies typically focus on sales training, sales leadership, and improving sales performance, often using data-driven approaches and specific methodologies.
memoryBlue, INFUSE, CIENCE: These firms tend to focus on demand generation, outbound sales, and managed services, often leveraging data and technology to create leads.
Leaders By Design (leadersbydesign.net): This entity provides executive coaching and leadership consulting.
Company Overview: Offers research-based and experienced-driven executive coaching.
Focus Areas: Tailored for senior executives with a focus on strategic, research-driven coaching and leadership consulting.
Technological Capabilities: Leverages research and proven methodologies.
Notable Achievements: Aims for impactful, customized development for top-tier leaders.
Competitive Positioning: Positions itself as a high-level, research-informed executive coaching provider.
Leading by DESIGN differentiates itself with its unique "design for leading" philosophy, emphasizing sustained, experiential learning and a strong community-building focus in West Michigan, rather than solely sales-focused or broader corporate consulting.
7. Market Analysis
Market Overview
The market for leadership development is undergoing significant evolution, driven by a growing understanding that integrating design principles into business strategy yields superior market performance. Companies that prioritize design leadership demonstrate substantially faster revenue growth and higher total returns to shareholders compared to industry peers.
Key Market Trends:
Design-Led Strategy: Increasing recognition of design as a strategic imperative for business growth.
Customer Loyalty: Focus on user-friendly products and services to enhance customer loyalty.
Market Differentiation: Use of design to create unique market positions.
Operational Efficiency: Leveraging design to streamline operations.
Innovation Pipeline: Emphasis on strategic product development and robust innovation aligned with market growth.
Adaptive Leadership: Demand for leaders who can drive innovation, navigate rapid change, and leverage new technologies.
Growth Potential: The market shows robust growth potential, as businesses increasingly seek leadership development that fosters adaptability, resilience, data-informed decision-making, and a clear view of organizational capabilities. Companies are investing in developing leaders who can effectively address customer needs and build strong brands.
Market Challenges and Opportunities: Challenges include the rapid pace of technological change and the need for continuous skill development. Opportunities arise from the demand for personalized, practical, and long-term leadership development programs that can help organizations build future-ready leaders.
8. Operational Insights
Leading by DESIGN holds a unique position in the West Michigan leadership development market, defined by its specialized approach.
Current Market Position: The company is positioned as a provider of personalized, experiential leadership development, particularly within its regional focus of West Michigan. Its commitment to sustained processes and practical application distinguishes it from more generalized training providers.
Competitive Advantages:
Unique Methodology: The "discover and develop unique design for leading" philosophy provides a highly personalized and differentiated approach.
Experiential Learning Focus: Emphasizes practical application and reinforcement, leading to deep internalization and lasting behavioral change.
Long-Term Engagement: Commitment to ongoing accountability and support through coaching and alumni programs ensures sustained results.
Regional Specialization: Strong focus on building exceptional leaders within West Michigan, fostering local expertise and community.
Operational Strengths: The company's strengths lie in its dedicated team of experienced leadership development professionals, its robust program structure that includes one-on-one and group formats, and its emphasis on sustained support mechanisms like the LEAD 24/7 alumni program. This allows for comprehensive and adaptive leader development.
9. Future Outlook
Strategic Roadmap
Leading by DESIGN is well-positioned to capitalize on evolving market trends and expand its influence.
Planned Initiatives: The company's emphasis on long-term engagement, practical application, and individualized coaching aligns perfectly with the market's increasing demand for adaptive and resilient leadership.
Growth Strategies:
Deepening Regional Presence: Continue to strengthen its position as a premier leadership development provider in West Michigan, becoming a recognized hub for exceptional leaders.
Specialized Program Offerings: Potential to further refine or expand specialized programs catering to specific industries or leadership challenges, building on its expertise in personalized development.
* Geographic Reach Expansion: While currently focused on West Michigan, the proven model of experiential and reinforced learning offers potential for thoughtful expansion into neighboring regions or through virtual engagement.
Expansion Opportunities: The growing recognition that design principles lead to market outperformance creates a fertile ground for Leading by DESIGN’s unique approach. The focus on developing leaders who can drive innovation, align team efforts with strategic objectives, and navigate rapid change positions the company for significant growth.
Future Challenges and Mitigation Strategies: Potential challenges include competition from larger national firms and the need to continuously adapt programs to new leadership demands (e.g., AI integration, remote work leadership). Mitigation will involve maintaining its specialized, high-touch approach, investing in continuous curriculum development, and leveraging its strong regional reputation and client testimonials.
