Highlighting a WWBA Business
General Systems Consulting & The LEAD Institute
New
WWBA member General Systems Consulting & The LEAD Institute offer their
clients two complimentary services; Consulting, and Leadership Training
and Development. Consulting services focus on helping clients develop and
execute a business strategy as well as provide change facilitation to clients
to help them develop high performance work cultures. Their other service
involves training, where they focus on leadership skills and effectiveness
for high-potential leaders and managers of managers. Through the use of
a Venn diagram, Vice President Kelly Petrock explained the interaction among
three variables: the corporate Strategy, the Corporate Culture, and Company
Capabilities. He described how dysfunction, disconnects, or avoidance of
one or more of these components can send a company down the wrong track.
The LEAD Institute helps clients identify which of those components will
need adjusting to bring about the desired changes within the business.
Kelly’s father, Frank (who still works in the business), started the
company in Ann Arbor in 1972. At that time their focus was on traditional
Fortune 100 and 500 companies. In 2003, the business focus was shifted to
southeast Michigan in order to be closer to family and to focus more on
small and medium-sized enterprises. They joined the WWBA because they want
to have a more local focus. After this last recession, many family-owned
and other small to mid-size businesses found that they need to differentiate
themselves in order to compete in this new business environment.
While completing a major in psychology, Kelly did some internships with
his father, helped in researching materials, and learned about the business
at his father’s side. It wasn’t until he worked directly with
a client that he saw how his psychology background could add value with
client businesses. He believes their consulting work compliments their leadership
development and training business because they have such extensive experience
in understanding clients and their businesses.
General Systems Consulting & The LEAD Institute provide consulting services
in their offices, in their client’s offices, or at venues such as
Campus Inn or Weber’s Inn where they can conduct workshops for a business’s
leaders and employees. The LEAD workshops help business leaders determine
the vision and strategy for the organization; develop strategic goals, measures,
and targets; identify the capabilities and systems that need to be developed/improved;
adjust their leadership approach; and engage and build high performance
teams. At the conclusion of every workshop or consultation each business
leader leaves with a 30-, 60-, or 90-day set of milestones and a plan to
get positive momentum and traction on necessary changes.
The company, at 6055 Jackson Road, employs between 4–6 people. Kelly
believes Ann Arbor provides a good source for capable associates when the
need arises. For example, U of M’s Institute for Social Research employs
many people with the kind of background they need.
For more information, go to their web site at www.LEADinstitute.com.
Kelly also maintains a blog at www.kellypetrock.com.
In photo: Kelly Petrock, vice president.