“Working with executives to transform themselves and their organizations”

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Barb’s specialty is in the area of Executive Feedback, Coaching and Development. Her doctorate is in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, with a focus on individual/organizational fit. For over 25 years, she was a registered psychologist in the province of Ontario and continues to be a Certified Management Consultant.

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Prior to establishing her private practice in 1996, Barb was Partner-in-Charge of KPMG’s Toronto Change Management Advisory Practice. Previously, she ran her own management consulting firm, which followed several years with Ontario Hydro (now, OPG) in the personnel research and management identification areas.

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A partial list of major engagements that Barb has successfully completed over the years follows. A listing of significant clients is available upon request.

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“Working with executives to transform themselves and their organizations”

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Coached over 800 senior and mid-managers on their personal leadership styles, effectiveness, and career development issues.

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Clients include public and private sector organizations in:

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• utilities,

• healthcare,

• food services,

• pharmaceutical,

• financial services,

• telecom/technology, &

• petrochemical domains.

 

Facilitation of Strategic Planning/Board Retreats

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Planned and facilitated strategic planning initiatives and related board retreats for over a dozen public and private organizations.

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Clients include:

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• An information services firm,

• An off-shore electrical utility,

• A public utility (in the US),

• A nuclear facility (power station plus two critical support divisions),

• A major private club in Toronto,

• A well-respected private school,

• A significant long-term and chronic care facility,

• A national home healthcare products company,

• A large life insurance and financial services company,

• A provincial pension-provider to the healthcare services industry, &

• A $100-million multi-functioned fifth-generation family business.

 

The ideas and issues facilitated include:

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• Developing a new corporate vision,

• Re-affirming values and core principles,

• Strategic issues related to increased competition, member services, etc., in order to reduce flight of membership and re-position the organization for growth,

• Long term and strategic implications of competitive trends and a changing marketplace,

• Implications of regulatory changes and/or new ownership, &

• Long term and strategic leadership issues and corporate positioning for continued growth.

 

Senior Level Teamwork/Teambuilding

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Designed and led Enhanced Teamwork interventions for 15+ civic, provincial, and federal organizations.

 

Planned and facilitated Improving Teamwork sessions for executives at 20+ private sector companies.

Sessions included topics such as:

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• Organization design,

• Positioning for growth,

• Leadership,

• Performance management,

• Restructuring,

• Information technology implementation,

• Customer service,

• Culture change,

• Transitioning from traditional, functional silos to cross-functional team-based structures,

• Coaching senior leaders on principles and practices of effective team-working, planning, and delegation,

• Dealing with personal and team styles, as well as conflict resolution,

• Principles of Requisite Organization Design, &

• Effective use of team structures and their leadership.

 

Organization Design/Effectiveness

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Planned and facilitated more than 20 organization design and effectiveness engagements with a mix of both public and private company clients.

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Advisory services based on principles and practices of Requisite Organization design, to assist clients with issues of talent pool development, growth, restructuring, competition, and technological developments.

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Middle, Senior and Board-Level Managerial/Leadership Assessments

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Conducted at least 1500 individual career development, leadership style/capability, selection, and succession planning assessments.

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In addition to organizations listed elsewhere, clients included:

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• A tire manufacturing firm,

• A steel producer,

• A major confectionary manufacturer,

• A die-casting company,

• A quarry operation,

• A chemical treatment organization,

• A Canadian bank,

• As well as 3 career transition firms.

 

Methodologies included “traditional” psychological assessment, Assessment Centre design and execution, 360-type feedback instrument design and conduct, as well as Elliott Jacques’ style (1996) capability assessments.

Performance Management

Reviewed, re-designed, trained/coached the respective senior managers of 8 organizations regarding requisite performance management to enhance leadership effectiveness, productivity, and career development issues.

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Change Management

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Designed, led, and trained senior managers of 10+ public and private sector organizations on the metrics, processes and communication issues relative to large organizational change initiatives. Also facilitated the collaborative processes to ready line managers, end users, and employees in general for the implementation of 3 major new systems installs, organizational restructuring, business process re-engineering, physical relocation, and enhanced emphasis on customer and quality of service.

 

This included education, metrics, and specialized change intervention processes to reduce resistance and enhance implementation success.

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Board Experience

 

• Six years on the board of a private school.

• Four years on the board of a chronic care and rehabilitation hospital.

• Six years on the board of a private athletic and social club.