Consulting Services

Coaching is a step-by-step development process that takes place over a period of time.  We address the client's unique needs by customizing our approach to the individual and organization. Through the coaching relationship, a learning plan directly linked to achieving key business results is created and implemented. The length of the coaching process varies from three or six months to a year, depending on the client's needs.

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360-Degree Feedback
We design and implement customized multi-source feedback processes to provide individuals an understanding of the perception others have of their behaviors, which serves as a basis for their development planning.

Our 360-degree feedback provides behavior-based, performance data from various sources (e.g., supervisors, subordinates, peers, internal/external customers, etc.). The intention of this process is to determine the most appropriate development goal(s) for the participating individual and result in improved effectiveness.

MDS is well known for its expertise in conducting customized 360-degree feedback. It is not uncommon for other consultants to ask us to conduct 360s for their clients.

Development Planning Workshop
Our workshop entitled Taking Charge of Your Development provides participants with a structured planning process. This workshop allows participants to create an effective development plan based on their feedback results and establish solid measures by which to track their progress and success.

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Employee Engagement Surveys
We customize and conduct employee engagement surveys that assess an organization regarding its strengths and areas needing attention.

We help organizations use employee surveys to measure their key human resource drivers of business success.

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Competency Modeling
We partner with the HR department to determine the skills and capabilities required for success.

Competencies are defined as the knowledge, skills and behaviors that are required for success on the job or distinguish "high performers" from others. Companies use competencies to select, evaluate and develop their employees in order to achieve superior business results.

MDS will identify the competencies necessary at various organizational levels and within specific functions. Our experience enables us to integrate those defined competencies into existing human resource systems, such as performance appraisals, succession planning and interviewing for selection and promotion.

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Performance Appraisals
We develop performance management systems and supporting materials that have business relevance, are
user-friendly and legally defensible.

Many organizations unfortunately use performance appraisals that are considered bureaucratic and time-consuming, de-motivating, and potentially not legally defensible. The answer is not to eliminate them but to improve them!

MDS works with companies to update or create highly effective performance management systems.

Our workshop -- Appraising Performance and Conducting the Review Session -- provides supervisors with both the skills and a structured approach to producing objective appraisals and conducting effective review sessions. This is especially impactful when working with the 'difficult employee.'

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Succession Planning
We work with companies to create or improve upon existing succession planning systems to ensure the availability and continuity of talented, high performing leaders.

An organization's future often resides with those who are capable of moving into key leadership roles. However, organizations often discover that they need to go outside for their managerial talent. This is typically because companies have not established a system to identify the right people for the organization's key future positions (i.e., bench strength).

We work closely with a company's top leaders to develop a succession planning process that will identify replacement candidates and cultivate the organization's high potential individuals. MDS has a long history of designing and implementing succession planning systems as well as integrating them with other human resource development processes.

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Management and Supervisor Training
We develop and deliver customized programs to enhance participants' skills and work performance.

Our most popular and requested programs are the Performance Management Supervisor Training Series. With 6 half-day programs in the series, each program is customized with case studies and examples developed specifically for the client. The programs can be offered separately or as a series, usually conducted one-month apart.

We also offer a unique program on employee development. The employee version is called Taking Charge of Your Development; the manager version is called How to be an Effective Developmental Coach.

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Team Building
We help teams succeed through enhancing their ability to establish clear focus, form effective working relationships, and establish efficient work processes.

A groups' effectiveness as a team depends on its ability to focus on a common goal, communicate with one another, and manage differences and conflict while staying results-oriented. These behaviors don't happen naturally. They need to be developed and refined.

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