<< Please click on a topic to the left to learn more about how Praxis can help your company develop leadership skills.

Executive and Leadership Coaching

Praxis provides coaching services as a means of enhancing the overall leadership capacity of our clients’ businesses. Our individual coaching process involves several components, including:

• A comprehensive assessment of individual capabilities
• Clarification of organizational expectations relevant to individual performance requirements
• A focused plan of action, including accountability mechanisms
• On-going coaching sessions
• Evaluation of progress

Leadership Team Development

Praxis approaches leadership team building from the perspective that the dynamics, norms and functioning of any individual team must be understood within the context of the vision, culture, norms and expectations of the larger organization in which it operates. Our leadership team development work is customized to the needs of each client, and typically includes:

• Assessment of the team’s current functioning, internal dynamics and performance Customized design and implementation of a team building strategy to improve team dynamics, enhance individual skills, and clarify roles and responsibilities
• Praxis, in partnership with King Arthur Flour, has also developed a fun, customizable team building program, called Team Building Through Baking, which is delivered at King Arthur Flour’s demonstration kitchen in Norwich, VT.

Customized Leadership Development Programs

Praxis works collaboratively with a client’s internal organizational team to assist them in defining a clear set of leadership skills and competencies for each level of responsibility. Our consultants work to ensure that:

• Leadership requirements are aligned with strategic goals and organizational vision
• Leadership requirements support the development of a high performance work environment

Board Development

Praxis works with Boards of both corporate and non-profit organizations. Our consultants assist Board members in:

• Clarifying the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of the Board
• Distinguishing Board and Staff responsibilities
• Articulating characteristics for selecting new Board members
• Developing an effective process for orienting new Board members.

Praxis consultants also work with board leaders and executive committees to define board structures and enhance the board’s functioning and contribution to the organization’s success.

Succession Planning

Planning for an organization’s future leadership should begin long before the actual leadership transition is scheduled to occur. Praxis assists organizations in defining future leadership needs for all key leadership positions by:

• Assessing potential internal candidates for leadership positions
• Designing development programs to prepare people for progressive leadership roles.
• Working with internal search teams to assist in developing smooth leadership transition processes
• Defining particular skills, attributes and experiences that a new leader should possess
• Working through the actual leadership transition

Praxis consultants also work with board leaders and executive committees to define board structures and enhance the board’s functioning and contribution to the organization’s success.

Mentoring Programs

Mentoring programs are an excellent way to provide professional and personal development support to promising employees by drawing on the experience and expertise of skilled individuals who are already within an organization. We usually start by working with a small steering committee to set program goals, identify implementation strategies that integrate the mentoring program into the larger development and business strategies, and establish evaluation measures. We also share with groups the research literature that has been generated on mentoring so that they can build on the lessons already learned.

Typically, mentoring programs involve matching a more skilled or experienced person who has volunteered to work with a less skilled or less experienced person who is not in a direct reporting relationship. The work of the mentor is to help broaden the mentee’s viewpoint by providing exposure to different perspectives on the company and offering more insight into job and/or industry demands. The job of the mentee is to learn and take charge of his/her own growth. The program is often targeted to particular audiences, (for example: high potentials, new managers, women) and/or has some clear criteria. Similarly, criteria are established to delimit the mentor role and people are then asked to volunteer and/or invited to apply. Further, in more successful programs, there is a screening process involved to ensure that both potential mentors and mentees have met the criteria established.

Team Building

Praxis develops customized team building processes to enhance the dynamics and effectiveness of teams at any level of an organization. Our process typically includes:

• Assessment of the team’s current functioning, internal dynamics and performance
• Customized design and implementation of a team building strategy to improve team dynamics, enhance individual skills, and clarify roles and responsibilities.
• Training in team problem-solving and decision-making
• Working effectively with diverse team members
• Balancing team and individual responsibilities

Praxis, in partnership with King Arthur Flour, has also developed a fun, customizable team building program, called Team Building Through Baking, which is delivered at King Arthur Flour’s demonstration kitchen in Norwich, VT.

Negotiations

Praxis consultants have many years’ experience teaching and facilitating interest-based bargaining. We believe there are two critical factors in interest-based negotiations that successful organizational leaders should master. First is an understanding and appreciation of the importance of the “interests” that each party brings to the bargaining process. A successful negotiator also must develop and model the skill of asking and understanding why a certain position is taken. In facilitating negotiations, we introduce the concept of “interests” in the context of organizational problem solving.

Conflict Management

Conflict, when managed well, is an important resource for organizational and individual growth and performance improvement. Leaders who understand the constructive potential in conflict are better able to leverage the positive contributions that different perspectives can provide for organizational improvement. Conflict in organizations is seldom attributable to personalities; rather, competition for resources and status, different roles, different goals, and personal values are more likely to foster conflict. The successful leader will engage organizational members in dialogue to identify these differences in a neutral environment. This will support understanding and the creative use of different strengths. Praxis consultants are experienced in engaging organizational groups in this dialogue. Using an integrative approach, we combine education, coaching and reflective practice to work through the conflict management process. We create a safe space for the discussion that must occur if organizations are to move forward.