Business Operations Consulting
Based on our deep understanding of how technical organizations function, we can help address critical areas of your business operations related to workflow process, resource management and planning, asset allocation, establishing goals and objectives, and prioritizing activities.
Workflow Process Design
What do you do when you don’t have enough time, skills or resources to get the job done right? We can help your organization break down core processes, establish the timelines and responsibilities, and re-build the workflow process to ensure that all activities are accounted for, staff is assigned to each, and that the tasks are all sequenced for all predecessor and successor tasks. We will also help determine the proper or preferred skill set for staff types assigned to each activity and, if desired, develop a learning plan to develop high-potential staff.
Resource Management and Asset Allocation
In an environment with limited resources, indifference is the enemy of efficiency. We can help shine a light on the challenging areas to better optimize your overall operation. We have successfully worked on the management of several large scale capital construction programs and have consulted on ways to improve the management of the capital resources, the planning and deployment of field and office personnel, and developed metrics to enhance the reporting and monitoring functions of the programs.
“You will not find a more dynamic duo than Michael and Deborah Riegel, who combine their talent, passion and energy to create a learning environment that packs a powerful punch. The depth and breadth of Michael’s knowledge and experience in the technical professional world has made him a sought after speaker and development coach in this unique industry. Deborah is a recognized leader in training and development, as well as a successful certified management coach. Her honest, straightforward, no-nonsense approach to business is inspiring and refreshing. Their business partnership provides activities designed to drive maximum individual and team performance. During their interactive, hands-on workshops, the most common theme heard is “Wow! Not only did I walk away with informative tips and tools that I can immediately apply on-the-job, but I had fun too.” Yes, Michael and Deborah are out to prove that learning and fun can co-exist AND that engineers are people too!”
Juliann Decker, Senior Training Manager
Aspen Technology
Strategic Planning and Implementation
Too often, we lose track of the bigger picture as we get enmeshed in the day-to-day activities within our departments or organizations. Sometimes we even forget what we a really trying to accomplish aside from getting to the end of the day without getting an irate phone call from a client, business partner, or contractor. We can help you reconnect to those all-important goals and refocus your day-to-day activities to bring clarity, efficiency and profitability back to the top of your “In” basket. We will help your management team establish the roles and responsibilities for your project teams with an eye toward moving you closer to achieving your goals and objectives, whether that is greater efficiency, higher productivity, or increased profitability. We bring years of experience to help your team make continuous improvement and become an industry leader.
Management and Career Coaching
What is coaching?
Coaching is an interactive, interpersonal, action-oriented process that helps people and teams take their personal and professional lives to the next level – and beyond. According to the International Coach Federation, “clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths” as a result of professional coaching.
Why might you want to work with a coach? See if anything below makes you think, “Yes, that’s me.”
• I have a challenge, goal or opportunity that is urgent, compelling or exciting — or all of the above.
• I have a gap in knowledge, skills, confidence, or resources.
• I am not communicating effectively or assertively.
• I have anxiety related to presentations, difficult conversations, or other interpersonal engagements.
• I am not managing my work and life balance as well as I would like to.
• My work team is not getting along or not producing results.
• I am struggling with my supervisor or my direct reports.
• I am pressed for time in accomplishing a specific goal.
• I need to set some goals – but I’m not sure what they are.
• I am getting ready to take a risk – big or small – and I need additional support.
• I am too stressed, too often.
• My current financial situation or financial future is keeping me up at night.
• I’ve had a setback in work or life, and I don’t know how to move ahead.
• My interpersonal relationships are holding me back rather than fulfilling me.
• I am still looking for a life partner.
• I’m not sure what I am supposed to be when I grow up (and I’m all grown up!).
• I’m not sure what I’m good at.
• I want life to be simpler.
• I am frustrated by my physical environment.
• I am very successful, and the success has started to become a problem.
• Something’s just not right – and I don’t know what.
“Deborah is a wonderful coach to work with. Her reflection skills are top-notch to help you truly see where you are in life and her tools help you elevate yourself to where you want to be.”
Daphne Domingo, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
What does a coach do?
• Facilitate your exploration of needs, goals, drives, skills and thought processes to assist you in making real, lasting change in your personal and/or professional life.
• Use questioning techniques to facilitate your own thought processes in order to identify solutions and actions rather than take a wholly directive approach.
• Support you in setting appropriate goals and methods of assessing progress in relation to these goals in a structured format.
• Facilitate your development of resilience and flexibility in the face of personal or professional uncertainty.
• Listen to what you say – and listen for what you don’t say – to understand you and your situation in depth.
• Help you learn how to make the best decisions for you, regardless of the circumstances and even in confusing situations.
• Creatively identify, suggest and apply a variety of tools and techniques that facilitate your growth and development, which may include training, facilitating, counseling & networking..
• Serve as a sounding board for your ideas and concerns, and help expand your thinking.
• Encourage your commitment to action and to the development of lasting personal and professional growth.
• Maintain unconditional positive regard for you, and be supportive and non-judgmental at all times.
• Help you identify and reduce personal stress levels in a healthy manner, resulting in greater productivity and creative contributions.
• Ensure that you develop personal and professional competencies and do not develop unhealthy dependencies on the coaching relationship.
• Evaluate the outcomes of the process, using objective measures wherever possible to ensure the relationship is successful and that you are achieving your personal goals.
What types of coaching are available?
Executive and Management Coaching
Executive and Management Coaching is focused on helping your senior leaders and managers at to identify and master the leadership, communication, supervisory and behavioral competencies they need to drive business objectives.
Coaching clients will be better able to:
• Manage multiple priorities with greater ease
• Stay personally and professionally aligned with and invested in the organization’s core values and mission
• Lead and be led in a matrix organization
• Tap into their sources of personal energy as leaders
• Energize direct reports, colleagues, leaders, clients and prospects
• Plan for and engage in continuous improvement for self and others
• Manage up, down and across the organization
• Work more efficiently and effectively by overcoming common time management pitfalls
• Delegate without micromanaging or “underleading”
• Apply a more strategic view to the work
• Apply lessons from multiple assessment tools
• Coach their team (as a whole and as individual contributors) towards extraordinary performance
• Thrive in change or transition
• Appreciate their unique strengths
• Manage work/life challenges and other sources of stress
• Generate innovative offerings and transformational results
Presentation Skills Coaching
Presentation Skills Coaching is focused on helping professionals who want to sell ideas, products and services with increased clarity, brevity and impact. This coaching is also appropriate for professionals at all levels who need to increase their confidence, be more assertive, or need to demonstrate more personal energy and competitive edge in their interpersonal communications.
Coaching clients will be better able to:
• Demonstrate increased personal and professional confidence
• Communicate assertively – and aggressively, when necessary
• Identify personal presentation strengths and areas for improvement
• Manage vocal, verbal and non-verbal tics that detract and distract from their presentation
• Establish credibility and confidence early
• Create powerful, memorable openings and closings
• Organize thoughts and choose the best structure for any presentation
• Reinforce key messages using both logic and emotion
• Anticipate and handle both friendly and hostile questions with confidence and authority
• Deliver concise presentations with little preparation time
• Create a call-to-action that works
• Analyze audience interest, energy, and buy-in to the speaker and topic
• Build and maintain rapport with any audience by using flexible approaches
• Improve ability to evaluate messages and give appropriate feedback
• Improve critical listening skills
• Create short, powerful decks (PowerPoint) that engage their listeners
• Use presentation technology, flip charts, handouts, etc. appropriately and seamlessly
• Master appropriate use of humor
• Deal with interruptions, hecklers and nerves
Career and Interview Coaching
You have everything you want…except the job of your dreams! There are two ways of achieving greater career satisfaction – by moving on to a new job or by learning how to get more out of the job you’re in.
Gotta get out? Book smarts and street smarts are not enough to land you the job you want in today’s competitive employment market – you need interview smarts as well. Winning candidates have a powerful combination of sales and marketing skills, verbal and non-verbal communication tactics, and proven relationship-building tools that give them the leading edge over their competition.
Interview coaching prepares anyone looking to change jobs or careers to demonstrate self-confidence, answer any question with poise and control, and to portray professionalism, polish and leave a positive and memorable impression from the first contact with the company to the first day on your new job.
You will get:
• Greater control and confidence in navigating the three steps of the interview process
• Preparation for various types of interviews and interviewers
• Practice composing and delivering answers to frequently asked interview questions, including the “tricky,” the “tough” and the illegal!
• Impressive and important questions to ask your interviewer
• Skills to revive a flagging interview or turn around a hostile interview
• Powerful words that demonstrate your intellect, ability and personality – beyond your resume
• Tactics to avoid deadly interviewing mistakes
• Key steps for executing a post-interview follow-up plan
• Negotiation techniques to get the compensation package you deserve!
Can’t leave? If now’s not the time to make a change, then coaching can help you feel better about where you are in your career, take concrete steps to prevent or overcome burnout, and help you reinvest your time, energy and interest in the job you have NOW – which making yourself even more marketable for the job you want.
You will get:
• An in-depth exploration of what’s working for YOU at work – and what’s not
• Burnout diagnosis and prevention strategies
• Tools and tips for making the most out of the job you have
• Strategies for dealing with common challenges in the workplace (difficult boss or colleagues, poor delegation, lack of reward or recognition, etc.)
• Techniques for staying marketable even when you’re not looking
• What to do when you’re ready to start the job search
• Networking plans