Together for good – the client challenge
Established by MacKillop Family Services (MFS) in 2019, The MacKillop Institute serves as the external facing division of the business, offering professional learning services and a suite of evidence-informed programs. The Institute draws on MacKillop’s frontline experience and evidence-based practice to promote wellbeing, resilience, and learning, based on their deep understanding of the impacts of adversity, change, loss, grief, and trauma
Their partnership with Cube Group began in 2021 as MFS engaged us to support continuous practice improvement for their residential care services. Based on the quality of our analysis, recommendations, and the strength of our partnership, MacKillop re-engaged Cube to set confident business development and strategic goals for The MacKillop Institute for 2023-2027.
Bringing the right thinking and people to the table
A key priority of MacKillop’s Strategic Plan was to create and implement a business development strategy that would support the Institute to be responsive to the needs of external organisations, provide quality professional learning and develop into a successful commercial enterprise.
With our signature ‘engagement-led’ approach, we looked ‘inside-out’ and ‘outside-in’ to understand the Institute’s competitive landscape – including their competitors’ offerings, their competitive advantages, and the market demand for their services. We conducted internal workshops and engaged with current and potential clients to understand business challenges and opportunities for the Institute. Benchmarking the Institute’s hallmark programs against offerings from other service providers, uncovered rich insights into the unique value the Institute offers the community.
These insights built the foundation for a business development strategy that balanced the Institute’s unique offering with market demand and commercial opportunities.
The positive change we delivered
The Institute is now equipped with the tools and capabilities to make informed and strategic business development decisions when considering new opportunities. A clearly articulated unique value proposition and improved understanding of market positioning, supported by clear business development principles and pragmatic exploratory questions, means the Institute can prioritise and assess opportunities that maximise – and don’t dilute – their unique point of difference.
Insights for inquisitive minds
Trust is built, not bought. This project with MacKillop came after previous work together that established a strong partnership. When making long-term business decisions, it’s important to feel confident that you’ve got a partner you trust. That’s a feeling you have to earn.
Comparison ISN’T the thief of joy. Studying the landscape that organisations operate in, helps solidify their unique value proposition. Surveying competitors can help teams reconnect with the heart of what they do, and what makes them truly exceptional.
Gather all forces. Identifying an organisation’s internal perspectives and unique capabilities are as important as understanding the external demands, trends, and competitive forces in the market. A good engagement approach considers all the forces that can hinder or accelerate the growth of an organisation.
People behind this project
What our client said
The MacKillop Institute was aware of the relationship that Cube had already established with MacKillop Family Services. After exploring a number of organisations and then speaking with MacKillop’s internal teams and leaders, that had worked previously with Cube, we decided that they offered some distinct advantages: they had a deep knowledge of MacKillop; their values were aligned with our values and commitments, as a not-for-profit organisation; and, their leadership and commitment to professional practice, consultation and collaboration, provided assurance that the outcomes we were seeking, could be achieved. The MacKillop Institute team were not disappointed and our work with Cube, over several months, helped us to clearly articulate our unique strengths and identify further opportunities for growth. The strategic goals that were developed, continue to inform our decision-making and enable us to monitor and evaluate our annual actions. Consequently, the Institute has increased the number of external agencies we are supporting, through thought leadership, professional learning and evidence-based programs. Our passion and commitment to improving outcomes for those most vulnerable in our society, by effectively supporting external organisations, means that MacKillop’s knowledge, experience and expertise continues to inform and shape best practice.
