Why Assess Your Adaptive Capability Now?
Most organizations don't fail at individual changes. They fail at continuous adaptation. The difference between managing discrete transformations and building adaptive capability is like the difference between hiring personal trainers for every workout versus building your own fitness infrastructure.
​
You need this assessment if:
-
You're managing 3+ simultaneous transformation initiatives and capacity is stretched
-
Change success rates vary wildly: some initiatives succeed, others stall inexplicably
-
Each new transformation feels like starting from scratch despite past experience
-
You're heavily dependent on external consultants to navigate every change
-
Leadership recognizes that "change management" isn't working anymore
-
You suspect cultural or structural issues are undermining transformation efforts
-
You want to benchmark against adaptive capability best practices
What makes this different from a typical change readiness assessment:
Traditional change readiness assessments focus on one specific initiative. The Adaptive Capability Assessment evaluates your enterprise-level infrastructure for handling continuous change across all initiatives, now and in the future.
What We Assess Together: The Six ACE Capability Dimensions
The assessment evaluates your organization's maturity across six interconnected capability areas that determine your ability to adapt continuously:
1. Assessment & Sensing Capability
How effectively you identify, prioritize, and prepare for change
We evaluate:
-
Environmental scanning and early warning systems
-
Change portfolio visibility and prioritization
-
Capacity vs. load analysis (are you overloaded?)
-
Stakeholder change readiness diagnostics
-
Cultural and political dynamics assessment
Maturity indicators: Ad hoc → Reactive → Systematic → Predictive → Adaptive
2. Infrastructure & Governance
The structural foundation for coordinating and sustaining change
We evaluate:
-
Change governance structures and decision rights
-
Portfolio management mechanisms (managing multiple changes)
-
Resource allocation and capacity planning
-
Knowledge management and lessons learned systems
-
Integration with existing governance (PMO, strategy, operations)
Maturity indicators: Absent → Project-based → Coordinated → Integrated → Embedded
3. Capability Building & Development
Your capacity to build and sustain internal change expertise
We evaluate:
-
Internal change champion network and development
-
Training and certification programs
-
Community of practice effectiveness
-
Skill gap identification and development planning
-
Career paths for change professionals
Maturity indicators: Consultant-dependent → Ad hoc internal → Structured development → Self-sustaining → Innovation-driving
4. Cultural Embedding & Behavioral Systems
How deeply adaptive behaviors are woven into daily operations
We evaluate:
-
Psychological safety for experimentation and learning
-
Behavioral norms and rituals that reinforce adaptability
-
How resistance is treated (problem vs. data)
-
Learning culture and continuous improvement mindset
-
Recognition and reward alignment with adaptive behaviors
Maturity indicators: Resistant → Tolerant → Accepting → Embracing → Thriving
5. Leadership & Sponsorship Capability
Leaders' ability to navigate ambiguity and model adaptive behaviors
We evaluate:
-
Executive sponsorship quality and consistency
-
Leadership alignment on transformation priorities
-
Decision-making effectiveness in complexity/ambiguity
-
Visible modeling of adaptive behaviors
-
Leadership pipeline aligned to future adaptive needs
Maturity indicators: Directive → Supportive → Enabling → Modeling → Architecting
6. Execution & Sustainment Systems
Your ability to implement and embed changes successfully
We evaluate:
-
Transformation methodology and approach quality
-
Stakeholder engagement effectiveness
-
Communication strategy and execution
-
Adoption measurement and course correction
-
Post-implementation review and embedding practices
Maturity indicators: Tactical/reactive → Planned → Structured → Optimized → Self-improving
How the Assessment Works
PHASE 1: Discovery & Data Collection (Day 1)
Stakeholder interviews (6-10 key leaders and change practitioners)
-
60-minute structured conversations
-
Current state, pain points, aspirations
-
Multiple perspectives across levels and functions
Document review
-
Past transformation documentation
-
Change management artifacts
-
Governance structures
-
Training materials
Quantitative data gathering
-
Change initiative portfolio review
-
Success/failure patterns
-
Resource allocation
-
Timeline and budget performance
PHASE 2: Analysis & Maturity Scoring (Between sessions)
I analyze all inputs against the six ACE dimensions, scoring your organization's maturity on each capability area and identifying patterns, gaps, and root causes.
PHASE 3: Findings & Roadmap Development (Day 2-3)
Executive readout (2-3 hours)
-
Comprehensive findings presentation
-
Maturity profile across six dimensions
-
Priority capability gaps
-
Root cause analysis
-
Strategic recommendations
Interactive roadmap session (2-3 hours)
-
Collaborative roadmap development
-
Prioritization of initiatives
-
Quick wins vs. strategic builds
-
Resource requirements
-
Implementation sequencing
What You Receive
1. Adaptive Capability Maturity Profile
Visual dashboard showing your organization's current maturity across all six ACE dimensions with comparative benchmarks
2. Comprehensive Assessment Report (40-60 pages)
-
Executive summary
-
Detailed findings by dimension
-
Strength areas to leverage
-
Critical capability gaps
-
Root cause analysis
-
Cultural and structural insights
-
Risk factors and enablers
3. Strategic Roadmap
-
Prioritized initiatives for capability building
-
Quick wins (0-6 months)
-
Foundation building (6-18 months)
-
Strategic capability development (18-36 months)
-
Resource requirements and investment levels
-
Success metrics and milestones
4. Implementation Planning Template
-
Project charter template
-
Governance structure recommendations
-
Stakeholder engagement framework
-
Communication plan outline
-
First 90-day action plan
5. 60-Day Follow-Up Session
One 90-minute session to address questions, refine roadmap, and support early implementation decisions
Who This Assessment Is For
Ideal for organizations that:
-
Recognize continuous change as strategic reality, not temporary disruption
-
Have C-suite commitment to building long-term adaptive capability
-
Are willing to invest in capability infrastructure, not just quick fixes
-
Want to reduce dependency on external consultants over time
-
Need objective assessment of current state before committing to capability building
-
Are facing multiple simultaneous transformations with inconsistent results
​​
Organization size: Typically 200+ employees (smaller organizations may benefit but need simpler approaches)
​
Industry: Any, the six capability dimensions are universal across sectors
Common triggers:
-
Post-merger integration revealing capability gaps
-
Multiple failed or stalled transformation initiatives
-
New leadership recognizing need for systematic approach
-
Preparing for major strategic shift requiring organizational agility
-
Excessive consulting spend with limited internal capability growth
Investment & Engagement Model
Assessment Investment: €18,000 - €28,000
Investment depends on:
-
Organization size and complexity
-
Number of stakeholder interviews required
-
Depth of document review
-
Geographic distribution (travel requirements)
-
Timing urgency
What's included:
-
All stakeholder interviews
-
Comprehensive document review
-
Full analysis and maturity scoring
-
Executive findings presentation
-
Interactive roadmap session
-
All deliverables listed above
-
60-day follow-up session
Typical timeline: 4-6 weeks from kickoff to final roadmap delivery
What Happens After the Assessment?
The assessment is designed to stand alone as valuable strategic input, regardless of whether you engage further services. You own all deliverables and can implement recommendations with your internal team or other partners.
​
That said, most clients choose one of three paths:
PATH 1
Full ACE
Implementation
​​
Design and build the adaptive capability infrastructure identified in your roadmap.
Typical engagement: 6-18 months.
PATH 2
Targeted Capability Building
​
​Address 1-2 priority capability gaps (e.g., build change champion network, establish governance).
Typical engagement: 3-6 months.
PATH 3
MTE + ACE Hybrid Approach​​
​
Execute a critical transformation (using MTE) while simultaneously building specific ACE capabilities.
Typical engagement: 6-12 months.
I'll present all options during the roadmap session with transparent investment ranges so you can make informed decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from a change readiness assessment?
Change readiness assessments evaluate if your organization is ready for a specific change initiative. The ACE Assessment evaluates your enterprise-level capability to handle continuous change. Think: assessing the health of your immune system vs. diagnosing one specific illness.
What if we already have internal change management capability?
Excellent! We'll assess how well that capability is structured, governed, developed, and embedded. Most organizations have pockets of change expertise but lack the systemic infrastructure to scale and sustain it.
Do we need to commit to a full ACE implementation after the assessment?
No. The assessment provides strategic insights you can use however you choose: implement with internal resources, engage selective external support, or pursue full partnership. You own all deliverables.
What's the difference between ACE Assessment and your standard consulting engagement?
ACE Assessment is diagnostic and strategic: focused on what capability you need to build. Standard consulting engagements (MTE) are tactical and executional: focused on navigating a specific transformation. Many clients do both.
How confidential is the assessment process?
Completely. All interviews are confidential, findings are presented in aggregate, and you control how results are shared within your organization.
Can we do a smaller/faster assessment?
For organizations wanting a lighter diagnostic, I offer a 1-day ACE Scan (€8,000-€12,000) that provides high-level maturity scoring and priority recommendations without the depth of full assessment. We can discuss which is right for you.
"The ACE Assessment gave us clarity we'd been missing for years. We finally understood why some changes succeeded and others failed. It wasn't about the initiatives themselves, it was about our underlying capability infrastructure. The roadmap became our strategic guide for the next 18 months."
​
- Cheryl B., Austrian Tech Scale-Up