Kate Sweetman
The New Leadership Code:

Five Essential Rules to Lead By
April 1, 2009
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A Consulting Partner with The RBL Group, Kate architects, develops, and delivers educational interventions that help executives and senior managers adopt fresh approaches to business, process, and people. Her specialty is crafting customized cases around issues of leadership, strategy, organizational development, and implementation that help organizations look at themselves, what they do well, and what they need to improve. Her team won ASTD's top prize for developing a Verizon leadership program calculated to have achieved an ROI of more than 250% in the first six months. She has a BA in English from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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Management Forum Series 2007-2008 Season

Rita V. Bailey
Engage Your People/Enrich Your Profits: A Fresh Approach to Strengthening Your Organization
November 1, 2007
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Rita Bailey understands the relationship between people and profitability: she helped Southwest Airlines realize years of chart-topping growth. Based on the experience of dozens of high-profile companies, Rita introduces a powerful step-by-step approach for creating a people-centered organization that results in higher productivity, improved quality at lower cost, reduced employee turnover, and superior financial performance. Learn how to strengthen your organization as you go behind the scenes with Rita to see how some of the world’s most successful organizations have used this approach to earn unsurpassed customer and employee loyalty and achieve sustained profitability.

Rita is founder and CEO of QVF Partners, a consulting firm committed to helping organizations create people-focused cultures. Her insights on culture and people strategies have been featured in Fortune, BusinessWeek, and The Wall Street Journal. An international speaker and advisor, she was national board chair of the American Society for Training & Development in 2005. Rita is coauthor of Destination Profit. Co-published with the American Society for Training & Development, Destination Profit makes the engaged people = enriched profits link clear and actionable for any executive or manager dedicated to creating a workplace culture that connects people to the organization to improve productivity, reduce turnover, and deliver unbeatable customer loyalty, chart-topping growth, and superior financial performance.

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Larry Johnson
Getting the Job Done: Strategies for Communicating Honestly in the Workplace
December 4, 2007
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In an era of ‘win-win’ theories and corporate cultures focused on consensus, straightforward, honest, no-nonsense communication can be rare, indeed. Whether it’s fear of reprisal, the tendency to just ‘go along,’ or not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings, many of us avoid telling the truth when the truth needs to be told. In this engaging presentation, Larry Johnson advocates communication strategies that get to the point, respect others, and get the job done. Using the Six Laws of Absolute Honesty, Larry provides step-by-step instructions for overcoming the most difficult communication issues and building an organization characterized by honesty and integrity.

For over 20 years, Larry Johnson has helped companies around the world to create more ethical corporate cultures, manage change, retain customers, and develop effective working relationships. His clients include Harley-Davidson, Nordstrom, American Express, Lloyds of London, Tektronix, and the AMA. A popular speaker and writer, he is co-author of Absolute Honesty, author of What to Say to a Naked Emperor, and has published more than 40 articles in national and international journals on the topics of leadership, customer service, and teamwork. He holds a BA in Education from Arizona State University and a Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology from Northern Arizona.

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David DeLong, Ph. D.
They're Retiring. Now What? Retaining Organizational Know-how
February 6, 2008
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Employees take something valuable with them when they leave an organization, and it’s all in their heads. As record numbers of senior employees retire and younger workers opt for more mobile careers, the specialized information they use to perform their jobs can cost millions to replace if it walks out the door before being identified and saved. Dr. David DeLong presents a detailed plan for addressing the threat posed by this lost knowledge. Find out how your organization can identify, transfer and retain the critical expertise of your experienced employees ─ before that knowledge walks out the door.

Dr. David DeLong is president of David DeLong & Associates, a research and consulting firm that helps organizations solve performance and staffing problems caused by an aging workforce, skills shortages, and increased mid-career turnover. He is also a research fellow at the MIT AgeLab and an adjunct professor at Babson College. David is the author of the widely-praised book Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce from Oxford University Press. His work has been widely cited in The New York Times, Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, CIO Magazine, the Boston Globe, and the Christian Science Monitor. He has also been interviewed on NPR's "Morning Edition" and "Talk of the Nation." He has a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from Boston University and an M.P.A. from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

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Andy Hines
Roadmaps to the Future: Forward-Thinking Strategies for Innovation and Change
March 5, 2008
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There has perhaps never been a time in human history where strategic foresight is more needed. Whether for business, government, education, nonprofi ts, or even individuals,the ability to create and sustain a variety of high-quality forward views and to apply the emerging insights in useful ways is at a premium. Futurist Andy Hines outlines what executives should be thinking about and doing when contemplating their organization’s future. Using the experiences of dozens of expert contributors, Andy provides clear and useful guidelines for how best to practice strategic foresight in your organization.

Andy Hines is a leading organizational, academic, and consulting futurist whose experience includes establishing the Global Trends Program at Kellogg Co., and serving as futurist and senior ideation leader at Dow Chemical. He manages the consulting practice of Social Technologies, and also serves as adjunct professor at the University of Houston MS Program in Futures Studies. His most recent book is Thinking about the Future: Guidelines for Strategic Foresight.

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Jim Morris
Are You Ready? How Great Leaders Ensure Their Organization's Enduring Success
April 9, 2008

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Organizational transformation expert Jim Morris examines the role of the leader in driving leadership development and preparations for the future. Whatever you believe about leadership, one thing is certain; if we had more effective leaders, the world would be a better place. But why is it so hard to find good leaders? And why do so few senior leaders have trained people ready to succeed them? Jim presents concrete solutions to help you uncover and enhance powerful, capable leaders, how to become one yourself, and how to prepare your organization for enduring success.

Jim Morris has been an innovator in the field of experiential learning and organizational transformation for over 20 years, having held senior management positions at some of the world’s most successful experiential learning organizations. He is Senior Partner of Bristlecone Learning, LLC, an organizational transformation and consulting practice, and is author of The Five Insights of Enduring Leaders.

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Karlin Sloan
Leadership: Smarter, Faster, Better
May 7, 2008
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Acclaimed executive coach Karlin Sloan offers a variety of strategies, self-assessments, sustainable practices, and habits leaders can use to become what today’s marketplace demands: smarter, faster, and better. She shows what it takes to become a leader who can grow the bottom line and still contribute to stakeholders and the world in a positive way. Karlin focuses on solutions as she outlines how we can achieve our highest levels of performance, potential and fulfillment by asking questions, slowing down and being of service.

Karlin Sloan is founder and CEO of Karlin Sloan & Co., a U.S.-based leadership development consulting firm, and author of Smarter, Faster, Better: Strategies for Effective, Enduring, and Fulfilled Leadership. She is a member of The Executive Coaching Summit and is a popular keynote speaker on coaching and appreciative inquiry. Karlin has an M.A. in clinical psychology, and has been featured in The Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Fortune Small Business Magazine.

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Management Forum Series 2006-2007 Season

Jennifer James, Ph.D.
Becoming An Adaptive Leader
October 4, 2006
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The speed and intensity of change in today’s global business environment has made the ability to anticipate and adapt to new challenges crucial for anyone in a leadership role. What does it take for a leader to be prepared for the surprises of the future? Urban anthropologist Dr. Jennifer James outlines the key processes involved in change, and presents strategies for developing the thinking skills needed to adapt to that change.


A specialist in cultural change, diversity and marketing intelligence, Jennifer James is a popular lecturer and author who is described by clients as “...inspiring, thought-provoking, energizing...” and “...the best speaker I have ever heard.”  Jennifer is a published author of seven books, including Windows, Success Is The Quality Of Your Journey, Thinking in the Future Tense, and numerous articles. She wrote a newspaper column for the Seattle Times for 18 years, hosted two PBS specials, and is currently writing Cultural Intelligence for Harvard Business Press. Dr. James holds an M.A. in history and psychology and a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology. Before entering the public arena, she was a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington Medical School.

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Maryann Billington, M.B.A.
Engaging The Emerging Workforce
November 1, 2006
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Shifts in the makeup and cultural dynamics of today’s workforce have created a wave of change in the workplace. As worker engagement seems to wane, business leaders are challenged to understand what motivates their workers. Most of all, the bar is raised for leaders and managers to consider the realm of “adaptive leadership.”
Given that an engaged worker is inclined to be more productive, how can you stimulate that kind of commitment?  How do leadership styles and employee programs keep workers engaged and motivated over time? Join workforce specialist Maryann Billington as she defines the engagement experience for employees and examines its implications for leaders. This presentation will address the future of work and the innovations needed to lead, engage and motivate a varied workforce.

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Robert Galford, M.B.A., J.D.
The Trusted Leader
December 6, 2006
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Enron, Global Crossing, Hewlett-Packard ... the headlines remind us – trust is the hot-button issue for investors, managers, workers, and consumers. More than ever before, the success of an organization depends on leadership that fosters strong connections across teams and among bosses, colleagues, and subordinates.

Companies are in urgent need of trusted leaders, but how can managers meet that need? As Robert Galford demonstrates, the recipe for a successful business includes leadership that fosters strong connections between peers and across organizational functions and levels. Are your leadership skills are up to the challenge? Take the Trusted Leader interactive self-assessment test online before attending.

Rob Galford is Managing Partner of the Center for Executive Development. He works with senior executives at the world’s leading companies to address the intersection of business strategy and corporate organization. He has taught Executive Programs at Columbia University Graduate School of Business, the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and Harvard. He has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

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Pietra Rivoli
Travels Of A T-shirt In The Global EconomyFebruary 7, 2007
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What happens when an expert in international finance examines globalization by tracing the life story of a simple T-shirt? What can this T-shirt tell us about the realities of globalization? Pietra Rivoli delivers a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the social, political, and economic implications of the world-wide industries associated with her single T-shirt.

Don’t miss this examination of the economic and ethical issues raised by her five-year study of modern business and globalization. Pietra Rivoli is Professor of Finance and International Business at Georgetown University. Her book, Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy, was chosen as a finalist for the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs “Business Book of the Year” award.

Professor Rivoli holds a Ph.D. in Finance and International Economics, and specializes in the corporate, ethical and social issues related to finance. Join us for this fascinating and entertaining look at the markets, power struggles and politics of world trade.

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Bill & Kristine Schneider
Aligning Culture, Strategy & Leadership
March 7, 2007
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Does your corporate culture reflect the promise you make to your customers? How can you motivate your people, coordinate their efforts, and align their performance with what you need to accomplish?

The leader-strategy-culture interface connects leadership effectiveness with real organizational effectiveness and real strategy implementation. Join the Schneiders and discover the 4 core promises every company makes to its customers, the 4 core cultures found in most companies, and the 4 core leadership practices that encourage optimal performance. Fill out our online workshop assessment form and receive a mini-assessment of your company’s leadership  alignment.

Kristine Schneider, creator of the Culturelink™ Coaching Process, holds an M.S.W. from Washington Univ. Bill Schneider received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Saint Louis Univ. He is an Organizational Psychologist and author of The Reengineering Alternative: A Plan for Making Your Current Culture Work.

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Mark Gerzon
Turning Conflict Into Opportunity
April 11, 2007
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As our world grows smaller, opportunities for conflict multiply. Ethnic, religious, political and personal differences drive people apart – with potentially disastrous consequences – and it’s the task of perceptive leaders to bring them together again.

World-renowned mediation expert Mark Gerzon argues that leaders have failed to rise to this challenge. Our organizations, schools, and governments remain filled with divisive dictators and everyday managers, instead of what he calls mediators--leaders who transform conflict so that everyone can move forward together. Turning Conflict Into Opportunity provides a powerful framework for helping leaders become mediators, and outlines specific tools you can use to transform seemingly intractable differences into progress on deep-seated problems.

Mark Gerzon is an author, mediator, and leadership consultant focused on fostering global leadership. He is founder and co-director of the Global Leadership Network. His latest book is Leading Through Conflict: Transforming Differences Into Opportunity (Harvard Business School Press, 2006).

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Management Forum Series 2005-2006 Season

Scott Anthony
Embracing Disruptive Innovation
September 28, 2005
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Does your organization embrace innovations that can change the way you do business? Are you able to track trends that could change your industry or lead to your company's demise? Do you know what emerging technologies may destroy your company? Your success as an executive or a consultant may depend on your ability to address these questions before it's too late.

Disruptive Innovation can radically transform whole industries, eliminating many successful companies and creating new ones in its wake. The telephone, PCs, discount retailing, and online auctions are all disruptive innovations that undermined established organizations. Find out what you can do to protect and guide your company's future as Scott Anthony presents insightful techniques for spotting the signs of industry change, identifying disruptive innovations and determining the outcome of competitive battles.

Scott Anthony is co-author of Seeing What's Next: Using the Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change (Harvard Business School Publishing, 2004). He is a partner at Innosight, an executive education and consulting firm, and is editor of the bimonthly Strategy and Innovation newsletter (HBSP). He has a BA in economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA with high distinction from Harvard Business School.

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Peter Hutchinson
Focus On Results: Do More, Spend Less
November 2, 2005
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In an era of continued belt-tightening and demands for greater fiscal responsibility, Peter Hutchinson offers concrete solutions for organizations to get the results they need without requiring increased revenue - create budgets based on targeted results, not on estimated costs. Outcome-based budgeting requires a change in mindset - from thinking about paying for costs and funding departments as cost centers to thinking about fueling outcomes - a process that's difficult to address using traditional budgeting practices. The results-oriented process starts with defining what is to be accomplished, using broad stakeholder input to prioritize desired results, and then dividing funds based on those priorities. This process has been successfully applied both in the public sector and in Fortune 100 companies. With outcome-based budgeting, public sector organizations from Washington to South Carolina have reduced deficits, used revenue more effectively, and significantly increased taxpayer confidence.

Peter Hutchinson is a founder and President of the Public Strategies Group. He previously served as VP of Dayton Hudson Corp. (now Target Corp.); and held public offices in Minnesota. He is co-author with David Osborne of The Price of Government: Getting the Results We Need in an Age of Permanent Fiscal Crisis.

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December 7, 2005
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Although most people are working very hard these days, pioneer and leader in productivity improvement, Tor Dahl, has found that each individual in an organization can still increase productivity by at least 30%. That's because, in part, most workers, often through no fault of their own, are not working on the right things in the right way. Experience has also shown that only 28% of a company's resources are typically needed to accomplish their goals and objectives. This means that nearly 72% of the remaining resources are wasted, misused or under-utilized. To make dramatic improvements in performance, companies must deal openly with all the issues that affect productivity. By taking advantage of untapped resources, by freeing up and reallocating resources, and by removing corporate logjams, Professor Dahl helps companies achieve extraordinary improvements in operational effectiveness, quality, customer service, employee satisfaction and bottom-line results.

Tor Dahl is CEO of Tor Dahl & Associates. He is an economist, consultant, associate professor in public health at the University of Minnesota, and Chairman Emeritus of the World Confederation of Productivity Science. A Fulbright Scholar in Economics, he has published works on health care, economics, management, productivity, and behavioral change.

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February 22, 2006
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Effective leaders use communication as their most tangible tool for achieving desired results. They understand that the role of leader exists only as a shared construct with their followers, requiring that the attitudes and behaviors of others be modified so that shared goals and needs can be met. Communication and leadership researcher Michael Hackman presents Communicating for Leadership Success, a look at how leadership success depends on more than just effective communication skills. You’ll learn to identify how your style varies from routine to stressful circumstances, as well as how your communication style and behaviors impact your overall effectiveness as a leader. Join Michael and learn new strategies for effectively communicating a compelling and clear vision, building trust, and increasing overall leadership effectiveness.

Michael Z. Hackman is a Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Communication at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and a Senior Consultant with CommuniCon. He is co-author with Craig Johnson of two textbooks, Leadership: A Communication Perspective and Creative Communication: Principles and Applications. His clients have included AARP, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Ernst & Young, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard, J.D. Edwards, the US Air Force, and Wells-Fargo.

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Marvin Brown
Corporate Integrity: Rethinking Ethics
March 22, 2006
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What do corporations look like when they have integrity, and how can we move more companies in that direction? Marvin Brown offers a comprehensive framework and practical business lessons as he answers this question with an exploration of the connections between corporate integrity, relational awareness, civic identity, and communication practices. Today’s modern businesses must respond ethically to cultural, interpersonal, organizational, civic and environmental challenges. Join Dr. Brown as he outlines the ways an organization can improve ethical decision-making and construct ethics and compliance programs that both promote and protect organizational integrity.

Marvin Brown has more than twenty-five years of experience as a teacher and consultant in business and organizational ethics. He currently teaches in the Philosophy Department, and the College of Professional Studies, University of San Francisco and in the organizational systems program at Saybrook Graduate School. He is author of Working Ethics (1990) and Corporate Integrity: Rethinking Organizational Ethics and Leadership (Cambridge University Press), April 2005.

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April 19, 2006
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In less turbulent times, executives had the luxury of assuming that business models were more or less immortal. Companies always had to work to get better, but they seldom had to get different. Today, getting different, understanding the dynamics of change and acknowledging the need to dynamically reinvent business models and strategies is imperative for survival. To sustain success, a company must be capable of occasionally unhitching itself from the fading fortunes of its business model. This renewal requires an act of creative reconstruction in which assets are repurposed, competencies recombined, and human energies redirected. Dr. Liisa Välikangas presents the steps necessary for coming to grips with accelerating change and guiding your organization toward a more resilient future.

Liisa Välikangas is managing director at the Woodside Institute. For over 15 years, she has explored the concepts of renewal and resilience at IMD in Switzerland, at Keio Business School in Japan, at Stanford University, and at SRI Consulting. She has published widely in the areas of strategic management and organizational design, co-founded research on regional and organizational knowledge networks at Stanford, and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Knowledge Management. She holds a PhD in business administration from Tampere University in Finland.

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Management Forum Series 2004-2005 Season

Robert Ginnett
Leading a Great Team
April 20, 2005
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Teamwork theorist Robert Ginnett presents Leading Great Teams: Building Them from the Ground Up, Fixing Them on the Fly. Using the methodology of systems theory to evaluate the leader's impact on team performance, Robert has studied teams in various settings, including commercial airline crews, top management, production and surgical teams, and teams working on the Space Shuttle fleet. Using this research, he developed the Team Effectiveness Leadership Model (TELM), which allows leaders to target the three critical leadership functions: direction, design, and development. Join Robert as he details spe- cific methods leaders can use to identify team problems and create the most effective conditions for successful teamwork.

Robert is Senior Fellow at the Center for Creative Leadership. Previously, he was a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as Director of Leadership and Counseling. An orga- nizational psychologist with a Ph.D. from Yale University, he is co-author of the best-selling textbook, LEADERSHIP: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 4th Edition, and author of Leading Great Teams, due out in 2006.

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Dorothy Leonard & Walter Swap
Deep Smarts
March 16, 2005
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'Deep smarts' are the engine of any organization: the accumulated knowledge, know-how, and intuition gained through extensive experience. How do such smarts develop? What happens when people with deep smarts leave? Join Professors Leonard and Swap to examine the origins of deep smarts and their importance to continued organizational success. Based upon the results of a multiyear research project, they argue that cultivating and managing deep smarts are critical parts of any leader's job. Using examples from firms of all sizes and types, they illustrate the connection between deep smarts, organizational viability and continuous innovation. As growing numbers of the Boomer generation retire, Drs. Leonard and Swap challenge leaders to take a hands-on approach to managing the experience-based knowledge that shapes the future of their organizations.

Dorothy Leonard, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard University, chairs the executive program Leveraging Knowledge in the 21st Century Organization. Walter Swap is former Dean of The Colleges and Professor of Psychology at Tufts University. They are co-authors of Deep Smarts, How to Cultivate and Transfer Enduring Business Wisdom (2004).

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February 16, 2005
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Maryann Billington is Senior Vice President for the Professional Development Group at Lore International Institute. Maryann is a certified executive coach and performance architect with nearly 30 years of experience in business, corporate learning, and education.

With the ability to understand the needs of a broad range of industries, she has provided consulting and executive coaching to organizations across industries, including utilities, food and beverage, high technology, banking and finance, education, federal and state governments, healthcare, manufacturing, chemicals, and telecommunications. She coaches leaders and develops solutions for executive and workforce development, organizational transformation, performance improvement, human resource operations, cultural transformation, organizational readiness for technology and change, and merger and acquisition integration. She also designs and facilitates strategy and leadership workshops for leaders and boards of directors.

Maryann draws upon experiences that include CEO of Spectra Performance Consulting and Vice President of The Concours Group. She was practice director for Oracle Corporation where she generated performance strategy and learning solutions as well as guided clients on e-business and e-learning. She has managed global training, including Six Sigma and reengineering for Digital Equipment Corporation, and developed consumer markets for Corning Glass Works. A former Graduate Business School Dean at Northeastern University and Dean of Business and Learning Enterprises at Pikes Peak Community College, she has pioneered global learning, directed Federal workplace training, instructed at colleges, and participated in economic development.

Maryann earned her B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Boston College, an MBA from Northeastern University, and a Certificate in International Studies through AIFS from the London School of Economics. She is an author and keynote speaker on implications of the emerging workforce, global corporate learning, leadership, organizational transformation, and initiatives such as Six Sigma, Lean, and change. She and her husband Peter reside in Colorado Springs, CO.

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Management Forum Series 2004-2005 Season

Scott Blanchard
Leverage Your Best

December 1, 2004
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Go to the heart of key business, professional and personal issues with Scott Blanchard's Leverage Your Best, Ditch The Rest. Based upon experience gained in his ground-breaking program, Coaching.com, Scott provides key insights into the process of taking full advantage of your strengths and most positive qualities while eliminating the things that get in your way. Starting with an analysis of how you are perceived, your own self-image, and your own self-imposed limitations, Scott offers fresh insight into the choices you make in business and in life. Find out how to make the most of your talents, your time and your energy with immediately applicable tools to help you appraise and manage both work and life, and make the tiny but crucial shifts needed to get your needs met and draw effective boundaries. Scott

Blanchard is Executive Director of Blended Solutions and Coaching for The Ken Blanchard Companies® , an internationally recognized management, leadership and consulting firm. His most recent book, co-authored with Madeleine Homan, is Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest: The Coaching Secrets Top Executives Depend On.

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Bernard J. Mohr
Effecting Positive Change

October 27, 2004
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Take a step toward the future of strategic organizational development with Bernard Mohr's insightful presentation based on the principles of Appreciative Inquiry: Change At The Speed Of Imagination. Appreciative Inquiry, or AI, is based on the assertion that 'problems' are often the result of our own perspectives, i.e., if we view a certain priority as a problem and ask what's going wrong, then we are likely to find only problems. However, by focusing on the positive aspects of the organization, by asking "What are we doing right? What are our strengths? What is our vision for a future grounded in those strengths?," we are able to amplify what works and take advantage of the solutions that already exist within the organ ization. Bernard Mohr introduces the AI process and identifies the steps needed to draw on the strengths and values of an organization in order to implement its change agenda and achieve its highest goals.

Bernard Mohr is President of The Synapse Group, Inc., and has 35 years' experience in helping clients such as AT&T, British Airways, BP, Coca Cola, Exxon, the I.R.S., L.L. Bean and R.R. Donnelley. He is the author of numerous works in the field of Appreciative Inquiry, including Appreciative Evaluation In Organizations and Communities (2004).

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Peter Koestenbaum
The WILL to LEAD?
September 29, 2004
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Learn how to apply leadership philosophy to your toughest business issues and achieve breakthrough growth and performance with Peter Koestenbaum's Do You Have the Will to Lead? Using his philosophical model, the Leadership Diamond ® , Peter will discuss how you can use this model to identify and cultivate the eight fundamental leadership attitudes that can make or break your organization. You hold the key to take control of how you lead, but do you have the will? Join Peter and find out how to build a more solid leadership foundation using specific skills directed toward making an impact, including how you can choose more impactful attitudes, how to use more specifically targeted reality checks, and how to achieve your highest aspirations.

With degrees from Stanford, Harvard and Boston Universities, Dr. Koestenbaum has helped develop leaders at IBM, EDS, Ford, Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis), Citibank, Volvo, Amoco, Xerox, and others. He is the author of several books, including The Philosophic Consultant: Revolutionizing Organizations with Ideas and Leadership: The Inner Side of Greatness.

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Management Forum Series 2004 Spring Season

Nick Kitchin
Guiding Corporate Culture
April 14, 2004
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Whether you work for a large, medium or small enterprise, if you want to make your organization more profitable and a better place to work, here is your opportunity. No matter what industry you’re in or how many employees you have in your organization, this program will show you how to benchmark your current culture against the best, how to lead your culture change, and how to inspire leaders throughout your organization. Learn the steps you can take to create a stronger, more sustainable culture in which your employees are happy, fulfilled, motivated, and much more productive. You can look forward to increased productivity and profitability, plus higher levels of both employee and customer satisfaction, when your employees participate in driving your business forward and want to share in its success.

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Lynne C. Lancaster
When Generations Collide
March 17, 2004
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How do you manage, motivate, recruit, and retain four different generations at once? And what happens when those generations collide in the workplace? Lynne Lancaster addresses the issues surrounding generational differences and examines how traditional roles have changed as more people enter, and stay, in the workplace. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran managing younger workers, or a skilled GenXer managing upward, Lynne Lancaster’s practical insights will help you understand what the generations are and how they differ. You’ll find out how to identify Clash-PointsÔ in your workplace, and how to manage more effectively by learning how to connect with each generation.

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Alan Brache
How Organizations Work
February 18, 2004
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Whether you run an organization or work for one, chances are you’ve faced the relentless challenge of improving performance. Too often, hard-won improvements tend to be short-lived, because they haven’t zeroed in on the root causes of the issues or the factors necessary for successful, permanent resolution. Using his new “Enterprise Model” that takes into account all the variables that influence performance, Alan Brache provides a 360° picture of organizational dynamics and how they can be harnessed to effect permanent improvements in performance. Learn how to check your organization’s “vital signs,” diagnose problem areas, and take specific steps to promote lasting change.

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Management Forum Series 2003 Fall Season

Barry Oshry
In The Middle
November 19, 2004
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All of us know what it’s like to be in the middle – whether as a parent torn between child and spouse, or as an executive caught between two department heads, or as a CEO answering to a Board of Directors. When you’re in the middle, you’re pushed and pulled in numerous directions, and often not able to satisfy anyone. To survive, organizations need executives and managers who can competently and effectively deal with being in the middle. Based on Barry Oshry’s influential studies of “middleness” in organizational life, this presentation examines the all-too-familiar process whereby those in the middle become torn, weak, and ineffective. The program then offers a new look at concrete strategies for unleashing the full value of being in the middle, wherever that middle happens to be.

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Steve Drotter
The Leadership Pipeline
October 22, 2004
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One of management’s biggest challenges is finding new leaders, and one of the first questions that arises is whether to bring in an expensive new “star” or take advantage of in-house talent already familiar with the organization. Join Steve Drotter as he shows how to build a highly-qualified in-house pool of effective leaders using the “Leadership Pipeline.” You’ll learn how to identify the clogs in your pipeline and how to constantly groom the best people at every level to move up to the next rung of leadership. By recognizing the transition phases at each level of management, and encouraging the new skills and values required at each level, you can build successive generations of leaders who are ready and able to handle any organizational challenge.

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Sydney Finkelstein
Why Smart Executives Fail
September 24, 2003
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Why do good companies keep getting into big trouble? Usually, it seems their top management made some incredibly stupid mistakes. But the people responsible are almost always highly intelligent and have terrific track records. So what’s really going on? Join Professor Sydney Finkelstein in this enlightening look at why companies and key executives fail, and how we can learn from their mistakes. Using the results of his landmark 6-year study on business breakdowns, he uncovers the specific, identifiable ways in which companies like Motorola, Rubbermaid, Mattel, Webvan and Enron regularly make themselves vulnerable to failure. Don’t miss this truly indispensable presentation that explains the mechanics of executive breakdowns, how to spot them before they escalate, and what lessons can be learned from corporate mistakes.

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