Over the years, we have found that we work best with a special kind of client organization -- one that is characterized by the following traits:

• Acts on the belief that people are key to competitiveness

• Sustains a commitment to innovation

• Demonstrates strong leadership support for performance systems

• Stands for leadership throughout the organization, not just at the top

• Appreciates the value of long-term, close relationships with suppliers

• Promotes organizational learning through reflection and knowledge management systems

Therefore, we begin each new client relationship with an assessment designed to ensure that your organization can benefit from our services. We also begin with a thorough understanding of your company, your industry, and your needs. Then we forge a true partnership with you and your employees.

Here are a few examples of our clients and our working relationships with them:

Rohm and Haas Corporation
We have partnered with Rohm and Haas, a specialty chemical company, for 15 years. We assisted them with the creation and implementation of a world-wide training and learning system.  In addition, we introduced them to the concept of performance consulting.  We developed and delivered training on how to carry out performance consulting, and we established a distance learning and coaching process to reinforce its use throughout the company.  We served as consultants to their ISO certification training committee, and assisted with the development of the operator certification process required by OSHA PSM.  We assisted the company's first measurement of ROI for their operator training system.  Over the years, we have helped them develop change management strategies for several corporate-wide initiatives, including the rollouts of their Supply Chain and Capital Deployment Process programs. We have been collaborating with the Engineering Division for several years to develop and implement a training system, mentoring system and change management strategy.  At the beginning of 2001, the Engineering Division outsourced its training strategy development and implementation to us.  Throughout the year, we have worked arm in arm with them to create a state-of-the-art training system for their technical community.

Atofina
We have collaborated with a manufacturing facility of Atofina for several years.  We have assisted them in building teams, training trainers, and facilitating the redesign of work in operations.

Geon Chemical
We assisted Geon Chemical in the design and development of their operator training system, to support their team-based operations and to meet OSHA certification requirements.

Shell Oil
We assisted with the development and support of a large mid-western refinery's first union/management partnership.  The partnership focused on the development and implementation of a technical training system for operators.

Bristol-Myers Squibb
We supported Bristol-Myers Squibb with the instructional design and development of a training course for teaching a new global sourcing methodology.  Likewise, we worked with a group of research scientists on the design and development of training on a company-specific process for the development and commercialization of drugs.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing
We have worked with Toyota Motor Manufacturing on a variety of projects.  For example, we partnered with the Human Resources department to redesign their structure and processes. Also, we have served as coaches to a number of their managers in both operations and staff functions.  We have worked with several of their operations management teams to clarify roles, develop strategy and build teams.

IBM
When IBM needed a method for quickly moving people from assembly jobs to office jobs, they contacted us.  Due to a major automation project, they had a manpower surplus, while they had a shortage of computer programmers, operators, and secretaries.  Their strategy was to set up in-house retraining programs to teach computer programming skills to a selected group of assembly employees.  They hired us to help them design a nation-wide retraining and transition strategy for their plants.  In the process of assisting them with the implementation of the transition strategy, we worked with people in most of the IBM plants in North America.

Brown Forman
We have an ongoing working partnership with the Brown-Forman Corporation.  We have assisted their production facilities with the development of operating procedures and technical training systems.  In addition, we have worked with their management teams on culture change, team processes, and other aspects of team cohesion and leadership.  We have assisted the Human Resources Department with a number of initiatives pertaining to developing the appropriate strategy and culture for the future.  We have facilitated several management assimilation processes and have served as coaches to a diverse group of executives.

View our clients among FORTUNE's Most Admired