Get Your Leadership Team to Work Together to Create Value and Drive Results
Business leaders with ‘team issues’ come to me for two main reasons.
Leaders see slow execution of strategies and know the team could be working more effectively together. They want to develop the potential of their people and improve team work — making sure the “right people are in the right seats” with clear support and expectations.
Leaders are managing disruptive conflict on their team. Whether overt or underground, this conflict gets worse over time, eating up time and energy of the leader and the team. Unproductive conflict interrupts workflows, reduces innovation, and impairs decision making because people are reluctant to share information and bring up questions or concerns.
My work helps leaders and teams make sure the right people are in the right seats. We get to the root of performance issues and use strengths assessments to leverage the talents of the team. We get to the root of conflict so it can be transformed into creative problem solving.
JAMES LEADERSHIP HERE
JAMIES or URVI’s
MY LEADERSHIP TEAM SERVICES
Get Rid of Friction in Your Leadership Team
Stalemates and other communication problems seldom arise out of people simply not liking each other. Usually conflicts have to do with differing preferences, points of view, values, or strengths. Sometimes conflicts are a result of different departmental priorities (e.g. sales and operations).
When people don’t understand the nature of these differences, they tend to personalize them — creating friction that slows everything down. People stop talking to each other, form sub-groups, feel misunderstood, and stop bringing things up in leadership team meetings.
Using my experience as a psychologist, I help leaders and leadership teams “work through their sh*t” so the same issues don’t keep resurfacing. We sort out differences, find the root of conflicts, and work stuff out — through confidential 1:1 meetings, facilitated conversations, whatever it takes — so the team can move on.
Team members become more aware of themselves and each other. Rather than being hampered by differences, they’re equipped to use those differences to get things done.
Typical Solutions
new software, more training, more accountability
emphasize accountability and commitment, create ‘issues list’
call for more accountability, more commitment & ‘consequences’
Frequent Outcomes
work arounds when people don’t
use it —> tolerance, frustrationnegativity, judging of others, tolerance, frustration
minimal improvement, tolerance for not meeting quarterly goals, frustration, projects get extended
Sample of ‘Root Issue Solutions’
identify & correct misalignment between people & processes
identify reasons such as skill issue, not feeling space to speak up …
identify underlying issues such as people not raising concerns early enough, not asking for help, or operating in siloes
Common Symptoms
people not using processes or software
people not doing what they say they’ll do
people missing deadlines
Creating solutions for surface problems is like putting a bandaid on a broken bone.
“Nancy is a compassionate, caring, insightful person, first. A coach second. She is real and authentic with a ton of knowledge to share. I am so grateful that she has been and will continue to be in my life.”
— Tim Walker, The Experia Group
"Within just the first two sessions of working with Dr. Nancy, I learned things that justified my investment for the entire year.”
— Tom Ruggiero, Esq.
"Nancy definitely helped clear away all the different things I was trying to do and get to my purpose."
— Matt Elledge, Senior Deputy Director, Veterans Affairs
JAMES LEADERSHIP HERE
JAMIES or URVI’s
MY APPROACH
How I Work
My approach helps visionary leaders and teams work more efficiently, talk more effectively, and adapt to challenges with wisdom and resilience. When underlying issues are effectively addressed, everything improves.
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Everything starts with a conversation. It’s free, confidential, and practical and there’s no commitment to move forward. I listen to your situation, give you some insights about what might be going on, and suggest the next most practical step. If it sounds like it’s a good fit for us to work together, we’ll talk about what that might look like for your particular situation.
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This customization phase can span up to 30 days as we talk more in-depth about the company’s needs and opportunities. Because it’s often the case that leaders don’t know exactly where or what the trouble is, nor the best approach to solve it, I typically engage a discovery process where I conduct interviews, do strengths assessments, and outline a strategy for accomplishing prioritized goals. I then use the insights gained through interviews and assessment data to create the most effective and efficient plan.
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Implementation of the co-created strategy often includes 1:1 meetings, participation in leadership team meetings, individual check-ins with team members, facilitated conversations between two or more team members (or their direct reports) and availability for those ‘as needed’ calls that speed up personal and team transformation.
We track progress through collection of individual and team improvement data and through the use of business metrics toward your most important goals — such as meeting deadlines, improved customer responsiveness, and so on.
What Drives the Return on Your Investment?
Stronger Teamwork. Your team works as more of a unit instead of separate parts, solving problems faster and getting better results.
Productive Debates. We turn disagreements into useful discussions that spark new ideas rather than causing delays or frustration.
Smarter Risk Management. Your leaders spot and handle potential problems earlier, saving money and preventing major setbacks.
More Innovation. Teams develop the trust and structure needed to bring fresh ideas to life, creating new value for your business.
Time Savings. Leaders gain back 5-10 hours each week by spending less time fixing people problems and more time on growth.
Quick Response to Opportunities. Your team makes decisions faster when new opportunities arise, giving you an edge over competitors who move too slowly.
Frequently Asked Questions
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People are understandably wary of working on business goals with a stranger in their midst. I help you determine how best to present the work so that team members see how it will benefit them. I often start with strengths assessments (which really focus on strengths) so people can see themselves and each other in new light. Typically team members start relaxing into the process — even enjoying it — as they see things getting easier.
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At least half of my work is with remote clients using the platforms of Zoom, Teams, or Go To Meeting … whatever works best for the team. Whether your team meets in person, or most or all of you are remote, this process has proven itself to be successful.
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Great! EOS tightens company processes, clarifies people issues, and gets you on the road to traction. Because I’m familiar with the tools, language, and processes, I support you as you implement EOS in your company. I help to address the people issues that come to light as you strive to achieve your rocks and milestones. When I attend ‘business as usual’ meetings (L10s), I gain deep insights into the dynamics of the team and can help make adjustments in real time. My work is an excellent supplement to the EOS framework.
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Because my work is highly customized to each client, it takes a variety of shapes. The common structure is to start with a customization process to make sure we’re addressing the most pressing needs and goals. This often involves 1:1 calls/meetings plus strengths assessments for the team to understand talents and work styles. Sometimes we add a ‘conflict inventory’ to understand how people deal with disagreements.
Then we select the right tools and process for the goals we want to achieve. We determine ideal frequency and set the stage for transformation by introducing the work and positioning its benefits for both the people and the bottom line.
Then we implement. Generally this focuses on 1:1 scheduled meetings, ‘as needed’ calls or texts in between. leadership team meetings
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In my experience, resources are often limited and have to be allocated carefully. Because stalemates in teams get worse over time rather than better, addressing problems sooner is more effective than later. Also, because this work is results driven — making improvements in the team as you pursue your most important business goals — you typically save time and create more revenue because the team functions better together and uses ‘creative tension’ to innovate and iterate.
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Though a good part of this process does involve interpersonal dynamics, leaders and team members who are not inclined toward talking about feelings appreciate the focus of our work — which is on the business goals themselves. We deal with team interactions as a way to improve the functioning of the business. This focus on business outcomes is what leaders appreciate when we’re addressing issues like ‘team health.’
“I highly recommend Dr. Nancy Jonker to anyone looking to up their game in the realm of personal and professional development. Both colleagues and family members have recognized improvement in my communication and presence since working with Nancy.”
— Chelsey Foster, Executive VP & COO, Highpoint Community Bank
“Nancy is an incredible think partner. I was fortunate to connect with her during a challenging time of expansion in my consulting practice. Nancy quickly became a trusted advisor and was instrumental in helping create the space I needed to clarify my vision for the future. To this day I continue to rely on the astute insights Nancy shared during our deep and down-to-earth conversations. I highly recommend Nancy's services to anyone looking for practical strategies to improve how they show up as a leader in their business.”
— C Kelly White, PMP
ABOUT DR NANCY JONKER AND ADAPTAWISE
Beginning in the early 1990’s in my clinical psychology practice, I worked with leaders, business owners and managers. I saw how a company’s culture and leadership styles could ignite people’s energy or kill it.
Assessments that I was using for individuals and partners (for example, Kolbe Indexes™ and StrengthsFinder2.0) had powerful implications for teams. These assessment results revealed inherent and systemic sources of conflict — rather than personal — and provided a data-informed approach to building effective teams.
I also saw how my decades of experience as a psychologist helping people deal with conflict, set appropriate boundaries, and have tough conversations translated beautifully into the business world. I bring the capacity to work with teams and address the myriad of issues that derail effective problem solving.
WE GET REAL RESULTS
Featured Case Study
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“We worked with Nancy for a year and got clear about who our ideal clients are, streamlined our business offerings and took away all kinds of roadblocks. We grew our team, grew our business, and increased our revenue by 300% all while having the best time of our lives.”
— Urvi Mehta, Co-Owner of Clients Online
“Every call with Nancy was a breakthrough. My biggest takeaways were clarity that helped me focus on the right things at the right times and the mindset work that helped me believe in myself.“
— Sandy Moll, CEO of Advanced Business Solutions
What You Can Expect
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Get To The Root of the Issue To Create A New Path Forward
If your company is held back by communication or people issues, it won’t change by itself.
Issues get worse until they reach a breaking point, unless you take charge of actually addressing them. Working on adjacent issues such as business strategy or general leadership is valuable but won’t fix the underlying issues. -
Save Time By Building Skills ‘On the Job’
Develop team skills while striving toward your most important business outcomes.
You don’t need to learn skills and later try to apply them to what you do. Rather, you and your team work on your actual questions under expert guidance, so you reach better decisions faster. We illuminate roadblocks that need to be cleared and shift them in real time. -
Use Business Metrics To Track Progress With Teams
“That which is measured improves.”
~ Karl Pearson
Goals such as team health are great, but they’re often too abstract. Instead, we aim for clear, measurable goals such as faster, more consistent implementation of plans and faster revenue growth. Abstract goals can distract from your main focus.
“I highly recommend Dr. Nancy Jonker to anyone looking to up their game in the realm of personal and professional development. Both colleagues and family members have recognized improvement in my communication and presence since working with Nancy.”
— Chelsey Foster, Executive VP & COO, Highpoint Community Bank
“Nancy is an incredible think partner. I was fortunate to connect with her during a challenging time of expansion in my consulting practice. Nancy quickly became a trusted advisor and was instrumental in helping create the space I needed to clarify my vision for the future. To this day I continue to rely on the astute insights Nancy shared during our deep and down-to-earth conversations. I highly recommend Nancy's services to anyone looking for practical strategies to improve how they show up as a leader in their business.”
— C Kelly White, PMP
During your free consultation call, we’ll discuss the particulars of your situation. This includes:
your experience as a leader / owner in the company
trouble areas you’re seeing in the team/company and what you think is going on
what you’ve tried in the past to solve them
the next practical step(s) to take
if it seems there may be a good fit for us to work together, we’ll talk about what that would look like
This call is confidential and there’s no assumption or pressure to work with me at the end. However, this call is meant for people who are interested in learning more and possibly working together. If you prefer to email me directly, send a message to nancy {at} drjonker.com.