Tell me a little about yourself and your role at PRADCO.
I will be celebrating my 15th anniversary with PRADCO on September 18, 2010. I feel great about saying that, and I anticipate adding at least a couple more decades to this enjoyable run! My initial role was as a Management Consultant at the headquarters office near Cleveland. Then, in 2005 I had the opportunity to move to the Columbus, Ohio, office as Regional Director, and I became Vice President in January 2008. Along this path I gained lots of experience in psychological assessment, leadership coaching, group training, product development, business development, strategic planning, employee surveys, and lots of other things. Currently my time is divided between management, business development and service delivery. I will always be hands on in working with clients.
For those interested in more ancient history – my life prior to PRADCO included earning a Master’s in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and working for seven years with another consulting firm, Barrett & Associates, Inc. At B&A I developed selection tests and assessment centers, performance evaluation instruments, and training and employee development programs. I also managed the administration of all of those programs and handled legal issues such as the analysis of adverse impact for EEOC and OFCCP audits. My roles there included Independent Consultant, then Project Manager, and ultimately Vice President over Project Administration.
What do you like best about your job?
Most definitely it is the enjoyment of helping clients make good decisions and solve problems. I really am a relationship-oriented professional. Clients in our Columbus office range from large international corporations to small research-oriented start-ups, but I get to know individuals personally in every one of them. It is great to hear their relief and appreciation when we reassure them that their candidate is equipped to be a strong performer, or I have coached them through a rough patch with their employee relationships or business results, or I have helpful advice to provide in their engagement survey report. There are so many examples I can give! Basically, I most like working on the consulting activities that involve sharing information and relating to the customer as a partner in improving their performance and business results.
Tell us something about yourself that even your coworkers don’t know.
I have taken up learning to play guitar. My teenage kids got a real kick hearing me try to play “Ode to Joy” from the beginner’s lesson book. [I admit that the tempo was a bit slower than what the composer intended -- but I think the melody was recognizable!] Anyway, after the humiliation of my kids laughing and story-telling of that event to our neighbors and relatives, I decided to seek the assistance of a professional musician. Weekly lessons begin next Tuesday. And I have confidence that the process will go well!
What is your favorite travel destination?
Without question, the answer is Italy. I had the pleasure of visiting the small town where my grandfather grew up [near Trento in Northern Italy] and getting to know some distant cousins. I’ve told all my State-side relatives that I’m on board with a trip to Italy whenever anyone wants to go. I am intrigued by walking the streets and learning the culture that my ancestors experienced. If you are ever in Florence be sure to visit Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini. It is just next door (and you can actually enter it through) the Academia where Michelangelo’s David sculpture is displayed. I like to believe that Luigi and I share the same family tree — and I’m sure his same level of musical talent will soon be evidenced in my guitar performances.
What are you currently working on?
Over the past few years I have been devoting a much greater amount of time to Leadership Coaching engagements. This can involve relationships with a whole management team or organizational department to read the dynamics, diagnose and identify opportunities, and impact the culture. Managers everywhere are struggling with the demands of our current business climate and with keeping their subordinates motivated and focused on key priorities. We conduct formal 360 surveys of Leadership and Emotional Intelligence, and I often incorporate situation assessment interviews with various organization members and customers to tailor our process to the unique circumstances. Together we create written behavioral action strategies that are relevant to the manager’s work objectives. I help them improve their day-to-day habits and performance, and help them deliver better bottom-line results. This makes everyone happy – the coachee, their boss, their employees, and even their families outside of work since we can address all kinds of dynamics and relationships. I am currently in charge of formal documentation for our corporate-wide PRADCO Leadership Consulting Strategy & Process, so I’ll share more about our coaching philosophy, typical interventions and success principles as I blog throughout the month. I also really want to write a book called “Stealth Development,” reflecting the leveraging of great improvements through simple, efficient behaviors that take only seconds or minutes to implement. It’s all about seizing the right opportunities and choosing the right thing to do.
Thanks for reading! I look forward to feedback – so please send comments!
- Ron
