Manager Method
Equipping people leaders to engage, act early, and deliver lasting impact
About Friesen Group
Friesen Group builds and manages a portfolio of healthcare businesses across Northern California. The company provides centralized support services including HR, IT, accounting, marketing, and business consulting to its owned brands, which include Owens, Lifemed, Wellscript, and J3.
A certified Great Place to Work, Friesen Group is known for its strong community roots, employee-first culture, and commitment to creating a lasting positive impact.
The Challenge
As Friesen Group expanded, HR Director Crystal Mapes noticed a pattern: managers cared deeply about their teams yet sometimes lacked the practical skills to hold others accountable, resolve issues early, and build meaningful relationships with staff.Â
With a lean HR team of three supporting more than 140 employees across multiple operating companies, Crystal needed a solution that could enhance manager effectiveness without creating more overhead.
She also saw a strategic opportunity. The company had just completed its annual employee engagement survey. If leadership development was done right, she believed, it could directly move engagement scores and support stronger business performance.
“Our managers wanted support. Our employees were asking for it. And I knew if we did it right, we could reduce turnover, improve engagement, and drive stronger results across the board.”
The Solution
Crystal partnered with Manager Method and launched the first cohort of managers using Manager 101 and the accompanying HR toolkit.
She appreciated the combination of credibility and relatability that Ashley brought to the content, especially around topics like difficult conversations, accountability, and one-on-ones. Even more importantly, the format worked. Short videos, self-paced content, and downloadable resources made it easy to stay on track without sacrificing time away from the business.
“We were able to get this up and running without adding work to my team’s plate. The toolkit made everything turnkey, and the managers actually looked forward to the content.”
— Crystal Mapes
Human Resources Director
Saving time, driving alignment, and boosting retention
Manager 101 created a shared language across teams for performance, development, and accountability.Â
Managers now reference the frameworks in monthly manager syncs, reinforcing key practices and reducing the time HR spends resolving misalignment.
The approach has also helped reduce post-training drop-off. By layering in follow-up conversations and peer accountability, TrueLook is seeing more consistent application of what managers learn.
At a time when many peers are struggling to hold on to top talent, TrueLook’s investment in manager development has also played a role in boosting internal mobility and improving retention, especially among high-potential employees who want to grow.
What’s next:
Extending the leadership flywheel
TrueLook is now exploring Manager Method’s Employee Success solution to support early- and mid-career employees, building an end-to-end system for scalable development. By pairing foundational training with toolkits, cohort engagement, and reinforcement strategies, TrueLook is turning leadership into a repeatable advantage, not just a reactive necessity.
By pairing foundational training with toolkits, cohort engagement, and reinforcement strategies, TrueLook is turning leadership into a repeatable advantage, not just a reactive necessity.
“Manager Method helps us scale leadership without adding complexity. It’s simple, high-impact, and meets people where they are.”
— Amy Williamson
HR Leader at TrueLook
