CORPORATE PROFILE

Our uncommon clarity enables us to help our client organizations make decisive improvements in their direction and performance. Drawing on our 60 years combined experience, they discover novel ways to develop their unique mosaic of organizational elements to get the results they seek. 

Consistently delivering on our commitments to our clients has resulted in high levels of trust and long-term relationships with a wide variety of businesses. These include Fortune 500 and start-up, high tech and pharmaceutical, national and international companies.

We have assisted thousands of leaders and their organizations in enhancing overall effectiveness. What is unique includes the fineness with which we have mastered the critical factors, both subtle and obvious, for assisting our clients in reaching or exceeding their desired results. Asking the right questions enables our clients to focus on root causes rather than energy-sapping symptoms. We add extensive experience with a full array of consulting tools and perspectives to develop customized support for all aspects of organizational effectiveness.  We catalyze improvements in sales, customer relations, and organizational effectiveness by powerfully teaching executives, individuals and teams how to take healthy responsibility and leap forward in communication, innovation and implementation.  We enable clarity.  You relax into sustained performance. 

Partial List of Fortune 500 and other Clients: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, General Electric,  Cisco Systems, World Bank, IBM, Los Alamos National Labs, STV, DoubleClick, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, StorageTek, NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Paradyne, Proligo.

Services: Our consulting practice has provided a wide range of services to our clients encompassing most facets of enhancing organizational performance, including:

• Customer Relations (internal and external)
• Sales
• High Performing Team Development
• Executive Coaching
• Employee Retention
• Leadership Development
• Establishing organizational cultures that facilitate sustained high performance
• Conflict Management
• Communications Systems and Skills
• Reward Systems & Performance Management
• Executive & Virtual Team Development and Coaching
• Strategic Planning
• Organizational Needs Assessment
• Facilitating meetings
• Mergers and other times of transition (e.g. changes in top management)
• Creating new businesses and/or restructuring existing ones

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, New York and Washington D.C., 2003 - present (SLH & JMR)

Co-Lead Management Consultants

• Leadership development

• Executive coaching

• Performance management system re-design

Cisco Systems, Colorado, Texas, California and Virginia, 2002 - present (SLH)

Senior Management Consultant to a multi-location team resulting from a merger

• Improved the effective blending of diverse corporate cultures

• Assisted leaders in identifying and addressing critical factors for reducing friction and improving performance

StorageTek, Colorado, 2000 - 2002 (JMR & SLH)

Co-Lead Management Consultants, Executive Coaching and Team Development

• Assisted a Vice President in greatly increasing both performance and perceived credibility

• Improved the productivity of a large department, first working with the executive team and then cascading skills and tools throughout the entire organization  that had a significantly positive impact on overall productivity, including 100% Responsibility and the Enneagram

• Conducted needs analysis and facilitated team-building activities for a high-level team

• Executive coaching

Los Alamos National Labs, New Mexico, 2002 - 2003 (JMR)

Executive Coach

• Assisted in significantly improving leadership competencies and overall team functioning

DoubleClick, Colorado, 2002 - 2003 (JMR)

Executive Coach

• Improved the ability of a Vice President to increase overall performance while building more effective relationships with peers and direct reports

STV., New York, 2001 (JMR)

Crisis Consultant immediately following the events of September 11th, 2001

• Assisted organizational members in dealing with traumatic stress

• Worked with top leaders to develop a plan for moving forward during this time of severe crisis

Lucent Technologies, Colorado, 1997 – 2000 (SLH)
Ongoing Management Consultant/Coach to executives and project/core teams developing Lucent’s most innovative products

• Improved the productivity and effectiveness of cross-functional and multi-location (virtual) core teams working on complex projects. Evaluations demonstrated that these teams worked more effectively within the organizational culture as a result. 
• Executive coaching of the leaders resulted in them more effectively supporting their teams, including removing major roadblocks to success. 
• This work included successfully integrating the cultures of diverse teams from multiple organizations.

AT&T Bell Laboratories, Colorado, Ohio and New Jersey, 1984 - 1997 (SLH)
Senior Lead Management Consultant 

• Developer of the Organization Development and Professional Development Training Program for a 2,000-person R&D business unit. 
• As a full-time external consultant over an 11 year period, provided a full range of organizational development consulting services including strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching, team building, development of reward systems, communication systems, and merging of organizational cultures. 
• Hired and coordinated an ongoing group of 60+ consultants and trainers. 
• Acted as catalyst for the development of Bell Labs’ superior project teams. 
• One of two lead consultants responsible for shifting the traditional project culture to one of cross-functional core teams. These teams were to become the foundation of the organization’s culture. Led other consultants in the ongoing support of those teams and their respective business units. 
• Supported Bell Labs managers in their transition from more traditional managers to coaches, and also in developing a performance evaluation system that rewarded employees/project teams in taking initiative for evaluating and improving their performance. 
• Increased the effectiveness of performance feedback by introducing upward feedback systems and 360-degree evaluation. 
• Instrumental in helping cross-location project groups (virtual teams) break down barriers and effectively work together. 
• Actively engaged in the positive integration of numerous business acquisitions into the larger culture. 
• Responsible for transforming the Professional Development Training Program in Colorado from curriculum that was “suitcased” from New Jersey, to a program that was customized for the particular needs of the Colorado employees. 

Corporate Coach University International, 1999 – present (JMR)
Faculty and Mentor Coach

• Introduced systems thinking and other unique perspectives into course curriculum, broadening the education and potential impact of a large number of corporate coaches. 
• Developed and delivered the first coaching training delivered in an intensive, live format
• Coaches have given consistent feedback about the significant impact of these courses on their overall effectiveness; many report that these were the most powerful and useful courses they have taken. 

Friends School , Colorado,  1994 – Present (SLH & JMR)
Assisted this educational organization in major restructuring as well as ongoing training and support

• Over multiple years of management consulting and executive coaching, helped develop the overall organizational structure as well as processes such as prioritization and decision-making. 
• This work has resulted in improved employee morale and retention, more productive meetings, and in the Director and staff working together more effectively in providing services. 
• The school has doubled in size, and has gone from a shortage of students to having an ongoing waiting list.

NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Colorado and California, 1995 – 1997 (SLH & JMR)
Co-Lead Management Consultants for this newly merged pharmaceutical company

• Assisted in the blending of the strongest aspects of each culture into a new integrated culture while minimizing the impact of uncertainty such as the loss of key employees and demoralization. 
• Significantly increased the functioning of a wide range of project teams and departments. 
• Provided coaching and support for the top executive team. Increased leadership skills of many individual managers through ongoing executive coaching.

Keystone Center, Colorado 1997 - 1998 (JMR & SLH)
Co-Lead Management Consultants

• The CEO of this international public policy organization came into a difficult situation as the external, unknown candidate who was chosen over a very popular and well-positioned internal candidate.
• As management consultant, assisted client organization in restructuring their entire organizational culture, developing a new organizational plan, redefining their relationship with their Board, building ownership for success of the organization among all employees, and developing an effective reward system.

World Bank, 1994 (SLH) 
Lead Management Consultant assessing a management consulting project for effectiveness in privatized companies in eight African countries.

• Interviewed key organizational members, assessed strengths and challenges, and made recommendations for improving the program. 
• This assessment was directly responsible for the re-evaluation and re-design of the entire program.  Results included hiring more local managers.

Executive Coaching, 1984 – present (SLH & JMR)
Executive Coaches for top-level and mid-level leaders and managers in multiple organizations

• Assisted a CEO through a difficult transition period, repairing lost credibility that had greatly hindered his ability to effectively lead, 1998 - 2000 (JMR)
• Executive Coach for first female president at International University in Netherlands, 1994 (SLH)

Restructuring, Mergers & Acquisitions, 1984 – Present (SLH & JMR)
Lead and Co-Lead Consultants in the restructuring of numerous organizations 

• Provided many consulting functions, including the development of unique and innovative structures and organizational cultures characterized by increased employee satisfaction and overall bottom-line results.

Top-level Executive Team Development, 1994 -Present  (JMR & SLH)
Lead and Co-Lead Consultants for top-level executive teams in multiple organizations

Team Development and Coaching, 1994 – Present (SLH & JMR)
Assisted a large number of corporate teams (including cross-functional teams in multiple locations) in creating internal cultures energized by collaboration and partnership, and in becoming more efficient and effective

• Many teams have reported profound and lasting positive impact. 

Training Programs, 1984 - present (JMR & SLH)
Developed and conducted training programs in a variety of areas

• Areas of training include leadership development, employee retention and customer service, team building skills, innovation and creativity, application of the Myers Briggs and Enneagram typing systems to businesses, diversity training, sexual harassment, a customized application of the Dialogue Process, and a powerful tool for developing individual and collective responsibility for results called 100% Responsibility.

Instructor, Director and Consultant 1975-1984 (SLH)
to organizations including University of Colorado, IBM, StorageTek, Bell Laboratories, Community College of Denver and other small businesses and startups

Associate, Crisis Management International, Inc., Atlanta GA, 1999 – present (JMR)
Trained in Corporate Crisis Intervention and Corporate Threat of Violence Intervention

EDUCATION, AFFILIATIONS AND CERTIFICATION

Sandra L. Hill

• M.A., Counseling and Organizational Development, University of Colorado, 1977
• B.A., Sociology, California State University at Long Beach, 1969
• American Society for Training and Development
• Certified Myers Briggs Trainer
• Association for Psychological Type (Myers Briggs)
• Professional Member, International Enneagram Association

Joel M. Rothaizer

• Ph.D., Clinical/Community Psychology, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, 1981
• M.S., Clinical Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh WI, 1978
• B.A., Mathematics and Philosophy, Cornell University, 1974
• Master Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
• Certified Business Coach, Corporate Coach University International
• Licensed Psychologist, State of Colorado
• Chartered Psychologist, Province in Alberta
• Certified Enneagram Teacher, The Enneagram Institute
• Certified Facilitator, The Coaching Clinic
• Associate, Crisis Management International, Inc. (Corporate Crisis Intervention and Corporate Threat of Violence Intervention) 
• Board Member, United Foundation for Research in Personality

SOME OF OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
 

• Our clients value our long-term collaborative relationships with them. Trust is central to our ability to work together productively.
• The ability to draw on expertise and wisdom by stepping back and asking the right questions is the hallmark of a learning organization as well as of an effective consulting group.
• The organizational culture can be aligned in a way that maximizes productivity and effectiveness. However, trying to achieve goals without addressing organizational culture leads to an inefficient use of resources, including chasing symptoms and missing root causes. 
• Some surveys suggest that close to 90% of the work force are either causing problems or just looking to get a paycheck. It’s a mistake to believe that well-crafted mission statements, increased salary, benefits, or other perks will change that. Employees need to feel that they are making a difference, and that they are valued and appreciated. A focus on employee satisfaction that’s integrated into bottom-line results is therefore crucial.
• We understand that leadership/executive development needs to start with results, and the competencies needed for success on the job. We also understand that leadership development is beneficial for everyone in the organization. 
• Training by itself is ineffective unless it is directly linked to performance on the job.
• It is critical for managers to understand that they can be effective coaches without sacrificing commitment to bottom-line results.
• Talented employees may join a company for a variety of reasons (including financial incentives, stock options, etc.) but research has demonstrated that a major factor in how long they stay and in their overall productivity is their relationship with their immediate supervisor. Managers need to develop skills and awareness in employee retention. 
• It is imperative for individuals and teams within organizations to learn to communicate in ways that reflect taking healthy responsibility for organizational results. Blame, resentment, and other such reflections of unhealthy responsibility sap energy and impair productivity. We have learned to utilize a powerful tool to teach individuals and teams how to take healthy responsibility.
• Leaders and other organizational members, both individually and as teams, often have the best of intentions yet find themselves getting in their own way. We know how to assist people, individually and collectively, in dissolving barriers that interfere with having fulfilling work lives and successful work outcomes. We have developed mastery with a variety of tools, including the Enneagram and the MBTI, which assist in this exploration. These tools also allow the value of diversity to really come alive.
• We understand that too much time is usually placed on analysis and diagnosis, and too little on implementation.
• Agitation and struggle are poisonous to organizational culture. The ability to relax in the act of getting the job done, including strategically stepping back at times, is critical.
• Organizational cultures need to increase their flexibility, agility, and responsiveness to change. 
• Our backgrounds include extensive training and experience in understanding the functioning of both organizations and the people within them. It is the combination of the two that leads to our effectiveness. 
• Building/strengthening high-performance teams requires attention to a large number of factors, including clear and well-defined leadership, working agreements, well-defined yet flexible roles, a common definition of mission and purpose, and organizational support. 
• Authenticity, integrity and credibility are crucial leadership qualities. They are also crucial qualities of a sustainable, successful organization that have not been adequately addressed by many companies. 
• An organization can’t play by the old paradigms and still survive.
• Great consulting must go beyond the flavor-of-the-month bandwagon (and assist the client in going beyond the flavor-of-the-month).
• Listening and communicating are arts that require more than cursory courses.
• It is important to ensure that the reward systems and performance evaluation are aligned with organizational strategies and goals. It is particularly important to pay attention to the informal reward system and accountability.
• It is an art to have a company’s expressed mission, vision, and values come alive. Particular attention needs to be paid to any discrepancies between what is said and what is lived.
• Awareness of customers, both internal and external, is a critical factor for success.
• Creativity and innovation are vital in today’s fast-paced and volatile business climate. Optimal creativity and innovation require spaciousness and inner relaxation.
• Emotional intelligence, while already an over-used concept, is at least as important as IQ. One without the other is not just incomplete, but leads to the breaking down of critical relationships and communication. 
• Quality consulting, and any effective initiative, requires consistent evaluation and re-focusing.

Click here to find out more about our consulting services
Click here to return to Corporate Resume page
Click here to see the consulting resume of Sandra L. Hill, M.A.
Click here to see the consulting resume of Joel M. Rothaizer, Ph.D.