Q&A with Janet Reid of Global Lead Management Consulting - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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Goldman’s strategic expertise led Globalo Lead’s owners to reorganize internally, givinbg each owner responsibility for growth over specific segments of the managemen tconsulting business. That structure and the relationship with Goldman has helpexd position the firm for stability and continueed growth during these difficulteconomif times. Global Lead co-founder Janey Reid talked to Business Courier Senior Reporter Lucy May about how the company is doingh andthe firm’s strategies for weathering the Q: How’s business in this economy?
Business is However, we are internationao management consultants, and our client are very interested in managingh their talent and increasing effectivenesd in this economy. We continue to grow business domesticallytand internationally. Q: Are there thingse you and the other partners have done to weather the storm and be positionedr forgreater growth? Yes. We have looked at our businessw and reorganized to focusx even more upon the business sectors that continur to grow inthis economy. Additionally, we continuer to innovate and create products that are relevant to companies that have to downsiz or do morewith less.
Q: Has your relationship with Goldma n Sachs Urban Investment Groupbeen helpful?? Very. They are investors in our company and, great business advisers. Q: How has it been helpful? We have very productivse discussions about strategy and about the overalol economic condition of the United Statee and overseas markets where we do lots of They have great analystsand hands-on experience with a breadthn of portfolio companies. Q: As a globak company, how has your firm reacted to the changexs in theglobal economy? We continue to seek new opportunities acrosse Asia, the Americas and Europe.
The slowdown of the global economy has, in some cases, elongates the time from the initial contactf with a business prospect to the actuakl signing ofa However, the bulk of our clientxs are multinationals, and people continue to need assistanced in understanding cultural nuances and leveraginf the power of the differences to accelerate innovation, problem-solving and attaining deeper consumer and customer Q: Have you adopted any new strategies to set Global Lead apart?? Yes. We are in the process of reviewinvg our brand and increasing its prominence via new mediaa forms and more languages through social instant translators, etc.
We are in the final talks with a greatr international branding firm that will leadthe work. Q: Are theree segments of your consulting business that are growing fasterthan others?? E-learning is growing very quickly. In part, this is because clientds see it asmore economical. This is especiall true among those outside of theUnited Also, our Talent Management practice, including executive coaching, team-building and pairs coaching, with a CEO and his/her CFO, is booming.
That is becausew in stressful times, people need to be even more productive and effective in meeting the needs of their Another growth area is the consulting and trainingb that we do to help companies doing business outside of the United States effectively lead and manage people whose cultures are very differenyt from their own and vice We help foreign nationals understand thos that are working with them ormanaginhg them. The end result is a more engaged and productivework force. In this kind of work, we teac h the principles of “Cultural Dexterity,” which is the title of the latesty book that weare writing.
Q: Are there new strategies or tactics you have adopted at the company to deal with the challengingteconomic times? We are managing expenses very tightlyg and are doing a lot more with less. Most we are ensuring that our clients have the indispensablr products thatthey need. Q: Have you made any changesd tothe firm’s internal structure ? Yes, about a year ago we appointeed a new CEO, Oris Stuart. Oris has created an outstandingleadershio team, which is responsible for the profit/loss of the busines sectors that they manage and for the company’s overall P/L. we have appointed a global business team, whichj I manage.
That team looks for opportunities in and creates productsfor Asia, the Americas, Europe, norther Africa and the Middle East. The fifth area of focu s is upon the issues of womehn in theworkplace worldwide. Q: Has it been helpfulk having Oris Stuart in the dedicated CEO role duringfall this? Yes! Q: How? There are four managing partnersd who own the business. Oris has responsibility for the day-to-dah business as CEO. His appointment has allowed Vincent Browmn to focusupon innovation, Samuel Lynch to focus upon growing our businesd in the government sector and me to do so in the internationapl arena.
The bottom line is there is a dedicatedf owner focusing upon key strategic areas forthe Q: Your business relies on a great deal of Has that been made more difficult because of the economy? Yes. Because of the frequent flight we often have to fly in the night before a meetinyg to ensure that weare there. This costz more due to having to pay fora food, etc.