The 2020 Best Firms to Work For: Prophet

Consulting Service Lines: Strategy, Operations Management, HR

Making its debut on our Best Firms to Work For list this year at #9, San Francisco-headquartered Prophet is fiercely committed to offering innovative solutions to clients' most challenging business problems while remaining dedicated to its collaborative teaming culture and "all-in" approach to everything it does.

The pandemic forced most firms to throw out the old playbook when it comes to day-to-day operations. Prophet saw this as an opportunity to "radically rethink the employee experience."

"Our twelve global offices might have been empty, that didn't stop our teams from finding new ways to connect and collaborate. Since the inception of the firm, we've worked across offices and regions as a global P&L so in some ways, we have been well-suited to thrive in these strange circumstances. It's been exciting to see how quickly our people adapted; we remained incredibly productive and creativity was booming," says Michael Dunn, Prophet Chairman and CEO.

"No one can eliminate risks. But at Prophet we've come to terms with the fact that not only is it OK to get some things wrong, it's inevitable. But by focusing on our people and our relationships with clients, we became more comfortable learning alongside one another and navigating this together."

Prophet's resiliency is showcased by its ability to not just survive this environment, but to push on full-steam ahead. Dunn says the firm launched the biggest business transformation project in its history in June, despite having not traveled to the client for months.

"Morale has remained remarkably strong given the external factors we are all facing in 2020. We've truly seen a collective spirit of resilience at Prophet. This "fearlessness" – one of our company values – has always existed in our people, but we are seeing it play out in tremendous, fresh ways. We're piloting new tools and programs for remote working, pivoting in-person client events to become engaging digital experiences, and teaming and collaborating across disciplines and geographies," says Dunn.

Looking ahead over the next 6-12 months, no easy feat in this environment, Dunn says he's been inspired seeing leaders across industries rise to the occasion, and is determined to continue adapting and growing with the changes ahead.

"As business leaders, we are all more agile, more innovative, more digitally enable, more purposeful and more thoughtful than we ever imagined. Amidst the rocky circumstance, we see an opportunity for transformative growth as business determine the path forward," Dunn says.

As for what winning a Best Firms to Work For award in this challenging time means for the firm, Dunn says it's some welcomed good news.

"If anything, it will give us an opportunity to celebrate with our employees and clients and to thank them for their continued energy, positivity and commitment to always delivering smart, creative solutions for our clients."

Consulting: What's unique about your firm? What sets it apart? 

Dunn: "Our values vibrate throughout our organization. We see this in the way our teams support one another and the way we show up for clients. We are fiercely committed to offering quality solutions to challenging business problems, while holding on tight to our humanity in the process. Clients often note Propheteers' ability to deliver high quality thinking and solutions, without compromising their authentic selves."