If you are a regular reader, you may have noticed a few recent changes on this blog, my personal website, and my LinkedIn and Facebook profiles (and now my Twitter page!). For the past six years, I have been doing OD, training, and HR consulting and business writing for my own company, called Haneberg Management. No longer!
I am now part of a larger group of professionals - a great group - called Management Performance International (MPI). I am the Vice President and OD Consulting Practices Lead for MPI and will head up their OD (which includes management and leadership development) operations. MPI is a 30 year old boutique consulting firm headquartered in Cincinnati, OH that has built a strong reputation for offering creative solutions that help their clients get results.
Why the change? Here is a brief story about what I call "Super Teams" and attributes of great teams.
I worked for a durable goods manufacturer early in my career - about 25 years ago. I was the training manager and I worked for the VP of HR and had several HR generalists as peers. There was something about this team that was special. Although we each had our unique tasks to complete, we often talked with and coached each other and we supported each other's larger initiatives. The chemistry was excellent and mutual respect was high amongst all members. As a result and as a team, we got a lot done and had fun doing it. Every one of the key members - all of them - got promoted and then our super team was dispersed.
Since this experience, I have had high ideals for the great work that talented teams can do. My experiences permeate my training programs for senior teams, management teams, and operational teams. And there have been times when I have felt, again, the spark of a super team experience in various jobs I have held over the years.
I know this to be true: We do our best work when we are part of a team that we feel connected to and that we enjoy. We do our best work when we are part of something bigger than ourselves.
Although my individual consulting business has been successful - exceeding my goals most every year, I have been keeping an eye open for that special situation where I could again play full out on a super team. I considered several potential opportunities before I found and joined MPI. From the beginning something felt right about this partnership. I even told Jim Taylor, the CEO of MPI, the first time we spoke that we would either be very "right" for each other or not at all right in terms of fit.
I am excited about being a part of the MPI team. Everyone in the firm is smart and plays at the top of his or her game. What makes this change particularly positive is that I get to continue to create (and co-create) innovative OD solutions and training programs for organizations - and this is what I love to do. For example, here are just a few of the programs we are cooking up (or have recently cooked up):
Reinventing the Business - a course for managers and
leaders. During tough times, leaders need to be able to look critically
and creatively at their piece of the business and change it to improve
short-term and long term results. This course will offer leaders
and managers practice on how to approach reinventing the business and
share pitfalls that could get in change's way.
The New Business Acumen - leading through tough times. This course will
explain and help develop five skills that managers and leaders need
more now than ever. Business acumen is a moving target as the world
becomes more global, virtual, competitive, fast, and complex.
High Impact Middle Management. Is your middle management function set
up for success? Middle managers can be the engine of the organization,
driving results and removing barriers and dysfunction. As the
link between strategies and execution, a well tuned and mentally tough
middle management team can be a driving force for success and results
orientation.
Great Leadership Teams. It is important that senior leaders be
effective both as individuals and as a team - especially when the organization needs to make changes to stay competitive. We will offer an
innovative and inspiring model for senior team excellence and help leadership teams build six important capabilities.
I have let this post go on too long, I know. Hey, I'm excited! To learn more about the changes and to see my new personal website, click on the links below:
Lisa's personal website
MPI's website
The press release about me joining MPI
One last thing about the blogs. Have you noticed the new posts over at the 2 Weeks 2 a Breakthrough and Hip and Sage blogs? Stay tuned to all three blogs for great posts each week. YES - my blogging will continue and, in fact, it will be better because you will get to read more voices and more provocative perspectives as my colleagues at MPI weigh in on occasion.