The Responsibility Redefined message earns high praise ... and leaders, planners, and audiences all like Christopher as the messenger too...
Testimonials for...
Leadership Coaching and Consulting
Knowledge Team Leadership (team skills intensive)
Teamwork Is An Individual Skill (book)
Responsibility eTips (newsletter)
Speaking Events
"That was terrific! My commitment to your approach is very strong. More importantly, my leadership is enthused."
-Lynne Ellyn, SVP & CIO, DTE Energy Corporation"My deepest thanks. It was right on target and met all of my expectation. Our energy and enthusiasm has been great. You rock!"
- Dale Legband, Director Software Engineering, KLA-Tencor CorporationMy sincere gratitude for the life-changing information you shared during my leadership meeting in Las Vegas. The responses were extremely positive and several said that the information was life changing and that they would need to alter their current behavior to be able to live above the line. The energy and commitment to live a life of personal responsibility that my leadership team came away with after you seminar was fantastic. The great part about this is that I still see the same level of energy and commitment 2 weeks later. Thank you so much for your message!
- Anthony E Bowman, West Area VP Customer Service, Verizon Wireless"I have rarely seen a group of faculty so engaged and interested in a Faculty Development Program."
- Janis Apted, Director Faculty Development, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center"Learning about the Responsibility Process(TM) from Christopher with my management team was the most important hour I've spent in months."
- John Gordon, SVP Technology, Fidelity National Information Services
"Christopher Avery's presentation/session was very impressive. What's amazing is that Christopher has such a casual style and seemingly impromptu transitions yet he methodically moves from point to point. I think the session was overall very useful!"
- Charles Keller, Assistant Professor, Department of Cellular & Structural Biology Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics Children's Cancer Research Institute The University of Texas Health Science Center
"Christopher, THANK-YOU!!! You have been a tremendous help!! One thing that I noticed after your visits Christopher.....It is like business goes into hyper speed!!! We get on stuff and make things happen! We get off STUCK quicker! I don't have enough time to type all of the wins! Thanks again!"
- Thomas Houdeshell, President. ATEK Plastics
"Very substantial and effective. Your concepts and models are solid and powerful. The Responsibility Process had immediate impact on our executive team performance."
-Juan Carlos López Villarreal, Chairman of the Board, Grupo Industrial Saltillo
"Partnerwerks has been able to provide us both the necessary training as well as the tools to increase awareness of the benefits of partnering and to improve and deepen cooperation with selected partners. The benefits have been clear, both in terms of logistics, quality, and the financial performance point of view."
- Petri Vainola, Vice President, Partnershipping and Supplier Logistics, Nokia Mobile Phones - Salo, Finland
"I have received very positive feedback from the attendees, including one who wrote that your presentation was 'insightful, powerful, informative, and enlightening.' I could not agree more!"
- Debra Kurita, Assistant City Manager, City of Santa Ana, California
"You were a hit! Without a question, we made the right choice in asking you to launch our national conference, and we look forward to working with you again. It's a pleasure to engage someone who 'walks his talk.'"
- Peter Jenkins, JD, President, LawPartnering.com
"A rare and privileged learning experience! I'll reflect upon it often. Keep doing your great work!
- Catherine Hungerford, Lead QA, BMC Software"If I wanted to significantly improve my team's performance, I'd call Christopher Avery first. His knowledge of the field, extensive research, Responsibility Process, and effective teaching style provide an unparalleled opportunity to create high-performance teams".
- Jim Highsmith, Sr. VP & Director, Agile Software Development, Cutter Consortium, and award-winning author of three best-selling books on agile development.
"I saw you speak at Agile 2006. You changed my life."
-Patrick Healey
"When I review the session schedule for Agile conferences, there are two people who's sessions I plan attend, no matter what the topic: Bob Martin and Christopher Avery. In both cases, I know that that it will be thought provoking, interesting, and entertaining."
- Michael England, Vice President, Global Project Office, ITG Software Solutions
"Christopher Avery's unique and proven approach to leadership and team work is the difference between success and failure."
- Doug DeCarlo, author of eXtreme Project Management - Using Leadership, Principles and Tools to Deliver Value in the Face of Volatility
Thanks again for the talk, Christopher - I was inspired, and the tools I [re]learnt helped me over the next few days in some tough situations!
- Gil Broza, Industrial LogicAs conference coordinator, I found Christopher to be extremely easy to work with. He shared ideas openly, held in depth discussions with me about the needs of the audience and the current health care environment, was open to meeting with individual groups and was able to transform his big business teamwork theories into meaningful constructs for the health care milieu. I believe he has a lot to offer the health care industry and encourage others to expose themselves to the knowledge that he can provide.
- Dr. Janice Elich Monroe, CTRS, Associate Professor, Conference Coordinator for the Interdisciplinary Internship Coordinator's Committee, School of Health Sciences and Human Performance, Ithaca CollegeI found your conversation profound and timely. Thank you.
- Ayn Fox, Creativity Lab, VisionHolder Conference Attendee"Your fascinating presentation "Facilitating Teamwork" had the audience yearning for an encore -literally. Your keynote not only set the positive tone for the entire conference but having you as a speaker helped make this conference the most widely attended Facilitator Conference in Texas in many years and the wonderful success that it was."
- Michael H. Owens, Conference Co-Chair, Southwest Facilitators Network, Facilitators Association of Central Texas
"Your presentation was interesting, informative, and very well received by everyone! Thank you again for helping us make our conference a success!"
- Kent Wallace, President & COO, Vanguard Health Systems
"His classes, On Purpose, Demonstrating Self- Leadership and Powerful Partnering were both geared toward high level leadership and were completely "approachable" and fun. While the class work was serious there was so much great energy and excitement. Everyone felt that they had really grown and had practical new tools to take back as Team Leaders."
- Red Lustig, National Training Coordinator, Whole Foods Market, Inc.
"I really enjoyed your presentation last evening. Of the presentations I've been to over the past couple of years, yours is a 'Top Five' as far as take it back to your desk and use it presentations go.
-James Allen, PMP, CLP, CIW, RSM McGladrey, Inc.
Leadership Coaching and Consulting
"Christopher Avery and Partnerwerks helped us begin to change 80 years of non-productive communication habits in just one year!"
-Arnold Henson, President and CEO, Farm Credit Bank of Texas"We certainly have experienced a significantly increased rate of participation and involvement in the division... Morale has improved in a lot of ways and the expectations of folks in the organization have continued to increase. We have been very, very happy with the content of Partnerwerks program and model as well as with their service!"
- Dr. Tracy Gibbons, OD Specialist, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)
"Today my executives work as a high performance team, communicating frequently and with a strong sense of doing what's right for the business. We are better at communicating a vision to our employees and setting priorities to achieve that vision. Performance on key business indicators is strong, morale has improved, and turnover has declined!"
- Don Kovalevich, President, Houston Cellular Telephone Company
"It's pretty clear to me that we'd be out of business if we hadn't done this work with Partnerwerks. Results have been dramatic and extremely positive. We are the best we've ever been at being collectively focused and directed without a lot of interpersonal chaos."
- Craig Wadham, VP Engineering, DTM Corporation"Christopher Avery's coaching is invaluable and a worthwhile investment! He helped me clarify my objectives, my style of managing people and my strategies for meeting both internal and external demands on my time and energy. I would recommend him to you most highly as a creative and experienced coach."
- Ellen Wartella, Dean of College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin"Christopher is a master at the Mentoring Process. He listens to me with a keen ear, asks me crystallizing questions, and walks with me as I clarify my vision and plan. Christopher meets me wherever I am, and then assists me in getting wherever I want to go. He brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to our mentoring relationship. Christopher offers a relationship that is empathic, honest and accountable. I recommend Christopher to my colleagues and friends, as I know that something special will happen and each person will get value from the relationship far beyond their imagination.
-Glenn Hirsch, MD"As a direct result of Christopher's coaching, I have been able to launch a successful consulting practice that is the realization of a 20-year dream. My two previous attempts failed and without Christopher's invaluable expertise, I would not have had the courage or stamina to make a third attempt. Christopher is one of those wise, savvy, highly intuitive people who truly walks his talk with regard to integrity and authenticity. His uncanny ability to zero in on the obstacles that were getting in my way did not diminish my sense of ownership and ability to be responsible. I found this to be empowering and affirming in achieving unprecedented levels of self-confidence, self-acceptance, clarity, and focus.
Christopher is a superb coach with whom it is a privilege to work. As trite as it may sound, he truly did change my life. He made it possible for me to pursue an entrepreneurial path that is my passion. This has provided a level of joy and gratification that exceeds anything I had imagined. I am, indeed, grateful for our time together and consider it one of the smartest investments I ever made -- right up there with returning to school and completing an undergraduate degree after having dropped out 30 years earlier.
- Dianne M. Michels, Human Resources Consultant, SerendipityHR"It is amazing how much clarity can come out of a well structured 20 minute conversation! Christopher listens so well that his questions yield great insight. Thanks for helping me quickly get a grip on my next steps."
-Mary Olson, WW Sales Executive, xSeries Options, IGF, IGS, SW, Senior State Executive for Montana
Knowledge Team Leadership training
"Knowledge Team Leadership changed my perceptions permanently and will aid me significantly in my personal and business development as well as my ability to deliver to my clients."
- Karen Bard, Client Application Consultant, Landmark Graphics Corp.
I attended Knowledge Team Leadership with my department. We left immediately more effective and efficient. Our most obvious and lasting change is how we keep each other informed, address emerging issues and make decisions. Now, years after we attended, and even though team members have turned over, our meetings and other communications are highly respectful, more open, and better focused. We make better and faster decisions and people operate with greater clarity and a sense of alignment. And, the benefits continue. One of my team leads who didn't even attend with us still goes to your website today to pull tips off of it to help the process of developing teams and pulling team members together.
-Jeff H. Zon, Director IT, Whole Foods Market Corporation
"First, I'm much better at owning the results I create in teams-both good and bad. When I take that kind of responsibility, then I correct and improve faster, as do others around me. I catch myself blaming or making excuses and instead ask myself what I need to do to own it and effectively move on. It has changed how I manage because I hear the difference and am able to reward the people who are truly taking responsibility. I spend less time worrying about people who are good at making excuses. I just stop investing in folks who aren't taking responsibility. And, I invest in people who do. Your model of personal responsibility has had a tremendous work impact because I seared it into my brain and recognize the difference in myself and others. I even use the information with my kids.
Second, I no longer view a team in terms of one leader and a bunch of followers. That's a hierarchical view. In fact, you teach leadership through membership and membership through leadership. I remember when someone in class actually said "We've been here for two-and-a-half days learning about team membership, when are you going to talk about team leadership?" That's when I realized powerful teams are composed of many leaders. Each and every individual is called upon to lead at different times and for different reasons. And, as a manager, if I reserve all leadership opportunities for myself, then I will end up with only followers - grudging followers - and we won't be a powerful team. This has made my teams in the last five years much stronger.
Third, I'm much more in touch with people in their job than I ever was before. I put little thought into what someone got personally from coming to work. It didn't much matter to me. But it has stuck with me ever sense. I learned how to sit down and ask people what they wanted to get out of the project - with everybody, not just the team lead! I know what makes them excited to get up in the morning and come to work. My relationships have been much better since that. Managing relationships effectively and productively is critical to the workplace. You may not be able to quantify it, but you know it's expensive to productivity when relationships are broken. You don't get those types of things in management classes. In five years these powerful teams have delivered almost every project run on-time and on-budget and employee retention has been excellent."
- Dale Legband, KLA-Tencor
"If you really want to be powerful and influential on a team - take Knowledge Team Leadership! I really enjoyed this course. The tools and techniques to use on projects or with teams were great."
- Clare Huspeni, Director, Verizon Wireless
This was a great workshop - it transcends teamwork to the personal. I can apply it to all areas of my life. It was just exactly what I needed at this time of my life. They say 'when a student is ready, the teacher appears'. Christopher Avery has taught me well. Thank you."
- Conference Participant
"Christopher Avery provided a great deal of information in a fun way. I feel he was a good presenter-he got the audience involved and provided a chance for adequate breaks. This specific topic would be useful for students starting internships not just supervisors. All information was helpful and can be applied in many situations."
- Conference Participant
"Thank you for the gift of this workshop. It suited my purposes exactly".
- Conference Participant
"Thank you for spending three days with us sharing your knowledge and passion with us. I have so much respect for you and what you've created and consider myself priveleged to meet you and learn from you. I hope that the principles in this workshop can assist the people in our organization in looking at themselves, identifying the changes that need to made, and then looking outward in becoming more effective both individually and as a team member. One of the most powerful things I learned is the technique to identify what motivates people intrinsically. I will be leading two subteams in my training group (evaluation and partner relationship) and I plan to take these motivators and use them when assigning tasks and challenges. I will also work to create compelling games for my teammates to 'play.' :) Thank you again and perhaps we'll cross paths some time down the road."
- Shannon Newell, AT&T"Now is a perfect opportunity to let you know again how valuable I thought this training was. It opened my eyes in several ways, and I sense that it did the same thing for several other folks in our office. You did a wonderful job conducting the training, and your enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject matter was very inspiring.
Thanks so much for putting so much energy into helping us. It was a very worthwhile experience."
- Amanda, KLA-Tencor"Christopher, thank you for such a great experience this week! Much wisdom is echoing in my head. (Sounds like I'm bragging **and maybe I am**, but mainly wanted to give another hats-off and clap-clap-clap and whoop to you and the others for a wonderfully enjoyable and highly beneficial time together.
- Vicki Pate, Valtech"I was a director at Verizon Wireless when I attended with my four managers. Attending as a team had a tremendous impact on us. We became dramatically more effective and productive. Each of my managers' departments became more effective and productive as well. For instance, the five of us challenged ourselves to be 100% responsible for our own communication, our own actions, and our own results (as well as collective results). It raised the standard for how we worked together. We had far more open and trusting dialog. We did a much better job of getting aligned with each other. We improved our planning and our execution because we operated with more clarity, more intention, and cleaner relationships.
One area of dramatic performance improvement was the "shared environment" concept we started practicing in meetings. Our meetings became more focused and productive. Both participation and speed of decision-making increased in meetings. And, what happened after the meetings changed markedly. We were far more aligned, had less confusion, held clear expectations of what each was doing, and operated with the same information. When a breakdown occurred, we could rapidly debrief it, correct it, and clean up our own communication that contributed to the breakdown.
My mindset now is that I can make that team successful no matter what players are on it and no matter what role I play.
I've taken this mindset and tools into my new group at Charter and have seen dramatic improvements there too. I coach my reports to believe and practice the same thing. The primary tool I use for team development is the shared environment in meetings. It doesn't take much time and the results are well worth it as I saw at Verizon and as we are seeing at Charter.
We even turned around a failing manager and department by using the tools I learned at "Knowledge Team Leadership." I had a director who was really challenged in people not trusting her. I bought her a copy of "Teamwork Is An Individual Skill", gave it to her and asked her to read two chapters at a time and then to meet with me to debrief what she read. She honed in on the trust material and after three months had dramatically changed her ability to demonstrate trustworthiness, to make and keep agreements and commitments, and to build trusting relationships."
- Clare Huspeni, Midwest Division VP Customer Care, Charter Communications
Teamwork is An Individual Skill
[See more 5-Star reviews at Amazon.com]
"I just wanted you to know how excited we are that we put your principles in action and it helped us win. We had the strongest teamwork possible at State Championships and received a perfect score at our teamwork presentation and project presentation."
- Gail Vawter, parent of Mindstorm Troopers, First Lego League- 2 time State Champions and 2006 World Champions
If I had to choose between my computer and Christopher's book when I travel to client engagements, I'd leave the laptop at home.
- Michael Wix, China's leading team development practitioner, Beijing
"Dennis, our Director of Marketing for six months, has taken us to a new level efficiency. He supplied us with your book last week and I know this will increase our productivity. Thanks for focusing my communications degree into real life solutions."
- Cheryl Levitt, United Solar Ovonic
I read your book Teamwork is an Individual Skill. It has kindled a lot of analysis in my mind. Overall it is an unique, excellant, and renders solutions or rather help simplify the problems.
- Raji Murugappa, Self-Employed, India
" I enjoyed the book. Ron and I would meet weekly to discuss the prinicples presented in each chapter. We both kept commenting on how difficult it is to get through the book. It's a good kind of difficult, in that I found myself reading and then staring off trying to vision how to apply the concepts."
- Ed Puckett, University of Houston, Clear Lake
"My husband, Anthony Akins, met you at Valtech Days in Dallas this past week. He brought me your Teamwork is an Individual Skill book, thinking it would help me in my job as Special Education Department head at Brazosport High School. A quick glance through the book tells me he is right. Thanks, and I look forward to placing the responsibility poster all over my campus!
- Lynn Akins, Brazosport ISD
"Am totally enjoying the Teamwork is an Individual Skill book and using it as a basis for development of a teambuilding skills course. Students will be using the book as a text!"
- Maureen Ewing, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Canada"Regarding the model I made, the one part I wasn't really pleased about was the limited shape of the Collaboration Zone. The converging lines made it easy to see and fit on a page, as well as the Victory Point demonstrating a specific target or goal. Yet that doesn't really capture the potential of collaboration to achieve results far beyond a small target. I think this area perhaps should not have such a limited shape that culminates in a Victory Point. Perhaps lines that expand rather than contract, illustrating unlimited potential, would be more representative of collaboration. As well, the concept of a Victory Threshold would probably be more suitable than a defined point. This could also demonstrate how teams can raise the bar, or Victory Threshold, to achieve higher levels.
Then again, your concept of playing a bigger life game could be demonstrated by using both of these concepts. The converging lines can show targeting a specific goal, and the limitations of playing a small game. The diverging lines show the potential of widening the scope to play a much bigger game."- Joe Bulgar, Royal York Dental
"I am enjoying your book on teamwork and have already received permission from my kids to coach them on the responsibility redefined model. It is fun to tell my 9 year old, "hey, you are in denial, could you progress to blaming your older brother". We have had fun with it, but I am getting my point across on teaching responsibility."
-Mike Cottmeyer, CheckFree.com"While others dance around the teams landscape -- teamwork, cooperation, collaboration, etc. -- Christopher goes to the heart of the matter: how do I have to act differently? He backs this up with strong research and practical tools. Christopher's focus on the individual drives to the heart of team performance. He is my first suggestion if you need an exceptional team.
- Preston Smith, author of Developing Products in Half the Time: New Rules, New Tools and Proactive Risk Management: Controlling Uncertainty in Product Development
Responsibility eTips
"This month's message is most apropos, thanks."
- Alexander Bruce
"Your Responsibility Redefined Tip of the Month -- content and format -- is simply outstanding in my estimation. Your energy and commitment to your passion comes through loud and clear. Congratulations and my continued best wishes for every success. Rock on!"
-Doug, Author of: eXtreme Project Management - Using Leadership, Principles and Tools to Deliver Value in the Face of Volatility
"A couple of weeks ago I received the email about Accountablity and Responsibility and how they do not equal each other... which I loved reading. I've referenced a few times in the last weeks."
- Larissa Witt, STG Management Operations Specialist, IBM Systems & Technology Group
"I very much enjoy your newsletter and look forward to refreshing tips. I am the Diversity Manager in a Houston (chemical) plant for Rohm and Haas. Here we focus on Respect, Inclusion, Cooperation and Responsibility as values that drive behaviors through which we can deliver more/better results, utilizing the diverse talented people we employ. "
- Mayra Rodriguez Cochran, Diversity Integrator & Sr. Process Engineer, Rohm & Haas Company
"Great tip!! "
- Carrie Vanston, Technology Futures Inc.
"This was one of your best! Thanks so much! "
- Anthony Bowman, VP, Verizon Wireless
"I am deeply honored and treasure your kind words. I wish you well. Thank you, Christopher." -Peter Koestenbaum
"Good stuff man."
- George Pace
"This month's eTip is very helpful to me. Some of the questions you posed speak directly to areas that I haven't been willing to face, but Inow feel motivated to confront."
- Michael S. Oswald, Co-Founder & Manager, The General Counsel, LLC
Global Educators Academy
[These evaluations apply to the content available in the home-study course How to Teach Responsibility to Anyone (And Master Your Life in the Process)]
"I learned something important...new realizations are bubbling to the surface each and every day. I am using this in my work to help people get what they want out of work and life. Great 1st American experience..."
-Michael Wix, China's leading team development practitioner, Beijing, Inaugural Session Graduate"Christopher Avery's GEA far exceeded my expectations. It was one of the most profound experiences of my career. I don't recall ever before having such a penetrating experience in the context of my professional life. Since hearing Dr. Avery keynote on responsibility redefined in 2004, I have applied it in my life with tremendous results. After three years practice I'm still learning and GEA was exactly what I needed.
GEA was a fantastic experience - beyond words. What I learned there has produced better results for me every week since then. Unless you're already getting everything you want from your coworkers, employees, and your life - BE AT THIS EVENT.
The only things missing from GEA were close collegues who I should have taken with me. I'll be there next time and so will they.
In GEA, Avery shows how to learn, recognize, and install skills at the heart of project success.
Do you ever wish your coworkers and employees took real ownership of their work? Have you wished you could bottle and repeat the magic when an individual or group commits themselves fully?Christopher Avery has the only workable method I've seen for learning, recognizing, and installing the hard-to-quantify skills at the heart of peak performance. Now I'm even more committed to teaching Responsibility Redefined as part of my life purpose, and to having the life, work, and relationshps of my dreams."
-Ashley Johnson , Vice President, Valtech Technologies, Inc., Inaugural Session Graduate"I am finding ways to use and to share my new-found knowledge every day ... it's SO exciting! Extraordinary experience! I can't wait for the next one."
-Anne Coppenhaver, Director, Center for Educational Programs, Univeristy of Houston-Clear Lake, Inaugural Session Graduate
"Responsibility Redefined is the best tool I've ever seen. After three years of study it keeps providing more benefits and distinctions."
-Dayan Douse, Supervisor, IT Quality Management, DTE Energy Corp, Inaugural Session Graduate
"I've already shared the Responsibility Process and Keys to Responsibility with the Student Services staff and the Administrative Council."
-Peg Layton, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services, Schreiner University, Inaugural Session Graduate
"A wonderful experience, and a unique opportunity to explore the power of personal responsibility to improve my life, relationships, and work.
- Michael England, Vice President, Global Project Office, ITG Software Solutions, Inaugural Session Graduate
"One thing I noticed after studying Responsibility Redefined with my entire manufacturing plant...it is like business goes into hyper speed!!! We get on stuff and make things happen! We get off of "stuck" quicker. I don't even have time to type all of the wins! Thanks again!."
-Thomas Houdeshell, President, ATEK Plastics, Inaugural Session Graduate
Others of interest
"I worked for Partnerwerks as an intern while studying at UT around 1994-1995. What I learned there has been a tremendous benefit to me in my career and I feel like it's time to refresh some of those learnings."
- Matthew Murphy, CIT Group
Next, contact Christopher to inquire about supporting your leadership ➞
