Finard and Company, LLC — We introduced a program to foster employee empowerment and management development. It resulted in improved interpersonal communication, lower employee turnover and increased management participation in company growth.

American Society of Training and Development — We helped educate Chapter Leaders on the value of practicing commitment, visibility, accountability, effective communication skills, vision and team-building initiative. As a result, many Chapters have introduced our firm for workshops to promote member participation, increase membership, develop volunteers and increase ancillary revenue sources. This collaboration has continued for more than four years.

National University Continuing Education Association — We designed educational programs in topics ranging from needs assessment and evaluation to strategic planning, marketing, and distance learning, utilizing custom-designed video, self-paced learning materials and facilitator-led sessions. These programs are available to all members.

Institute of Real Estate Management —We delivered a Professional Development Workshop on the keys to understanding change and maximizing its potential for growth and profit.

New York Eye and Ear Infirmary — We provided solutions for the organization, managers and staff to deal with a changing health care marketplace and environment.

Gordon Associates —We provided consultation in development and delivery of a Strategic Initiative Process. This resulted in improved interpersonal communication between the Board of Directors and senior management, goal alignment, and a new, global focus.

Massachusetts Pharmacists Association — We collaborated in developing the agenda and facilitation process for their Annual Officers Retreat. In doing so, we helped Officers re-visit the organization’s Strategic Planning Process, mission, vision, development of Association Action Plans and Personal Action Plans. We remained in concert with them, via follow-up meetings and telephone consultation to ensure that these plans were implemented.

Amtrak — We designed a program for all personnel developing the need for greater emphasis on customer service and relationships, and the pragmatic business results that can be achieved from the “intangible” parts of the business. The program was rolled-out across the U.S. with the endorsement of senior management as an integral part of Amtrak’s strategy to enhance the emphasis on customer service. As a result, we developed our “I Am Your Customer, Hear Me Now ” ^(SM) program, which has been delivered to more than 50 corporate clients.

Gregstrom Corporation — We collaborated with senior management in implementing a Professional Development Program which emphasized team-building skills and leadership capabilities. Initially provided as a course strictly for salespeople, executives chose to have it conveyed to all employees.

DataProfit Corporation — We designed and implemented a program to foster innovation at all levels of the organization in order to take advantage of new sales opportunities worldwide. As managers in every industry (including information services) have continued to explore ways to empower each employee, this educational process encouraged participants to understand their ability to sell and market the organization’s products and services, no matter the extent of their contact with clients and prospects.

Sessions Group — We assisted in devising a skill set list for prospective trainers and engaged in recruitment and hiring of those training professionals. We remained to provide regular consultation on course design and development, review the employee-employer relationship-building process and ensure cohesion between program delivery, client and attendee needs and training firm capabilities.

For several Fortune 1000 corporate clients — We have made available the services of our firm’s president, Chris DeVany, to coach new managers through daily adventures such as how to manage for the first time, how to manage new and existing relationships and understanding and practicing leadership skills. We have also helped clients in planning strategic organization scenarios for the next one, two and five years. Several of these engagements have encouraged individual managers to recommend us back to the organization as a whole.

For PSDI, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and a growing number of other organizations — We have visited, assessed, facilitated improvement, redesign and in most cases delivery of their management training and development programs. Many times, clients ask us and we choose to deliver a “Train-the-Trainer” program, which is provided to allow current managers and trainers to deliver these learnings internally.

New England Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association — We conducted a presentation skills workshop for produce marketers and sales managers. Many chose to hire Pinnacle Performance Improvement Worldwide for their own company’s management and employee training program, including Sara Lee Corporation.

BayBank (now Bank of America) — We facilitated an intervention to give the senior management team a better understanding of pending organizational changes. We continued to investigate their thoughts about succession planning and task delegation. The result was an improved understanding about “turf” battles and group dynamics.

International Society for Performance Improvement — We delivered a staff-building program which addressed their concerns about teams, leadership, improved communication and change. This program was also shared with the membership at large, resulting in adoption of these program initiatives with clients such as United Airlines and IBM.

American Society of Association Executives — We provided and facilitated a program which helped their executive ranks to improve recruitment, member retention, cross-functional communication and cost-benefit ratios. Our model is being used in chapters throughout the United States and with affiliated companies, including Gregstrom Corporation.

COBA Renaissance Consulting (a division of Renaissance Worldwide) — We designed and implemented a communication skills program for new hires. We facilitated an environment which motivated staff to improve their listening skills, ability to offer constructive feedback, persuasion skills and coaching and counseling techniques. Management confirmed the quality and magnitude of our collaborative result: improved client satisfaction and relationships whose strength added to the bottom line.

Bank of Boston and BayBanks, Inc. — We engineered an intervention which brought senior management from both organizations together. During this process, we provided a forum for uncertain parties to meet and better understand one another, and discover an environment in which they could mutually flourish.

Sales and Marketing Executives International — We shared a seminar program which educated attendees about methods for improving client relationships, building trust and turning objections into opportunity. This same program has been customized and delivered for more than 20 chapters nationally.

It is quite common for a needs assessment to unearth concerns or issues which were not previously realized by management. When an outside consulting firm is invited to participate, employees feel freer to reveal the issues behind the issues.

We have completed needs assessments and recommended courses of action for a variety of major trade associations, including the New England chapter of Meeting Professionals International. On the corporate side, our collaboration with Finard and Company, LLC revealed a need for improved communication and cooperation among colleagues, not necessarily the identified need expressed by management.