News

One of the Worlds Top Leadership Developers joins ACHIEVEBLUE Corp.

Dr. Linda Sharkey developed, coached executives at GE, HP, other Fortune 10 firms to peak performance

TORONTO, May 9, 2012 – Dr. Linda D. Sharkey, a developer of leaders whose practices were embraced by iconic business leader Jack Welch among others, has been named Global Managing Partner of ACHIEVEBLUE Corp., the Toronto-based talent and leadership development consultancy.

“What sets Linda apart is the science behind her approach to engaging a workforce and developing leaders,” said Mona Mitchell, president and CEO of ACHIEVEBLUE. “Her work is strongly grounded in real-world research and has been validated by measurable results. It’s no coincidence that the years she was Chief Talent Officer at HP that company’s stock price saw double-digit growth.”

Linda has extensive experience working with many of the world’s largest companies, including GE and HP, building teams and creating talent-development programs that drive productivity and growth. She has specific expertise in developing high-potential leaders, cultural transformation and talent planning and management.

She is a founding member of the Marshall Goldsmith Group. Dr. Goldsmith, profiled in Forbes and the New Yorker, is a highly regarded pioneer in executive and leadership development. Along with Dr. Goldsmith, Dr. Sharkey is considered to be one of the world’s leading executive coaches. She contributed a chapter to Dr. Goldsmith’s recent book: Coaching For Leadership: Writings on Leadership from the World’s Greatest Coaches.

She has also authored or co-authored several important books and articles that shape thinking on talent management, leadership and strategic change. Her most recent book: Winning with Transglobal Leadership, is a ground-breaking work that identifies the top five characteristics of a global leader. Her previous book, Optimizing Talent, details proven steps to build talent-rich organizations.

“Every leader needs to know that they are the vehicle of leadership,” Dr. Sharkey said. “The only way you can continue to grow as a leader is to continue to understand yourself and how you affect others. How self-aware are you? How much do you know about yourself?”

She said a common pitfall for leaders is an inability to do something different from what worked for them in the past.

“Many people get into big leadership roles and they can’t let go of what they’ve done in the past,” she said. “They don’t learn the art and science of what it takes to lead organizations and their people to greatness.”

‘’We are very excited at having Linda join ACHIEVEBLUE and our expansion in building out our Talent Optimization and Global Leadership practices” said Ms. Mitchell.

About ACHIEVEBLUE

ACHIEVEBLUE Corporation works at the intersection of corporate culture and business strategy. It is a leadership, talent and culture development organization that works with companies in Canada and around the world to create sustainable business advantages. With offices in Toronto, Silicon Valley, North Carolina and Michigan, it combines professional expertise, vanguard research and patented training programs to help its clients develop more strategic approaches to achieving measurable, breakthrough performance. For more information, contact ACHIEVEBLUE at 416.236.3005 or visit at www.ACHIEVEBLUE.com

Media Contact:
Jennifer Atkinson
Jennifer.atkinson@ketchum.com
416-355-7407

ACHIEVEBLUE Corporation:
Mona Mitchell
mmitchell@achieveblue.com
416-236-3005 x. 201

Executive Briefing: Overcoming Culture and Talent Roadblocks

Have you experienced a leaking roof in a storm?  You don’t know there’s a problem until it is too precarious to be out there in the rain fixing it. 

Culture and talent can be seen in a similar light – when the business is doing well, it’s easy to ignore a less-than-ideal culture and a weak talent management strategy.  But when results start to suffer, it is often too late to overcome the roadblocks.

Drucker’s statement that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” is getting more and more airplay in social media channels lately it would seem.  We at ACHIEVEBLUE™ would hardly argue this point and have been proponents of the importance of achievement-oriented cultures for quite some time. Recent research from author Dr. Linda Sharkey PhD presented in her book, Optimizing Talent, has demonstrated that a supportive culture can yield a 10% improvement in business results against other measures such as performance management systems.

When we work to optimize our talent base, culture is something we can’t ignore. But that doesn’t mean it is easy to address.

Join us on March 27, 2012 to explore the challenges and more importantly, practical ideas to overcome the roadblocks to culture and talent initiatives.

This innovative blend of panel discussion, breakout brainstorms led by our experts and active networking will prove a great opportunity to learn, share and develop relationships that can provide support as you continue on the culture and talent journey.

Our Experts:  
Learn from our expert panel as they share their experiences – both challenges and success stories around getting buy-in from senior leadership and getting long term return on the financial and time investments made across the organization.  Our panel will include:

•  Michelle Ummels, VP Marketing & Sales, Alcon Pharmaceutical
•  Myrna Ain, EVP Culture Practice, ACHIEVEBLUE
•  Dr. Linda Sharkey, Author, Linda Sharkey and Associates

Date:  Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Location: Verity Club – 111D Queen Street East (just east of    Church Street, parking across the street)
Time:   7:30 am to 10 am (Breakfast served at 7:30 am   to 8:00 am)
RSVP: Sue Runcie, sruncie@achieveblue.com  |   (416) 236-3005 x207