Another year in the books.

At Siegfried Dunlay, we have continued to pivot and flex to meet our clients’ needs as 2021 proved to be another challenging year on so many levels. Since both of us are social and outgoing, having to work virtually has stretched us…but like many of you, we’ve adapted and are reenergized for 2022. We even had to do some re-training of our office pets for the new work-at-home lifestyle. Unfortunately, they don’t always cooperate.

During 2021, we focused on bringing positivity and strength to our work even in the midst of ongoing uncertainty and quickly changing landscapes for our clients; we are proud of our accomplishments including the small role we get to play in our client successes.

A big part of our 2021 coaching work has included helping leaders build new skill sets required to communicate from the “virtual office” and continue to be effective in their roles. Robust communication skills are more important than ever, and it’s been fun collaborating with leaders to boost their effectiveness and confidence.

Here are a few highlights:

• Worked on a “Leader as Communicator” program to improve communication effectiveness across a network of manufacturing plants. We conducted leader and employee focus groups and delivered front-line supervisor communication skill building—all virtually.
• Provided intensive one-on-one support for a team of senior executives to prepare them for presenting at an annual conference of global franchisee owners. Work included developing smart and aligned key messages, crisp PowerPoint presentations that told a story, and personal one-on-one delivery coaching. This allowed each leader to present and answer questions authentically and effectively. We also supported leaders who were facilitating topic-specific breakout sessions at the conference. Some of the work was virtual, and we were very happy to do some of work in person as well.
• Completed individualized multi-month communication coaching programs for leaders in several global companies, helping them improve their communication competencies and executive presence.
• Designed and conducted a global research project to assess the effectiveness of an existing communication system; presented results to the executive leadership team including recommendations to drive specific efficiency changes.
• Collaborated with technical teams to research, write and deliver in-depth technical white papers on key products to help support sales efforts.
• Partnered with multiple executives to develop presentations and scripts and to coach them in delivering their leadership messages with impact while remaining authentic to their personal style.

Our clients gave us a little love too, which was appreciated. Here’s a snapshot:

"I learned a lot from Siegfried Dunlay on communication techniques and how to commit more. I learned how to be more personal and passionate on things I care about and speaking more like a leader and less like a reporter delivering facts."
–CEO Client

"Thanks for your great work interviewing our executive team and preparing for the research you conducted. You guys know your stuff!"
–Corporate Communication Manager

"Thank you for the recap and all your effort to push through this huge project in such an expedited fashion. You were a huge help, and we would not have been able to get this done without your help. We looked great with the communication plan that was delivered. We met our goals, and you guys were a key part of that."
–CEO Client"

"Congrats on great success with the 6-month coaching program. The progress our hi-potential leader has made in your program is remarkable. She has great potential in our organization. She is learning many essential communication skills required as we stretch her more and more including how to effectively navigate complex and ambiguous situations with flexibility."
–VP Sponsor of Coaching Client

As we look forward to another year, we vow to work hard to create meaning and impact in all the work that we do. A core value we uphold is to make the serious work of learning and collaborating fun. A perfect day at Siegfried Dunlay is to share some hearty laughs with our clients/friends.

A big thanks to all of our clients for the great partnerships we are privileged to have. We look forward to working together in 2022.

Warmly,

Barbara and Janell

Please visit our testimonials page to read more about our partnerships.