Six Disciplines provides software to help small to mid-size businesses with their program execution and collaboration. However, it takes a somewhat unique approach in that it does not sell the software without the coaching and other services to increase the business impact of its use. I recently spoke with Gary Harpst, CEO and founder of Six Disciplines. His approach makes sense from my own experience. I find that when I provide guidance to a firm, if it is a one-time event, the success rate is much lower than if I am able to provide ongoing coaching for a while after the initial guidance. This has been the case over the past 25 years, and remains just as strong today.

Gary said he formed Six Disciplines in 2000 to help bring some of the best practices from large companies to help smaller firms and help them better leverage the web. He started an accounting software business, Solomon Software, 30 years ago that was eventually acquired by Microsoft after it merged with Great Plains. Six Disciplines is founded upon the lessons Gary and colleagues learned working with thousands of small- and mid-sized businesses through Solomon Software. He found that small companies need four key elements to be successful.

A business methodology and plan – this is where the Six Disciplines come in

A coach to provide an outside perspective on executing their methodology and plan

A software system to enable the plan and allow for collaboration

A community to share information and receive support

The firm needs to first have a vision of where they want to be in ten years. Then they need a goal statement for the next 2-3 years, and a one year plan that keeps rolling out a quarter at a time. Finally each individual needs a plan that supports the firm’s vision, goals, and plan. This sounds straightforward but I am sure than most small business do not operate that way.

To support this program, Six Disciplines offers a hosted solution that both the talent management issues but also the collaboration and content management requirements of a small business. Their platform acts to integrate a number of tools. The approach is to integrate with existing web-based tools rather than re-invent them and simply provide the connection points that align with their overall program. They can pull data from multiple sources and act as the glue.

Six Disciplines operates out of regional centers to provide more direct access to their coaches. They have an active blog, Be Excellent, to provide more of their story. Gary also recently a new book, Six Disciplines® Execution Revolution: Solving The One Problem That Makes Solving All Other Problems Easier, which is scheduled to be published in July 2008. In this book he details the elements of a complete strategy execution program, explains why it could only happen now with the current convergence of business issues and new technology.

My grandfather was a country doctor in Oklahoma before it was a state. When he bought one of the first cars in the county, the sales person came and lived on the arm for two weeks to teach him how to use the new technology. Even then it took him a while to make correct use of this tool and he almost went back to his horse and buggy for rounds. As small businesses move to make use of web technology, many for the first time, it makes sense that they need a coach. Six Disciplines offers more than just how to use the new technology, but the concept is the same. There is a significant mind set transformation in play.