home what we do who we are resources blog contact What We Do The following are core areas of expertise that influence and inform all of our work. Although each are represented here as separate examples, the dynamic interplay among these elements provides the foundation for our multifaceted approach. Change Management > Learn More... Leadership Development > Learn More... Diversity and Inclusion > Learn More... Examples of solutions that we bring to our clients include: Individual and Group Coaching > Learn More... Learning Design and Facilitation > Learn More... Cultural Audits > Learn More... Our consulting team is comprised of experienced leaders from a range of industries and educational backgrounds. We leverage the relevant aspects of our areas of expertise with the strengths inherent in the individual or organization to form a dynamic partnership with our clients. Whether an organization-wide initiative, group, team or individual intervention our process follows a general pattern: •  Information gathering appropriate to the current situation •  Consideration of the data to form recommendations •  Creation of evaluation criteria to measure success •  Design, development, and implementation of tactics to achieve desired outcome •  Periodic review to assure alignment of tactics with anticipated and desired impact A variety of factors tend to influence the duration of each step in this general pattern including the planned or unplanned nature of the current or anticipated change as well as the skill, experience, ability, and motivation to initiate and accomplish organizational or individual goals. Representative Client Endorsements In 2008, ConAgra Foods custom-designed and delivered Foundations of Leadership (FoL) for our frontline leaders in our corporate and plant sites. This program was designed in partnership with Ann Johnston who subsequently led the facilitation from pilot to deployment to over 700 participants -- and still counting! I can't say enough regarding Ann's creativity, professionalism, and participant-focused expertise in front of the room. FoL consistently receives excellent reviews with many saying that the program has profoundly impacted their personal leadership and management abilities. I would not go into another pilot situation without Ann! - R. Rettmer Senior Director, Leadership Excellence ConAgra Foods I'm so grateful for the opportunity to work with Ann as my coach. She was able to hear me and help navigate through some significant challenges in my professional life. She's an expert at "connecting the dots" and providing the tools as well as direction to shift to a new way of thinking and behaving. She suggested homework assignments that were meaningful and required me to actively participate in building a skill or improving my capabilities. With her help I have been able to improve working relationships with peers and leaders which resulted in greater alignment and delivery of results. I would recommend Ann to other leaders because she "gets it" and is genuine, authentic and savvy in providing meaningful coaching. - M. R. Anderson Director, Organization Development The Ford Motor Company Due to the coaching engagement with Ann, I have started to focus on applying coaching techniques within my team. As a result, I have seen a positive impact on my team's development and growth. The benefit to my company is clear in the results we have delivered this past year in all areas of human resources. - N. Bianchi V.P. Human Resources FirstComp Insurance Company The faculty I choose to assist Ford with leadership development must be technically proficient, demonstrate a capacity to work with a wide range of styles and be laser focused on obtaining results. Ann Johnston has all these attributes and is a valued partner to Ford. - T. Grant Manager Executive Development The Ford Motor Company Ann is comfortable reaching, teaching, and inspiring people of all education levels, hierarchy levels, and readiness levels. Ann has the ability to assess a situation very quickly. She can identify who the resisters are in a group and who is willing to be led. She can determine why resistance is present and in a non-threatening way allay the fears that cause the resistance. Her ability to hold judgment and her willingness to understand the perspectives of others allows her to lead and unify a group of people. - D. MacPherson President Modern Survey I wanted to take a moment to thank you for what was easily the best training experience of my professional career.  Not only were the modules interesting and the pairing and team exercises relevant to the subject matter, but your co-facilitation style was such that it captured and held my attention, which, considering how much I had going on in the background this week, was quite an accomplishment. - Leadership Workshop Participant The course was extremely valuable to me, both professionally and personally. I received the most value from the association of the activities to the material and seeing practical application of how the concepts can "play out" in the real world. This helped me to crystallize some areas of confusion that I've been experiencing and bring acknowledgement to some self imposed limits. Specifically, I came to the realization that I have more leadership ability than I gave myself credit for. - Leadership Workshop Participant home | what we do | who we are | resources | blog | contact Copyright © 2010 Optimal Development Partners, LLC (SM). All rights reserved. Photography copyright © 2009 Optimal Development Partners, LLC (SM). All rights reserved.