Before we discuss what a Learning Leader looks like, let me tell you a bit about her story. I met Jennifer as she was seeking ways to advance her career, meet personal goals, and be happier. You see, she was adjusting to the competing demands of relatively new roles as:
A professional woman within a more traditional corporate structure
A team leader who manages people and projects
A wife
A mother
Situation:
An interpersonal conflict emerged between the Controller and Assistant Controller (AC) at a Delaware Valley Real Estate Development Firm. The AC wrote a letter to the company President/CEO – 3 levels her senior - complaining about the annual performance evaluation. CEO immediately requested HR to isolate and resolve any issues. Internal discussions led to the company engaging my services.
Situation:
Family-owned businesses possess challenges rarely seen in most corporations. The boundaries around the roles are blurred, channels of communications routinely disregarded, long standing feelings often trumping business logic. Decision making is plagued by emotion, causing procrastination and lost opportunities. Deep rooted familial conflicts often prove the downfall of even the best businesses.
Situation:
The HR consultant started by saying, "staff was taking their conflict to the parking lot." He related that on-going interpersonal conflicts among the staff finally had reached a boiling point. The HR consultant, working with the office manager of a Delaware Valley Professional Services Firm, requested assistance in building cohesiveness within the office of this highly successful professional services practice. While the practice owner enjoyed an excellent reputation in his field and recognition for his service to the local community, the HR consultant confided that "his business management skills were not his strengths."
Situation:
The Board Chair of a statewide Professional Association requested that I assume the leadership role of the Annual Convention that typically drew 300-400 participants. The event enjoyed modest success in prior years. Envisioning the event as a way to attract and retain members, I focused upon two objectives:
develop the highest quality, continuing education for participants and
provide an environment in which members could network both socially and professionally. Operating with full autonomy, I embarked on the journey to make this vision a reality, coordinating logistical issues through an all-volunteer committee.
Situation:
Recognizing prior contributions, the membership of a state-wide Professional Association elected me to their Board of Directors (in the role of Program and Education Board Chair). The mandate was to bring the same level of strategic guidance to the two committees responsible for all continuing professional education programs offered by the association.
Situation:
Challenges exist when providing Board-level strategic guidance for the two committees of a statewide Professional Association responsible for generating the bulk of non-dues revenue. While I focused on building and strengthening the continuing education program, I relied on the two committee chairs to carry out the logistical functions inherent in actually delivering the CE programs at the convention and at conferences across the state. Great care was taken in selecting personnel to fill those roles.
Situation:
I was elected by the membership to provide leadership to the 2nd largest state Professional Association of its kind in the country- with 3,000+ members and net assets in excess $1M. My responsibilities spanned supervising performance of Executive Director and presiding over the 25-member Board of Directors composed five specialty Boards encompassing 27 committees and project groups. A three year commitment consisted of three consecutive, one-year terms, as President-Elect (2007), President (2008) and Past-President (2009).
