West Washtenaw Business Association, Member Highlight

Highlighting a WWBA Business

General Systems Consulting & The LEAD Institute

Debi and Doug Scroggins and Sue York of Bearclaw Coffee Company> border=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.