SUZANNE WELLER Realize Growth

Change is Inevitable

Change is constantly courting us. . . and transitioning through it is where we achieve growth. It's where we take inventory and reprioritize, assess what we're ready to hold on to and what to let go of. And where we can redefine and design what's next. This is the foundation of my work. As a reimagination partner, I push the boundaries on what you think is possible and move beyond what's getting in the way.

I'm an avid cook and baker, gravitating towards using culinary terms to describe the concepts and processes of my professional work. Since these descriptions are broadly relatable -- even if you’re not frequently behind a stove, you’ve at least tried your hand at assembling a sandwich -- you’ll see them threaded into how I summarize my services.

“Cooking is the art of adjustment.” -Jacques Pepin

Culinary efforts render obvious results: the creation of something delicious and satisfying. They also give cooks the occasion to harness creativity and bring happiness to others through flavors and textures. Even if you’re following a recipe, there can be a lot of trial and error involved; you hone your craft by adding more of something, taking something away, or swapping out an ingredient for something that makes sense based on preferences, availability, or convenience.

I see the goal of realizing change in yourself as an individual, team, or organization as very similar: the desire or need to create something new for the future. Through transformation, we reimagine our skills, processes, and techniques to develop a recipe that delivers positive and satisfying results.

Here are a few recipes I use when partnering with clients through my service offerings:

Coaching

Coaching is a thought-provoking and creative partnership that unlocks your unique potential. Through our work together, you will see yourself and others more clearly, leverage your individual strengths, and build more effective relationships.

It’s a process of reframing your thinking to better understand where you’re getting caught up; revealing what obstacles you’ve created for yourself and collaborating to craft an actionable plan to move beyond them and grow in the process. Rather than leaving a session with a list of steps you’ll need to follow, you walk away feeling more confident in your ability to manage as a result of figuring it out for yourself through our conversations. You craft a path that’s optimal for you.

If you’ve been baking pies your whole life, you’ve likely mastered the process and create amazing results. But what if you now want to bake a cake? Or a loaf of bread? Do you need different ingredients? It’s likely you have the basic components on hand, but the recipe is different. Measurements change, as does the process. If you want to achieve different results, you’ll need to develop new skills to make it happen.

As a credentialed coach through the Hudson Institute of Coaching, I use their

approach to navigate the course of my coaching engagements.

The coaching sessions are primarily interpersonal meetings that are about 60-90 minutes each, supplemented by phone calls and emails. Additional services such as leadership assessments and stakeholder interviews are also available by request.

Thought Partnership

As a thought partner, I take on a more active role to challenge your thinking and grow your courage. This is an alliance we craft together, where we share information and knowledge to provoke innovation as we co-create actions and outcomes. Similar to coaching, we come together as equals -- however, we define our roles as we come together in the process. These conversations allow for an exchange of ideas and expertise that clarify purpose and direction, and shine a light on things or potential pitfalls that may otherwise remain covered up.

In cooking terms: we bring our own recipes into the kitchen, share stories and expertise about possible approaches before diving in together to create a new sort of alchemy.

Communications - Consulting and Training

Effective communication is a skill that’s never fully-baked. It’s developed over time, where you tweak your ingredients depending on who you’re aiming to reach and the goals you’re looking to achieve. And the beauty of it comes from harnessing your individual style to convey your message.

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” -Mark Twain

Individuals and Leaders: Our partnerships focus on leadership embodiment -- where you develop skills to communicate with confidence and empathy. Through our work together, you’ll cultivate a presence that is both unique to you and conveys credibility and builds trust.

Teams: My group training programs upskill on how to use communications as a tool to get your point across with maximum impact. We’ll tailor sessions according to your needs, with some key objectives being:

Understanding the key qualities of effective communication
Powerful storytelling
Adapting messaging for different audiences
Influencing across organizations, levels, and audiences
Message crafting and delivery across different formats/channels
Cultivating personal style

Projects: If you’re looking for someone to spearhead communications for a project or initiative, I bring extensive experience to the table to ensure you reach key stakeholders with the right information when they most need it. As a consulting partner, I’m ready to jump in with my trusted communications cookbook, gain a solid understanding of your needs, strategize with you to co-create a plan, and cook up something that’s concise, engaging and successful.

Change Management

Many organizations embark on change initiatives to scale their business, drive efficiencies, or minimize friction. The current way of doing things likely functions adequately, but isn’t optimal for where the organization is headed. This could be a project where you’re restructuring your talent, a technology/system roll-out, the introduction of new workflows, or updating your team’s training or toolkits.

Leading successful change requires a combination of process and techniques with a good dash of art. It’s not just about putting changes in place and taking your people along for the ride, but having them actively stand at the stove and cook it up themselves.

My approach to change management is deliberate but agile, focusing on achieving the best results while consistently keeping a finger on the pulse of people, systems, and key interactions. Paired with my leadership and communication skills, I catalyze effective client partnerships that realize efficiency, professional development, and revenue growth.

Approach

Change is Inevitable

Coaching

Thought Partnership

Communications - Consulting and Training

Change Management

Reimagine → Navigate → Realize