1. Prepared for:
Leaders who truly want a break- through
It was Einstein who said the definition of
insanity is continuing to do the same things and
expect different results …
BRIEF OVERVIEW
Breakthrough Leadership Trusts’
Perspective and approach to facilitating
breakthroughs in Enterprise Value through;
Leadership Vitality
 So much is written about what truly great leadership is and how to be
one, and much of it good material but still only a few prevail and
breakthrough consistently in every situation - we have met more and
helped more of those leaders than most ever will
Thinking and Decision Making
 The Term Strategic thinking has lost its potency as a descriptor – too
many buzz words and too few tough conversations with courageous
leaders who truly want to see a breakthrough in their results
Accelerated Deployment
 There are a few actions in any situation, that if taken achieve profound outcomes in
remarkably short time frames
…Guaranteed!

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
BREAKTHROUGH GROWTH CORPORATION 3
5 PHASES THAT DEFINE OUR APPROACH 4
METHODOLOGY AND IMPLEMENTATION 5
SHORT BIO OF MARK RIVERS 6
APPENDICES 7
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3. BREAKTHROUGH GROWTH CORPORATION
We are a boutique strategic thinking – business transformation advisory services firm that has an established
and unrivalled record of being the catalyst for realizing quantum leaps in enterprise value, performance and
profitability in accelerated time frames. Our results tend to be defined and realized over an 18 month to 36
month period and to date our minimum performance increase has been 300% increase in enterprise value.
We achieve these through a unique methodology that combines Leadership Development, qualitative and
quantitative analysis, creative thinking and decision making with a select group of internal and external
subject matter experts, strategic thinkers and process managers. This team is made up of leaders who are
vested in the success of the outcomes
The heart of our methodology is our “Dynamic Dialogue System” This provocative hypothesis driven debate is
the core of the process that cultivates a safe place for difficult discussions – from these discussions we
uncover the natural core competencies and unique embedded value creation capabilities of individuals and the
corporation and align those with the unmet or frustrated needs of the buyer community – the customers,
employees and suppliers.
Appendix 3 provides the framework for our proprietary management solutions approaches, which includes the Strategic Connections
Framework and the 20/08 Deployment Model.
The result is typically a rapid rate of buy in by employees, customer adoption and deployment of the
strategies and substantial increase in revenue, market share and profitability organically. When the leadership
is truly prepared to discuss and listen and is motivated to work through the difficult discussions the productive
energy created and the quality of decisions made is exciting to see and experience not to mention the results
that are realized. For further reading and understanding our approaches and philosophy behind our
methodology, please refer to Appendix 2 for a summary of Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work &
in Life, One Conversation at a Time.
What seems to separate us from most of the organizations that use similar language and processes but
deliver average to disappointing results is a combination of the Founders approach, background and ability to
connect the dots uniquely in an accelerated time frame and facilitate the buy-in and courage of the key
leaders in the organization to see the changes through
We are … unlike the old IBM advertisement are committed to being a part of the deployment and where
possible appreciate tying our compensation appropriately to the outcomes
Our background is rooted in twenty five years of hi-disclosure exposure and involvement with over 3000
leaders of some of the best run organizations in North America as the founder of Canada’s largest facilitated
community of leaders and advisor and co-founder/advisor/partner of three of Canada’s most recognized
Leadership recognition communities; Canada`s 50 Best managed Companies Network, KPMG`s Quantum Shift
Program and the Government of Ontario`s Wisdom Exchange – these unique forums two of them designed
and led by our founder have given him an ongoing inside access to some of Canada`s and North America
greatest leaders as well as frequent voice as their advisor, coach and strategist on a monthly basis for over 25
years. The business models, the strategies, the challenges and situations that he has been involved in are
diverse and immense. He has founded four different businesses including an investment bank, a Strategy
consulting firm and has been engaged by shareholders and pension funds across North America to lead
shareholder activist work and lead the restoration of value in several public companies, he has served as
chairman and executive chairman and CEO of three different public companies listed on the TSE, he has taken
companies private and has successfully led the turnaround in value and performance of extremely distressed
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4. companies in the defense, software, Aerospace, naval and Transportation industries, in his consulting and
coaching capacity has facilitated strategies and leadership teams to projects that have achieved increases in
value of the companies of no less than 300 percent and several in excess of tens times their starting value
inside 18 months with no acquisitions – achieved purely through strategies that drove organic growth
Many of those clients will credit him with having facilitated the creation of numerous millionaires and many
multi-millionaires
One person described him as having a special niche and ability to facilitate breakthroughs in champions
5 PHASES THAT DEFINE OUR APPROACH
The definition of insanity has been described by Albert Einstein as doing the same things over and over again
and expecting different results. Arriving and achieving breakthrough results fits this: most organizations
approach these transitions and challenge with conventional one size fits all strategies.
At BGC, our methodology focuses on a set of principles that guarantees break through results 100% of the
time if the leadership has the patience and courage to persist in the thinking process and then follow through.
We generally implement a phased approach that encompasses 5 Phases
Phase 1: Diagnostic A business model and internal financial performance analysis incorporating a diagnostic
evaluation of the organization and its team, customer feedback, competitor assessment, market
segmentation, and disruptive and non-traditional competition and opportunities. The central output from this
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5. process is a core conflict the central issue that is holding back breakthrough performance and a hypothesis for
converting that conflict into a breakthrough
Phase 2: Decision Making Is the information processing and decision-making phase, a portion of which –
the philosophical foundation- can be staggered but done parallel to the diagnostic phase. The Hypothesis is
the catalyst and context for the discussions
There are three parts to the decision-making phase:
Philosophical Foundation
Strategic framework and decisions
Business model and validation
Phase 3: Leadership Development: Is completely parallel and that is the leadership coaching and
development program for the CEO and senior executive – our proprietary “Leadership Vitality Road Map”
coupled with Facilitated Peer Advisory Learning and the actual thinking and decision making process itself are
the key pillars in our leadership development process (Please refer to Appendix 3)
Phase 4: Performance Management: Once the decision-making is complete and the initial direction has
been determined, the design and implementation of a performance measurement and management system is
necessary for effective communication and implementation and management of the plan to ensure success –
this process visually articulates the decisions, the priorities and the responsibilities
Phase 5: Deployment: The real test to whether the team has truly comprehended and embraced the
changes in thinking and behavior is when they hit their first roll-out decisions. The discussions may have been
challenging and tense – but wait till the decisions have to made in real life not in the board room away from
resisting staff and long term customers, or your team arrive at the precipice of stopping doing something that
has been agreed to but is almost cultural in its position and roll in the business (the way we have always done
it). Another test and key transition is in communicating effectively to customers and staff the changes. A true
test of the leadership commitment is when a key long term player – a customer or a manager is one of the
changes that stands between breakthrough or not – These are areas where we are effective and valuable in
supporting the roll out and changes - our roll at these points are often pivotal in experiencing the changes in
results or not
METHODOLOGY AND IMPLEMENTATION
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6. Optimum performance and value comes from harmony between leadership, the market drivers and needs and
the organizations responses, and the long-term needs of those responsible for delivering the responses – we
support the life of the leader and help organizations optimize their intrinsic business value.
Our beliefs lead us to focus on:
Healthy Relationships – quality thinking and breakthrough results (Refer to Appendix 2 for PEO profile) if
there is unstated hostility or conflict in a team the discussions necessary for business breakthrough can’t
happen – some can happen as a result of the process some – there has been too much water under the
bridge!
Difficult Conversations in Safe Places - we are not looking for safe conversations but a safe place to have
difficult conversations. Safe thinking usually produces dysfunctional conclusions; conflicted relationships and
sub-optimal results (Refer to Appendix 4 for ancillary information)
Achieving Breakthrough Insights - it is not about new or original thinking but about discovering,
articulating and aligning the unique truths embedded in every organization and the breakthrough insights
hidden in the intuitive behavior that already exists. Innovation and breakthrough isn’t about doing something
totally new it’s about being better and “becoming a truly more original and authentic and relevant you”
individual or corporation – most organizations fail or underperform because they innovate from their
incompetence not their core competence -
Performance Management - The Balanced Scorecard - One of the keys to successful deployment and
realization of a plan is the ability to communicate and measure consistently and concisely the decisions. Most
organizations have well developed historical and financial reporting capabilities, however in most cases the
reports and information reported on these do not inform management or those responsible for deploying the
kind of forward looking insights required to act proactively, or even to correctly discern the cause or effect of
the results in the business. The challenge for every executive is to create systems and tools that allow the
people responsible for getting the job done to view and understand the business in similar ways that the
senior executives see the business, and intuitively align their thinking, decisions and behavior with the intent
of the business overall
At BGC we use this proven system to guide the realignment exercise once the strategic decisions have been
made and then as a communication and roll-out tool to inform and empower the new strategy and the people
responsible for implementing the new decisions
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7. SHORT BIO OF MARK RIVERS, CEO OF BGC
Mark Rivers can best be described as a visionary, a true Renaissance Man. He is the founder of PEO and a
pioneer in the concept of peer group leadership development. Mark is described by his peers and business
associates as an exceptional leader and mentor. Mark has worked with over 3,000 senior executives during his
20 plus year career in teaching senior executives to think creatively through an open conversation as
individual leaders or as leaders in their respective organizations.
Today Mark is involved in leadership roles in several Canadian as well as International Companies He is the
founder of Breakthrough Growth Corporation (BGC) and CEO Capital, companies focused on driving enhanced
organizational growth through groundbreaking strategic thinking and execution. BGC is a consulting group and
CEO Capital deals with Mergers and Acquisitions as well as private equity investments.
Mark is originally from New Zealand but relocated to Canada almost 20 years ago. His Canadian career began
with the founding and management of The 50 Best Managed Companies in the CEO Network for Arthur
Andersen (now run by Deloitte Consulting). As well, he is responsible for, launching the Government of
Ontario's Wisdom Exchange. Mark had the privilege of working with Reader's Digest in the design and
implementation of the LITE Exchange (Leaders Influencing Today's Education) program helping identify,
recognize, and support best practices for educators across Canada.
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8. APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1:
BGC proprietary management solutions: Strategic Connections, 20/08 Deployment Model, and
Leadership Vitality Framework
APPENDIX 2:
Overview of Presidents of Enterprising Organizations (PEO)
APPENDIX 3:
A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making
BY: David J. Snowden and Mary E. Boone
APPENDIX 4:
Summary of Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a
Time
BY: Susan Scott
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9. APPENDIX 1
BGC proprietary management solutions: Strategic Connections, 20/08 Deployment Model, and
Leadership Vitality Framework
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10. 20/08 DEPLOYMENT MODEL
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11. BGC PROPREITARY LEADERSHIP VITALITY MODEL
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12. APPENDIX 2
Overview of PRESIDENTS OF ENTERPRISING ORGANIZATIONS (PEO)
WWW.PEO.NET
CONNECT with the leaders who are successful, driven, and like you, have an appetite for continuous learning
and development. THINK with like-minded leaders in a safe environment where you and your peers will
challenge each other to solve existing issues and explore new ideas and opportunities. GROW by challenging,
or confirming, your own thinking and leveraging the experience of your peers and Advisors to become what
you are capable of becoming.
PEO facilitates a skilled learning process and expands career networks. In an environment of growth, PEO’s
dynamic community of leaders guide companies committed to leadership excellence and organizational
performance. They have been recognized in Canadian business through repeated selection as Best Managed
Companies, Entrepreneur of the Year and Canada’s Best Employers.
Even so, PEO’s vision is to improve the way leaders lead. PEO is committed to driving executive performance
through the right Connections, Thinking and Growth. The process is a proven success.
To sustain professional and business growth, PEO provides one of the most effective sounding boards for a
leader's toughest decisions with members challenged as never before. At PEO, connecting means that senior
executives expand skills and learning, manage professional and personal journeys and overcome psychological
barriers, while emphatically improving organizational performance. With PEO, it’s never ‘lonely at the top.’
A sample of some of our members:
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13. APPENDIX 3
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14. APPENDIX 4
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