"The first time I used vision to support major change was during a team project for Ford Motor Company. We were hired to teach team skills to employees at all levels, coach managers to be team leaders, and support embedding team values within everyday life. The project met a lot of resistance at first because many employees thought Ford was doing really well and asked, "Why rock the boat? ...
"Instead of debating, we advised imagining they were working alongside team players they admired from sports. How would top team players react to the way Ford people behaved in teams? This made them laugh and it started their envisioning new ways to work. Over time this led to improved team standards and increased business success. Throughout my career, I've seen that vision is a prime mover for major change."
Dr Carol O’Connor founded Vision in Practice Ltd. in 1992 following a long career in industry and social enterprise. For more than 30 years, she's worked with international clients helping leaders develop strategy, realise goals, clarify company standards, and recruit the best people. She looks for what causes a problem in order to solve that instead of its surface symptoms.
Her doctorate is in educational psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This academic background helps her draw on the latest research and apply thought-leadership innovation. This adds value to her consulting, coaching, and to the training and executive development programmes she offers her clients.
Author of eight highly successful books on business topics, her Secrets of Great Leaders is published in the USA by Quercus Books and available through Amazon.com. In the UK, its publisher is John Maurray and it can be ordered through Amazon.co.uk. Her Leadership in a Week, is in its fifth edition, has been in print, with many updates, since 1992, and can be found translated into more than 15 languages.
"I would like to thank you for your speech at the Investors in People conference. Your comments stimulated fantastic discussions amongst the delegates." -- UK Commission for Employment and Skills --
"This was an excellent morning. Relevant topic with an enjoyable and thought-provoking activity." -- Petro-Geo Services --
"Excellent speaker - syndicate exercises very worthwhile." and
"Excellent delivery and theories. Put across in a practical and enthusiastic way." -- Barclays Bank plc --
Excellent presenter and totally engaging. She allowed delegates to present their own perspectives to realise their potential as thought leaders." -- WIBF Women in Business and Finance --
"Very inspiring, touched the issues which are important to us." and
"Easily translatable into Erste Bank concepts. Models will be applied." -- Erste Bank Group (Austria) --
