CLIENT RESULTS
What changes when managers learn to solve problems together
Clients describe clearer decisions, more productive conversations, stronger collaboration, and management skills that continue working long after the formal program ends.
“We saw immediate business impact.”
“We saw immediate business impact from our work with Russ. Our team was able to collaborate more efficiently and communicate more clearly, saving time and improving decision-making. His work emphasized shared frameworks and language that teams can take with them long after a workshop ends.”
Jessica Shambora
Sr. Director, Product Management
Mighty Networks
WHAT CLIENTS EXPERIENCE
Changes they can see in the work
Every organization begins in a different place. Across those differences, clients describe changes in how managers examine problems, navigate difficult conversations, and work together.
Clearer thinking and better decisions
Managers learn to step back from the immediate problem, examine it from several perspectives, and look beyond symptoms for the causes that matter.
“After working with Russ in Leadership and the Middle Path, I can now much more readily zoom out from the weeds of an issue and engage in systems-level thinking. And the quality of our team’s output has improved—we’re clearer on our objectives, more likely to identify non-obvious root causes of problems, and I feel I’m on a much stronger leadership trajectory.”
Marie-Claire Conlin
Research Program Manager
St. Michael’s Hospital
More productive conversations and collaboration
A shared approach helps managers bring better information into the conversation, understand differing interpretations, and work through difficult issues together.
A common language for solving problems
Peter Bui describes how a shared problem-solving framework helps colleagues build trust, communicate more effectively, and solve problems more quickly.
"I would totally recommend this to others... I believe that if you have a common language, a common system to talk to each other in, it allows you to gain trust with each other much faster and allows you to solve problems much quicker."
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Peter Bui
Sr. Software Engineer
Patreon
Stronger managers and management teams
As managers become more capable problem-solvers, they can take greater responsibility for difficult conversations, consequential decisions, and the quality of their work together.
“As a result of working with Russ, our leadership skills have tangibly improved. We’ve achieved a stronger team dynamic and a more effective approach to problem-solving. This transformation has not only boosted our productivity but also brought our team closer together.”
John LaGue
Chief Operating Officer
trainwell
APPLIED TO REAL WORK
From workshop practice to a consequential negotiation
After Leadership and the Middle Path, Mark Sowers used what he had learned in a negotiation that put important work at risk. He preserved the engagement and improved the profitability of the agreement.
“In one of my first negotiations following my time with Leadership and the Middle Path, I was able to take a situation that had my primary work at risk for me and not only solidify the agreement that I had, so keep the work opportunity, but actually increase my profitability in that arrangement.”
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Mark Sowers
Project Manager
Fairweather & Assoc.
MORE CLIENT PERSPECTIVES
Different roles. Different challenges. Practical changes at work.
“Russ’s frameworks for solving problems and navigating challenging discussions are incredibly valuable.”
Amar Virk
Product Lead
Stripe
“I have greater confidence to initiate productive discussions, and I’m better equipped to navigate them once started.”
Ajara Safko
Senior Scientist
Ubiquitous Energy
“Working with Russ, I learned how to better manage my team, listen more actively, and be a better leader.”
Ashley Gomez
Founder
Digital Twinners
WHAT BROADER RESEARCH SAYS
Well-designed leadership development can change what happens at work
Leadership development works better than most people assume
A meta-analysis of 335 samples found gains across all four levels of evaluation — reactions, learning, on-the-job behavior change, and organizational results. Behavior change showed the strongest effect.
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Lacerenza, Reyes, Marlow, Joseph & Salas (2017), Journal of Applied Psychology – view the research
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How the development is designed matters​
The same study found effectiveness rose with needs analysis, feedback, hands-on practice, sessions spaced over time, on-site delivery, and live facilitation rather than self-serve modules.
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Lacerenza, Reyes, Marlow, Joseph & Salas (2017), Journal of Applied Psychology – view the research
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Workplace support is linked to whether learning gets used
A meta-analysis of 89 studies found that motivation and a supportive work environment were positively associated with applying training on the job, particularly for open-ended skills such as leadership development.
Blume, Ford, Baldwin, and Huang (2010), Journal of Management – view the research
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These studies examine leadership development broadly. They help explain some of the principles behind this work but are not an independent evaluation of results produced by Russ Powell Consulting.
What could change for your management team?
Every company has its own pattern of recurring problems, decision bottlenecks, unclear agreements, and management challenges. The Management System Diagnostic can help identify where the greatest friction lies—and whether a more systematic approach to management development could help.
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Explore the Management System Diagnostic <link>​​​​