January 2018 – Croixstone

Introducing TABL – An Unforgettable Culinary Team Building Experience

Whip up great team work!
Croixstone Consulting is excited to introduce TABL…our culinary team building experience. Learn how you can ignite collaboration with your team in a fun and unforgettable way!
https://www.tablteam.com

Consulting Industry Outlook 2018

It’s a good time to be in the consulting world! According to the recently released Consulting Magazine’s 2018 Executive Outlook report, the theme for the consulting industry this year is “Let the Good Times Roll.”

The positive economic momentum + recent corporate tax cuts equal an “upbeat and bullish forecast” for the consulting industry. As result, the industry remains strong and firms are in the “midst of a hiring frenzy” to get the work done. Below is a high-level overview of the results in the report:

97% of leading consulting firms surveyed experienced real revenue growth over the last 12 months.
98% of executives are forecasting growth in 2018, and 94% are saying that growth will exceed 6%.
95% of firm leaders anticipate net profits will improve, and 62% of the firms predict net profits will be up more than 10% in 2018.

The survey was conducted in the latter part of 2017 with more than 130 Managing Directors, Partners and Vice Presidents participating. To read the full 2018 Executive Outlook, click here.

Seed20 OnStage!

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” Today, we focus on an upcoming event dedicated to those in the Charlotte community that are “doing for others” each and every day…SEED20 OnStage!

SEED20 is the annual program of Social Venture Partners Charlotte (a nonprofit organization) to identify, highlight and connect the community to the region’s most promising social entrepreneurs tackling pressing challenges.

Croixstone’s Mark Weber is serving as the Lead Partner for this year’s powerful program, best known for its high-energy SEED20 OnStage event where ten members of the SEED20 class compete to win cash awards by making three-minute “pitches” to a panel of judges and a community audience.

This year’s event takes place at the Bechtler Museum and Knight Theater in front of an audience of 1,000 guests on April 16, 2018. We invite you to view the SEED20 video and website to learn more.

Tickets for the event are now on sale. To purchase tickets, Click Here

2018: The Year of Professional Courage

With months of revelations about sexual harassment and abuse of men and women across industries, we encourage you to make 2018 the year of professional courage. Guest blogger, Tony Armeni, shares his insights below.

What are we to think of all the news about workplace behavior, and particularly sexual harassment, in the media of late?

I am sure you have read and heard every possible angle about the individuals, situations, causes, explanations, and even excuses. Who knew? When did they know? How could this be?

The one thing I have heard little about is accountability. Do we really need more training and clarifications from attorneys about the definition of sexual harassment? Do we need more value statements about integrity and transparency? The answer is NO! It is time for human resource leaders, and their executive peers, to step up and start holding their organizations and individuals in them accountable for behaviors that are in clear violation of the policies and training that they have already established. Enough about all the grey areas, misinterpretations, consensual this and that and all the other excuses. We know what this looks and sounds like. We know what the right thing to do is. Now we need to start doing it.

No more separating the offender from the accuser, rationalizing how you can’t afford to lose the star performer, implementing mutual separation agreements for the accuser and so forth. Let’s eradicate the innuendo and foul language, jokes, inappropriate remarks and other behaviors that create a culture of tolerance and acceptance.

It is important to make sure our policies on workplace behavior and sexual harassment are well communicated and that we have trained everyone in our organizations. We must take every complaint seriously and investigate thoroughly. Once all the facts are known, we must do the right thing, regardless of who the violator might be.

Merriam-Webster defines courage as the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty. Get an early start on your new year’s resolutions and begin now to demonstrate professional courage and start leading your organization’s accountability crusade. Let’s make 2018 the year of professional courage.

About Our Guest Blogger

Tony Armeni, MBA, SPHR and SCP, is a senior consultant in Croixstone’s human capital practice. With extensive experience in diverse industries, cultures and environments (including Fortune 200 companies), Tony has delivered high-impact results to support the business objectives, change initiatives and leadership development activities at companies including SCOR, Joerns Healthcare, Sompo Japan, CSX World Terminals and more. Tony offers deep expertise in helping organizations navigate through sexual harassment complaints, investigations and training.

Are you ready to make 2018 the year of professional courage? For a confidential discussion, contact Mark Weber, Managing Partner, at (980) 263-0234 or by email at mweber@www.croixstone.consulting

Executive Spotlight: Patti Weber, Croixstone CXO

Patti Weber serves as Croixstone Consulting’s Chief Experience Officer (CXO). In her role, Patti leverages best practices in design and user experience to serve both the firm’s employee-based consultants and clients.

How did you enter the consulting field? I was a client of Accenture in Detroit and partnered with the firm on a strategic, multi-year technology transformation initiative. From there, I was recruited by Accenture and joined the firm’s Financial Services Practice in Minneapolis and provided leadership to large project teams serving top-tier banks and insurance clients.
Your career path includes roles such as corporate trainer and public educator. How have these roles been of benefit to you in the consulting industry? I have learned to never make assumptions and to ask lots of questions. A solution can be obtained through many different avenues.
If you could pick one theme for Croixstone to turn into a book about the company, what would it be? Maverick talent.
Before working at Croixstone, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? I sorted mail for several state of Wisconsin government buildings while enrolled in the School of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Three words to best describe you? Passionate. Inquisitive. Loyal.
Any random facts you could share with us? 2 and 5 are the only prime numbers that end with a 2 or a 5.
Motto or personal mantra? Never give up.
What is your favorite number and why? 3. If you know the song “Three is a Magic Number”, you will understand why.
What is your hidden talent? Swimming. I was a Big 10 collegiate swimmer who specialized in long-distance swimming events and the 200 and 400 individual medleys. While in high school, I was a three-time State competitor who swam five different events.
What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? Being a girl who loves math and science is something for which you should be proud.
Little known fact? When I was in elementary school, my dad taught me how to calculate the square root of any number using a pencil and paper.

#MakeYourMark in 2018

Happy New Year! The Croixstone team is ready with some creative ways to start the year off on the right foot. It’s time to #MakeYourMark in 2018.

One great way to start the year is by enjoying the great outdoors on New Year’s Day. North Carolina State Parks will be hosting First Day Hikes throughout the state to start the year off right. To read more about First Day Hikes in North Carolina, check out a story in the Shelby Star here and see a full list of hikes sponsored by North Carolina State Parks here.

Looking to make 2018 your healthiest year yet? Start the year off with a free Healthy Lunch & Fitness Goal-Setting Session hosted by NoDa Personal Training. To learn more and to register, click here.

Ready to take your career to the next level? Check out 10 things to do in the new year to skyrocket your career in 2018 here.