by creating Executive Team Clarity and Commitment

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 It starts when the top embraces the power of clarity!

Embrace clarity starting at the top for better, faster results!

“We now have a clear, compelling strategy that is easily understood. Our progress just a month later is impressive.”

Terry VanderWert

President, Prima Power Laserdyne LLC

“On a collaborative project with Boeing Phantom Works, Ann did a tremendous job in identifying the cost drivers, producibility issues, and productivity barriers of a supplier organization, all of which were impeding the success of our project. With Ann helping to provide the focus and oversight, the supplier was able to meet their commitments for quality, cost, and schedule.”

Ed Gerding

Chief Engineer C-17 St. Louis, The Boeing Company

“Ann’s ability to simplify complex issues such that everyone understood their respective roles was a key part of her success. She truly helped us achieve profitable and predictable growth while improving the quality of our methods and processes.”

S. W. Emery, Jr

Chairman and CEO, MTS Systems Corporation

“Ann understood our situation and challenges very quickly. We had five critical issues and she helped us address all five in less time than we thought would be needed for one. She cut to the core, leading us to several important decisions and new ways of working together to be more effective and more strategic. She is fast, refreshingly different, and someone I can recommend highly.”

Tim Van Epps

President, The Sandri Companies

“Ann’s book not only points out why you need more clarity, but also helps you understand why things aren’t nearly as clear as you might think. Besides getting our team thinking more clearly, Ann also made our discussions more open and productive by understanding what Ann calls “Treadmill Verbs” and avoiding them in our meeting agendas. After reading her book, we brought Ann in to do some executive coaching and found, she’s the real deal.”

Roy St. Andre

Executive Vice President, EIS Wire and Cable

“Ann’s style is empathetic, open, and non-judgmental. She somehow seemed to know the room right from the start. She was able to engage everyone, elicit honest feedback, and stimulate creative thinking. This was especially impressive since our group differs significantly in terms of professional expertise and history with the organization. We all felt that our ideas were honored and appreciated. Ann is especially adept at making good choices about further discourse and exposition, pursuing the most fruitful issues and avoiding time wasted on others. She created a productive environment with a level, inviting, and open playing field. I was very pleased with the results.”

Jon Abbott

CEO, President & member, WGBH

“With care, clarity and focus, Ann moved a diverse group of people, ideas and objectives into a consolidated warm team. Her ability to listen and engage helped us and motivated us. Ann’s direct approach to problem solving added the leadership we needed and a method to allow us to feel heard and respected. One of the most important parts of her job was to be able to make everyone see the role they played and how important it was to the overall mission. Ann, in a beautiful and natural way, was able to do that. I came into the meeting unsure if we would find a solution and way forward that would get buy-in from all. I left with a smile on my face. Each member of the team had new confidence, understanding of a way ahead and respect for the project (in a way I have not seen in years). Ann’s organization of the meeting and skill set made all the difference and I recommend her as strongly as I can. She is a superb professional who understands the value of time, people and mission.”

Farah Pandith

Former US diplomat and author, Washington DC

“Ann made it OK to discuss hard subjects. She transformed conversations that the Board had been struggling with for years into cohesive and thoughtful decisions. We emerged with a powerful and strongly supported strategy that has created tremendous new excitement about the organization’s future. In addition, Ann’s persistence and open style provided a forum that allowed new leaders to emerge, energized and enthusiastic about the tasks ahead. Furthermore, Board performance in the aftermath of Ann is greatly improved. We are more focused, more decision oriented, and more prepared to face a newly defined future.”

David Passafaro

Senior Vice President for External Affairs, New England Baptist Hospital

“I had the pleasure of working closely with Ann in my capacity as a volunteer board member of a non-profit organization. We hired Ann to help the entire board and staff look at our vision and strategy writ large, and grapple with all sorts of complex and challenging questions. She was a tremendous resource, helping to crystallize and focus this extremely broad process, fostering more dialogue and communication between and among all of the participants, and empowering us to consider decisions and the concrete actions needed to move forward. She is sharp, efficient, candid, and has a very effective style and approach that facilitates action and empowers an organization’s leaders.”

Dave Friedman

Senior Vice President / Special Counsel & Government Affairs, Boston Red Sox

“The process that our committee engaged in was outstanding. First, the outcome of our work is truly exceptional. Second, the process itself built amazingly strong relationships and it was remarkable that these relationships evolved DURING the process, not as an adjunct to it. That is, we didn’t do team-building first and then address the challenge. We built the team as we worked on the problem (without a ropes course!). And given the many different perspectives, that took real guidance from Ann, although I’ll confess that it seemed largely invisible. Also, the process was not tedious. There was no arduous research or endless brainstorming with subsequent consolidation. We moved forward with each meeting. Third, I learned a lot personally.

“One thing that really stood out, particularly in contrast to other committee projects in which I have been involved, was this sense of progress. Yes, we had a lot of meetings, but the schedule was regular, they were conducted according to that schedule, and we knew what we did and what we would do next time. My participation in this project has set a new standard for my expectations of groups like this. And, unfortunately, few others measure up.

“I have already recommended Ann to others. I think Ann takes a deep interest in the work she takes on. I have seen other consultants apply one formula to different problems and issues. And while that usually works better than no facilitation, I believe that Ann really thinks about the outcome, how it will be used or implemented, and then adapts her process to fit both the need and the time allotted to solving the problem. Too often, I’ve seen formula-driven processes end up having to rush to conclusion, just when the brainstorming and the mind-maps ought to be thoroughly tested.

“Ann is also a strong group leader. She has a physical presence coupled with a calm demeanor that seems to keep even a diverse and sometimes rowdy group on track.”

Rus Peotter

General Manager, WGBY - Public Television for Western New England

“What I like about working with Ann is how she keeps a group strategically focused while making the process engaging, easy, and humorous. She uncovers common ground, creates opportunity, and guides the group to new shared conclusions in remarkably little time.”

Laurie Fenlason

Vice President for Public Affairs, Smith College

“Thank you for a great two days. You are clearly a gifted facilitator and helped us achieve some important outcomes, both in terms of a strategy for the future and our ability to work more collaboratively together. The ROI was there.”

Bob Fazzi

President & CEO, Fazzi Associates

“This project was successful because we achieved very tangible results. What worked really well was the fact that everyone on staff who was participating in the process felt they owned it, and therefore they owned the outcomes. And that is what I think makes change stick.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of consultants in my career over the last 25 years, I have chaired three boards and been on many others, and Ann is the best at what she does. She almost always appears to be as committed to our success as we are. She is not afraid to challenge conventional behaviors or conventional processes already in place. She is able early on to pick up on the culture of the organization and know how to respond to it, able to look at its strengths and play into them.

“The first thing I would say to someone else about working with Ann is, 'You are going to get more than your money’s worth, because Ann is committed to your success.' Her own approach is very much outcome driven so there is a good correlation between how she works as an individual and how she wants the organization to work.

“This is a great return on investment.”

Bill Ward

President & CEO, Regional Employment Board of Hampden County

“Ann Latham transformed our thinking about how our organization works. This discovery led us to a strategic model that solves our pain and opens new opportunities. She truly lives up to her brand of ‘uncommon clarity.’”

Suzanne Beck

Executive Director, Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce

“Ann is simply outstanding at moving a group to a strong conclusion. In our case, I couldn’t have imagined a better outcome. What makes her particularly unusual is that there isn’t a lot of noise, she doesn’t distract, and no one wastes time. She lets discussions run but doesn’t let them run amok. She is deliberate and straight forward with a soft touch that keeps people on task, the process moving forward, and ideas flowing. By always maintaining a clear purpose, next steps, and expectations, she made me a better contributor and able to get on task quickly despite the limited time I had for the project. After working with Ann, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone in need of a strategy, plan, arbitration, facilitation, etc.”

Chuck McCullagh

CFO, The Williston Northampton School

“I hired Ann because I’d heard she was results-oriented, and I would hire her again because she definitely is! We got terrific outcomes, wasted no time (finished in 2/3 the expected time), and everyone walked away feeling good about both the process and the results. I was especially delighted to watch Board participation and interest increase along the way, which is not what usually happens. They were really engaged and are now totally committed to our direction and the reasons for our decisions. I just gave a glowing recommendation of Ann to another agency and won’t hesitate to do so again. Ann is really different from the typical consultant.”

Steve McCafferty

Executive Director, The Children's Study Home

“I’ve never been to a retreat that was so focused, so fast paced, and with such clear progress throughout.”

Jay Primack

Managing Partner, Moriarty & Primack P.C.

“Ann is an outstanding team player. Working with a diverse group of manufacturing and design team members, Ann was able to gain consensus for improvement initiatives, win over even the skeptical, and move the team forward toward production-readiness. Every team member has the highest regard for Ann, her professionalism, dedication and energy, and outstanding change management skills.”

Dana Badgerow

General Manager, AeroMet Corporation

“I called Ann to invite her to meet with our senior team to discuss strategic planning. She asked a few incredibly perceptive questions, declined my invitation, and then gave me free advice over the phone. Her insights and advice were both dead on. She saved us from a costly engagement that would have missed the mark and wasted a lot of time for all of us. If I need her help again, I won’t hesitate to call. She proved that she really does practice what she preaches. It is refreshing to find a consultant so clearly looking out for the best interests of her clients.”

Mark Pritchard

CFO, Data-Mail Inc.