“One of the best benefits I received from the Merzad Consultants training is that I have an even clearer picture of my strengths and blind spots, and I am ok with that.  I don’t have to react like everyone else.  I can be me, unapologetically, and offer the best me I can be.”

In addition to the sentiment above, I have noticed that my interactions with associates throughout the corporation have changed.  I believe the difference is that I understand more clearly now that they operate from a different set of strengths and blind spots as well.  It helps me to diffuse communications early on when I sense they are becoming unproductive and/or adversarial.

That just happened this morning during a conversation with an associate in another division!  In the past, I always felt that no matter what I said, it was going to be a bad experience when I talked to her.  So much so, that when I needed something from her, I delegated that communication to one of my Supervisors. This morning, I called her directly.  While I was talking to her, she started her response with defending herself for not having responded to a high priority email I sent to her last night. Because this issue had been escalated to the VP of the division who brought both the VP and Director of the unit in on it, I was only calling her to get an idea of the turnaround time for her response. She probably thought that I was calling to push her along, and I can understand that.  I haven’t learned enough about StrengthsFinder to recognize on the spot whether someone is an Executer, Influencer, Relational or Strategic, but I do know that one of my strengths is Relational; and I operated in that.  I was able to gently and quickly set her at ease and it became a collaborative experience this time. It was amazing!

I absolutely agree with everyone in the room yesterday, that this needs to be provided to all associates throughout the corporation.  I also believe that in order for it to become the culture, everyone will have to complete all three parts of the training.

Thank you for bringing this possibility to us!

Merzad Consulting has provided us an insight into our individual and collective strengths. As an organization in transition, information that helps us understand our skill gaps and the unique contributions that each of us brings to our enterprise is invaluable.  It will inform our planning and organizing as we move forward. 

Their StrengthsFinder presentation of our findings was a dynamic modeling of how a team with complementary strengths can function at a high level.  We learned as much about our own possibilities by watching them guide our shared reflections and listening to their observations about us.  The StrengthsFinder tool has inherent utility.  It has even more in the skillful hands of Mimi and Randie.

I would recommend them to anyone interested in taking a look at unlocking the potential of their organization.”