Suzanne Frindt Appeared on Conscious Discussions Radio Show

Suzanne Frindt appeared on the Conscious Discussions Radio Show hosted by Lillian Brummet on October 2nd, 2012. You can listen to the show at this link http://www.blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscussions/2012/10/02/be-an-agent-for-positive-change or you can listen using the player below

Listen to internet radio with Lillian Brummet on Blog Talk Radio

Does Your Organization Have a Cultural Strategy?

Learn and Lead(This post is an edited version of an article by Suzanne Mayo Frindt. To get the complete text click here.)  Excellent companies have Financial Strategies, Operational Strategies, Marketing and Sales Strategies, and commensurate Resource Allocation Strategies (including People, Time, Money, Equipment/Assets, etc.) How many companies actually have a Cultural Strategy? Yet all companies have a culture, implicitly if not explicitly developed on a historical basis. A company culture can be defined as “a cognitive framework consisting of attitudes, values, behavioral norms, and expectations’’ (Greenberg and Baron, 1997), “the collective thoughts, habits, attitudes, feelings, and patterns of behavior’’ (Clemente and Greenspan, 1999), and “the pattern of arrangement, material or behavior which has been adopted by a society (corporation, group, or team) as the accepted way of solving problems’’ (Ahmed et al., 1999).[1]

A company’s culture dramatically impacts the success or failure of all other strategies, and yet little if any attention is consciously placed on the care and feeding of a productive, learning culture. It is the invisible glue that binds together ever more diverse workforces including people from many cultures and generations. Most executives are not conscious of culture or of the implications of their decisions on the development of or degradation of culture. Without a culture strategy, where are they aiming anyway?

All development and training is built on the platform of culture. It is the ‘context’ that determines whether the financial, operational or marketing strategies succeed or fail. A human resource focus on recruiting, retention and succession planning by definition focuses on the experience and skill building of individuals and often misses the broader perspective of the cultural influence and implications. And whose job is it to develop a conscious strategy for culture? Whose job is it to continually feed and nurture a productive culture? We would say it lands squarely with Leadership!

What is a Learning Culture and How Does it Get Developed? A Learning Culture is one where the individuals and teams consciously invest in growing and developing themselves. In a Learning Culture executives are purposeful about the impact of decisions and strategies on the fabric of cultural development. There is a focus on reducing friction and waste in communications and developing productive working relationships. People know there is an expectation for growing and learning. Hiring decisions are made with an interest in an individual’s ability to learn, adapt, grow and shift. An atmosphere of curiosity, forward thinking and ‘how can we learn from this’ thinking permeates. It becomes the foundation or platform on which everything else is built.

What Are The Payoffs of a Learning Culture? For an organization, this type of culture provides much more innovation, creativity, agility, and expedited problem solving capabilities.

For individuals, it provides opportunities for learning and growth. It also provides forums to be challenged, to add value, and to contribute at a high level.

educationHow Can We Develop a Learning Culture? There are many books and articles about learning organizations including work by Senge[2] and Argyris[3] that explain in depth about the what and how of learning organizations. Our 2130 methodology, (and terminology adaptation in some instances), ties to the 5 aspects of a learning organization that are generally accepted by leadership ‘gurus’ as follows:

  1. Systems Thinking: Understanding how things influence each other as a whole. Our view is that executives and organizational leadership are accountable to the entire organization and all stakeholders for this larger view, including strategy development, planning, implementation, review and adjustment. In addition to a responsibility for systems thinking on an individual executive basis it is also critical that the entire executive team itself operate as a productive, learning system.
  2. Shared Vision/Values: “A vehicle for building shared meaning” from Peter Senge’s “Fifth Discipline.” Unfortunately, this often looks more like the version from Dilbert “A long meaningless statement that proves management’s inability to focus.” Over the last 20+ years we have worked with organizations to develop Vision, Mission and Values in our methodology ‘Vision-Focused Leadership’. Absent a shared vision, individual agendas rule the day and gaining personal power becomes a major executive focus.
  3. Productive Mental Framework: We talk about busting mental barriers, increasing mental agility and increasing capacities to deal with the unrelenting pace of change and increased complexity of issues facing leadership today. It is critical to become aware of our blind spots and biases to be able to think clearly in the present to make the best decisions in a complex business environment.
  4. Personal Mastery: This is the commitment of every person in the organization to improve, develop and challenge themselves to be more than they are today. Individuals who insist on status quo and structural barriers to communication usually self-select out of a Learning Culture.
  5. Team Mastery: Organizations must realize that groups of people, (of any size of 2 or more), create yet another ‘entity’ with its own dynamics and productivity levels. There are group skills and developmental opportunities that build on, yet are distinct from individual capacities. When groups develop these capacities we call that increasing their collaborative capital.

So What Will You Do Now? Take stock of your culture. What are the stories being told about your organization by employees, clients and vendors? What stories would you like to be told? Where are the gaps? Are you willing to commit to your role in your organization’s culture?

[1] From  “Developing a Corporate Culture as a Competitive Advantage”;  Golnaz Sadri and Brian Lees

[2] Peter Michael Senge is an American scientist and director of the Center for Organizational Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is known as author of the book The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization from 1990 (new edition 2006). (Courtesy wikipedia.com)

[3] Chris Argyris is an American business theorist, Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School, and a Thought Leader at Monitor Group.[1] He is commonly known for seminal work in the area of “Learning Organizations”. (Courtesy wikipedia.com)

The Strategy of a Learning Culture

Learn and Lead(This post is an edited version of a new article by Suzanne Mayo Frindt. To get the complete text click here.) Excellent companies have Financial Strategies, Operational Strategies, Marketing and Sales Strategies, and commensurate Resource Allocation Strategies (including People, Time, Money, Equipment/Assets, etc.) How many companies actually have a Cultural Strategy? Yet all companies have a culture, implicitly if not explicitly developed on a historical basis. A company culture can be defined as “a cognitive framework consisting of attitudes, values, behavioral norms, and expectations’’ (Greenberg and Baron, 1997), “the collective thoughts, habits, attitudes, feelings, and patterns of behavior’’ (Clemente and Greenspan, 1999), and “the pattern of arrangement, material or behavior which has been adopted by a society (corporation, group, or team) as the accepted way of solving problems’’ (Ahmed et al., 1999).[1] A company’s culture dramatically impacts the success or failure of all other strategies, and yet little if any attention is consciously placed on the care and feeding of a productive, learning culture. It is the invisible glue that binds together ever more diverse workforces including people from many cultures and generations. Most executives are not conscious of culture or of the implications of their decisions on the development of or degradation of culture. Without a culture strategy, where are they aiming anyway?

All development and training is built on the platform of culture. It is the 'context' that determines whether the financial, operational or marketing strategies succeed or fail. A human resource focus on recruiting, retention and succession planning by definition focuses on the experience and skill building of individuals and often misses the broader perspective of the cultural influence and implications. And whose job is it to develop a conscious strategy for culture? Whose job is it to continually feed and nurture a productive culture? We would say it lands squarely with Leadership!

What is a Learning Culture and How Does it Get Developed? A Learning Culture is one where the individuals and teams consciously invest in growing and developing themselves. In a Learning Culture executives are purposeful about the impact of decisions and strategies on the fabric of cultural development. There is a focus on reducing friction and waste in communications and developing productive working relationships. People know there is an expectation for growing and learning. Hiring decisions are made with an interest in an individual’s ability to learn, adapt, grow and shift. An atmosphere of curiosity, forward thinking and ‘how can we learn from this’ thinking permeates. It becomes the foundation or platform on which everything else is built.

What Are The Payoffs of a Learning Culture? For an organization, this type of culture provides much more innovation, creativity, agility, and expedited problem solving capabilities.

For individuals, it provides opportunities for learning and growth. It also provides forums to be challenged, to add value, and to contribute at a high level.

educationHow Can We Develop a Learning Culture? There are many books and articles about learning organizations including work by Senge[2] and Argyris[3] that explain in depth about the what and how of learning organizations. Our 2130 methodology, (and terminology adaptation in some instances), ties to the 5 aspects of a learning organization that are generally accepted by leadership ‘gurus’ as follows:

  1. Systems Thinking: Understanding how things influence each other as a whole. Our view is that executives and organizational leadership are accountable to the entire organization and all stakeholders for this larger view, including strategy development, planning, implementation, review and adjustment. In addition to a responsibility for systems thinking on an individual executive basis it is also critical that the entire executive team itself operate as a productive, learning system.
  2. Shared Vision/Values: “A vehicle for building shared meaning” from Peter Senge’s “Fifth Discipline.” Unfortunately, this often looks more like the version from Dilbert “A long meaningless statement that proves management’s inability to focus.” Over the last 20+ years we have worked with organizations to develop Vision, Mission and Values in our methodology ‘Vision-Focused Leadership’. Absent a shared vision, individual agendas rule the day and gaining personal power becomes a major executive focus.
  3. Productive Mental Framework: We talk about busting mental barriers, increasing mental agility and increasing capacities to deal with the unrelenting pace of change and increased complexity of issues facing leadership today. It is critical to become aware of our blind spots and biases to be able to think clearly in the present to make the best decisions in a complex business environment.
  4. Personal Mastery: This is the commitment of every person in the organization to improve, develop and challenge themselves to be more than they are today. Individuals who insist on status quo and structural barriers to communication usually self-select out of a Learning Culture.
  5. Team Mastery: Organizations must realize that groups of people, (of any size of 2 or more), create yet another ‘entity’ with its own dynamics and productivity levels. There are group skills and developmental opportunities that build on, yet are distinct from individual capacities. When groups develop these capacities we call that increasing their collaborative capital.

So What Will You Do Now? Take stock of your culture. What are the stories being told about your organization by employees, clients and vendors? What stories would you like to be told? Where are the gaps? Are you willing to commit to your role in your organization’s culture?

[1] From  “Developing a Corporate Culture as a Competitive Advantage”;  Golnaz Sadri and Brian Lees

[2] Peter Michael Senge is an American scientist and director of the Center for Organizational Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is known as author of the book The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization from 1990 (new edition 2006). (Courtesy wikipedia.com)

[3] Chris Argyris is an American business theorist, Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School, and a Thought Leader at Monitor Group.[1] He is commonly known for seminal work in the area of "Learning Organizations". (Courtesy wikipedia.com)

Accelerate: High Leverage Leadership for Today's World Is Here

Debut Book From Suzanne Mayo Frindt and Dwight Frindt Provides a Simple, Elegant and Insightful Approach to Consistently Produce Extraordinary Results

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE ELECTRONIC MEDIA KIT

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA--(Marketwire - November 15, 2010) - Suzanne Mayo Frindt and Dwight Frindt work closely with leaders and executive teams to unleash creativity and effectiveness throughout their organizations. Their practical methodologies reduce the friction and waste in daily conversations and inspire highly productive teams that regularly deliver on bold commitments. Their collaborative leadership practices are not steeped in academia -- they are carefully crafted methodologies based on their years of hands-on experience counseling executives combined with a global business perspective derived from their active involvement with business cultures around the world. The Frindts are co-founders of 2130 Partners (www.2130Partners.com), a leadership development and education firm training leaders to create focus, alignment, and collaboration for a sustainable shared vision. In their debut book, Accelerate: High Leverage Leadership for Today's World, the authors provide a remarkably simple, elegant and insightful approach to consistently producing extraordinary results.

We live in a world of unprecedented and accelerating changes in our lives and work. Now, at a time when previous business models and assumptions are being turned on their heads, individual livelihoods and whole firms are disappearing or springing up newly on a regular basis. Successful businesses are transforming themselves and finding ways to prosper in the evolving new realities. The leadership required for these firms is radically agile, proactive, and creative. Success will accrue to those who learn to tap the creativity and productivity gains available through being aware and effective in the human, collaborative dimension, while laggards will suffer in the face of the unrelenting change.

Accelerate is a match for the challenging times in which we live, where leaders are facing problems and issues that are complex beyond any previous era. The authors provide readers with deceptively simple access to meaningful transformation in their work and lives. Unlike other leadership books, Accelerate starts with whom to BE rather than what to DO to produce effective leadership. You will find proven principles and practices to expand your leadership capacities for productive thought and interaction, to create a culture of self-generated accountability, and to turn friction and waste into real productivity gains.

Always with a keen eye on the future, the authors have just returned from several weeks in China, now eclipsing Japan as the second largest economy in the world. There they participated in The World Academy for the Future of Women, and in the Fourth Annual Women's Symposium at Sias International University (www.sias.edu.cn/en). Suzanne Mayo Frindt created curriculum, both served as instructors for the Academy, and Dwight Frindt delivered a keynote speech at the Symposium.

Sias University is the first solely owned American university in Central China. It develops well-rounded trans-national professionals by combining Chinese and Western educational philosophies, providing students with a broad based learning perspective and alternative ways of thinking about their lives, careers, and leadership aspirations.

About Suzanne Mayo Frindt and Dwight Frindt The Frindts are co-founders of 2130 Partners, a leadership development and education firm founded in 1990. 2130 Partners is dedicated to facilitating executive leadership potential through Vision-Focused Leadership™, a methodology grounded in shared vision and built through collaboration.

They are often called upon to give keynotes and lead programs in such diverse locations as Bismarck, North Dakota and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to their extensive business leadership experience and educational credentials, they credit their 30 plus years as investors in, and activists for, The Hunger Project (http://www.thp.org) for its profound influence on their work and lives. They have traveled throughout Africa, India, Bangladesh and Latin America to support the organization's goals in mobilizing local people to create lasting society-wide progress in health, education, nutrition, family incomes and the empowerment of women.

Events 2130 Partners will hold public workshops and book signing events:

November 2010 19 -- Seattle, Wash.

December 2010 3 -- Orange County, Calif.

February 2011 2 -- Los Angeles, Calif.

For event information, please go to: www.2130partners.com/whats-new.

About 2130 Partners 2130 Partners is celebrating its 20th year of facilitating executive leadership potential. The name 2130 Partners and the firm's core philosophy are derived from the Native American principle that leaders are accountable in their decision making for their impact on each of the next seven generations. Seven generations from its founding in 1990, or 140 years, is year 2130. Clients and 2130 Partners are asked to consider what input we might get from the people who will be alive in the year 2130 about how we spend our lives, the decisions we make and the focus of our leadership. The firm serves clients around the world, with offices in Orange County, Calif. and Seattle, Wash. Visit www.2130partners.com.

Accelerate: High Leverage Leadership for Today's World ISBN: 143926664, available at www.2130partners.com/accelerate-the-book or amazon.com Authors: Suzanne Mayo Frindt and Dwight Frindt Published in 2010

For more information about Accelerate: High Leverage Leadership for Today's World, please visit www.2130partners.com/accelerate-the-book or contact: Kathleen Janson, (949) 654-2512

 

Dwight and Suzanne Frindt Featured in Lighthouse Consulting Article

The work of 2130 Partners is featured in this article by Dana Borowka of Lighthouse Consulting. Recently, we have had a number of conversations with CEOs and key executives regarding what they are planning for their businesses for 2011. We have found two categories of individuals. Those that have a vision through listening to others in the market place, reaching out for support, gathering industry data, looking for trends and opportunities. The other group is totally focused on overhead reduction, darting around and focusing on the bad news in the world, taxes, health bills, and any information that they can grab onto to help justify why they are so scared.

 

Here is the Question for the Day

Which category do you fit into? Your answer will determine how your company is doing today and will be doing in the future. Those that think they know everything are closing themselves off from amazing opportunities.

Certainly all companies need to be constantly looking at overhead and keeping up with the news. However, when the focus is fear driven then our thoughts begin to justify our fears. That wastes time as it creates the continual loop of fear, depression, anxiety, etc.

The group that is forward thinking has a completely different outlook on life. That’s not to say that they don’t have concerns but rather they are using this time to plan ahead, remain clear headed and open to ideas. That is the key – to be still enough in order to listen. Then act on what we are seeing as immediate and future potential for new products and services, improvement in retention of current business as well as ideas for gaining additional market share.

Your focus will tell you immediately where you stand! First, we will explore leadership and how to deal with the fear. Then we’ll share what a group of business owners did that has separated them from many other companies.

How to Become a Vision-Focused Leader

The answer is leadership. It is time to become a vision-focused leader around whom issues can be raised and resolved productively. That’s the view of Suzanne and Dwight Frindt, the founders of 2130 Partners, a leadership development and education firm that facilitates focused vision, inspired teams, and sustained commitment for its clients and co-authors of Accelerate: High Leverage Leadership for Today’s World.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Are your conversations with your team generating the results you want?
  • Does your team successfully raise and resolve issues relevant to business success?
  • Can you identify and deal with emotional upsets, in both yourself and others?

Exactly what is this leadership that is vision-focused? "We love Warren Bennis’ definition: 'Leadership is the wise use of power. Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and sustain it,'" says Suzanne Frindt. "Our approach is the same whether we are working with individuals or with entire leadership teams. We believe the greatest opportunities are created by the development of people and action in a coordinated direction. We assert that the only sustainable strategies engage the heart and soul and are simultaneously grounded in sound business practices."

Power of Shared Vision

In a 1996 article in the Harvard Business Review entitled "Building Your Company’s Vision," Jim Collins and Jerry Porras said that companies that enjoy enduring success have a core purpose and core values that remain fixed while their strategies and practices endlessly adapt to a changing world. The rare ability to balance continuity and change—requiring a consciously practiced discipline—is closely linked to the ability to develop a vision.

"Without a vision, what is the point?" says Suzanne Frindt. "A Yonder Star unleashes the energy to galvanize yourself and your employees so you can achieve phenomenal things."

When group members share a vision, it creates an opportunity for totally different conversations between a manager and members of their team. Focus on the shared vision creates alignment and provides a powerful context for creating mission, strategic initiatives, objectives, goals, roles, and finally all the way down through action plans.

Being a manager means making choices. At any moment in time you have a decision to make. Suzanne urges that when it comes time to make a decision being present in the moment, not on automatic pilot, is essential to the quality and relevance of the decision. You can then make the choice based on your Yonder Star, your shared vision of something to which you aspire, versus more of the same or your fear of some worst-case scenario.

"Worries are about envisioning a worst-case scenario, what you fear most," says Suzanne Frindt. "Whatever we envision is affecting us right now. What we envision impacts us in this moment. There are consequences for managing based on fears that you may not want. Your Yonder Star is the shared vision you aspire to. The star is what you envision, and what you envision shapes both the present moment and the quality of your choices about your actions."

Something else she recommends avoiding is being past-focused. This is when you make decisions based solely on what you have done in the past. Instead of having an inspiring vision for your team, all you are working for with a past based focus is attempting to minimize perceived risk and making incremental improvements.

"Many companies are past-focused when they do strategic planning," says Suzanne Frindt. "What did the company do last year and then let’s add 10 percent or 20 percent. We are all tempted to try hard to make yesterday look like today. Or if we didn’t like yesterday, then we try to make it different or better."

She adds that only by having a vision, a Yonder Star, can teams create breakthroughs to unprecedented results. Equally important is that it is a shared vision, one that is based on shared values and shared operating principles. This is how you create an environment for real collaboration.

Overcoming Emotional Barriers

 "The ability to identify and clear upsets, in myself and others, is the single most significant key to productivity gains in our economy today," says Dwight Frindt. "We have asked our executive-leadership clients a simple question: 'What time could you go home if everyone in the company simply came to work, did their jobs, and went home?' The answer used to surprise us until it kept being repeated. On average, our clients say, ‘Between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.'"

That begs a second question. If so many executives claim they could go home before lunch if everyone just showed up and did their work, what’s taking so much of our leaders' time? The Frindts' clients tell them flat out: distress, commonly known as upsets. The most time-consuming part of their job is managing the distressed interactions within their teams so that those teams can actually get to the business at hand.

"Even if executives will never be able to consistently leave by noon, it is entirely reasonable for them to expect to save at least two hours of their time, every day. Alternatively they could increase their productivity 15–30%" says Dwight Frindt.

That’s nearly 500 extra hours a year leaders can devote to creative thinking, visioning, and strategizing rather than on repairing relationships and soothing bruised egos. At the opportunity cost of most executives’ time, that amounts to very substantial savings. Of course, the same can be said for everyone in the organization. An inordinate amount of productive time and payroll dollars and worse yet, opportunities, are lost daily, monthly and annually to the distraction caused by unresolved emotional distress.

Replacing that time, energy, and resource loss is of paramount importance. Doing so can create a culture that is both highly productive and emotionally resilient and rewarding. It requires a fundamental, transformative shift in two steps: 1) fewer emotionally driven issues in the workplace; and 2) leaders and their team members becoming self-sufficient in handling emotional distress issues when they occur.

"Let’s clarify what we mean by emotional distress," says Dwight Frindt. "We’re using the term to summarize a wide range of reactions that temporarily disable people with regard to thoughtful and productive behavior. These reactions can vary from mild frustration to full-blown anger, and include embarrassment, sadness, impatience, agitation, worry, and fear. In each case the person is left in a condition where, whether realized or not, they are acting as if their very survival is threatened."

The Causes of Emotional Distress

The Frindts' studies and their clients' experiences make it clear that the most common root causes of workplace emotional distress are 1) the perception that a promise has been broken (usually by leadership); 2) when positive intentions "fail"; and 3) when commitments seem thwarted. In addition to these three internal triggers, there are many times when personal distress is brought to the workplace from the rest of the person’s life. These other sources can be especially difficult to address, due to varying perspectives on what constitutes personal-professional boundaries.

The impact on the productivity and organizational effectiveness of people attempting to work while "stressed out" (or surrounded by others who are) is enormous. Yet it’s been the Frindts’ observation that most leaders overlook this as the place to start any efforts in business improvement. Most are far more comfortable with cost cutting, process development, process improvement, reorganizing, or some other business change that does not directly address the human dimension.

Long Term Vision & Working the Plan

Back in 2006/2007, a group of business owners saw the writing on the wall regarding the long term economic change. While some people thumbed their noses at the possibility and buried their heads in the sand… purely out of fear. The forward looking group sought feedback from others who had been through similar business cycles and discovered the following ideas:

  • Create your vision: The goal is to have a long range vision for your company.
  • Think outside your box: What else can you provide? What other opportunities can you look at? What are some other possibilities that will help others to fulfill their vision?
  • What is needed: Listen to the market place and offer valuable services.
  • Know your numbers: Where are you and where are you going?
  • Work the plan: Develop measurable marketing, sales, financial, internal operations plans then execute and don’t wait. This avoids waste and preserves valuable resources. Through proper planning the dollars can be used to gain market share while other organizations could be financially drained and in a constant state of fear! The forward business group took a three year outlook and developed various action plans and worked the plan.
  • Be on the lookout for top "A" and "B" players for hiring top people who have vision.
  • Team vision: Have clear goals and objectives for all staff members.
  • For new hires at all levels do the most thorough interviewing based on 30-60-90-180-12 month goals.
  • Do in-depth work style and personality assessment testing to get a clear picture of who you are about to bring aboard to best manage the individuals so they can be successful.
  • Maintain a collaborative team environment where everyone can provide input to create internal efficiencies, all are listening to customer and market needs, and respond in a timely way so your company is always engaged as the business environment has needs.

This is the time to be moving forward by offering fresh ideas, solutions, and support that will add value to all those you come in contact with and in return your business will thrive!

To find out more about these topics you can read our book, Cracking The Personality Code by visiting www.lighthouseconsulting.com. Or if you’d like to find out about the various workshops we provide to help your organization lead into the future visits www.crackingthepersonalitycode.com. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

We offer monthly Open Line web conferences on topics ranging from creating a collaborative environment, how to offer incentives to staff during challenging time, and how to turn fear into strength. We will be having a global futurist as a guest – so please join us. Visit www.lighthouseconsulting.com for a list of our programs.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Services to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2010

If you would like additional information on this topic or others, please contact your Human Resources department or Lighthouse Consulting Services LLC, 3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Santa Monica, CA  90403 & our website: www.lighthouseconsulting.com

Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC provides a variety of services, including in-depth work style assessments for new hires & staff development, team building, interpersonal & communication training, career guidance & transition, conflict management, workshops, and executive & employee coaching.  To order the book, "Cracking the Personality Code" please go to www.crackingthepersonalitycode.com

Dwight and Suzanne Frindt Empower New Generation of Women Leaders in China

Dwight Frindt keynote address at Annual Women's Symposium in China(July, 2010) Dwight and Suzanne Frindt developed curriculum and then taught at The World Academy for the Future of Women part of SIAS International University in China. Concurrently, they were part of the 4th Annual Women's Symposium which was held at SIAS while they were there. Dwight Frindt gave a key note address to almost 5,000 attendees and both Dwight and Suzanne led multiple breakout groups. To get more information please open the .pdf of the complete article. [Download] .pdf

Suzanne Frindt and students from The World Academy for the Future of Women in China

Dwight and Suzanne Frindt Appear on Healthy You! Radio

(September 2, 2009) Dwight and Suzanne Frindt appeared on Healthy You! Radio, 1150AM, KKNW, alternative talk radio in Seattle. Host Keesha Ewers interviewed them about their program, "Productive Interactions," as a way to help people build capacities for healthy, productive interactions for healthy relationships. To hear the show click the "read the full article" link below. To stream the audio archive click the player below. To download an .mp3 follow the download instructions below. Player

Download this show -

To download an MP3 file, follow these instructions:

1. Right-Click on the graphic above and choose “Download Now,” “Save Target As,” or “Save Link As” (depending on your browser). If your mouse only has one button, click and hold down until the necessary menu pops up. If you’re using a Mac, you can also hold down the Control key and click to bring up the menu.

2. Select a location on your computer and save the file. Note that the MP3 files are quite large and may take a long time to download, especially with a slow connection.

Dwight and Suzanne Frindt Are Featured Contributors in New Book

(February, 2009) Dwight and Suzanne Frindt are featured contributors in the newly published "Cracking the Personality Code" by Dana and Ellen Borowka of Lighthouse Consulting. Chapter 9, "From Managing to Leading, How to Become a Vision-Focused Leader," is based on the work of 2130 Partners. To learn more about the "Cracking the Personality Code" book... click here.

Suzanne Frindt Appears on Amazing Women, Beauty, Brains and Style

(March, 2008) Suzanne Frindt appeared on the “Amazing Women…Beauty, Brains and Style” online radio show with Dr. Marlene Siersema. Suzanne discussed a range of topics from the founding of 2130 Partners, to her work with the non-profit The Hunger Project. Click "read the full article" below and you can download the .MP3 file of this interview. To listen to the show click the arrow audio

Download this show –

To download an MP3 file, follow these instructions:

1. Right-Click on the graphic above and choose “Download Now,” “Save Target As,” or “Save Link As” (depending on your browser). If your mouse only has one button, click and hold down until the necessary menu pops up. If you’re using a Mac, you can also hold down the Control key and click to bring up the menu.

2. Select a location on your computer and save the file. Note that the MP3 files are quite large and may take a long time to download, especially with a slow connection.

2130 Partners Launches Productive Interactions II

(September, 2007) 2130 Partners launches latest course for public enrollment – Productive Interactions II – Moving Towards Mastery. This program builds on their highly successful Productive Interactions I program. For more information please click on "read the full article" to access a downloadable .pdf of the article. [Download] .pdf

Suzanne Frindt Appears on I'm There For You Baby-The Entrepreneur's Guide to the Galaxy

(July, 2007) Suzanne Frindt made an appearance on "I'm There for You Baby - The Entrepreneur's Guide to the Galaxy" - The Premier Radio Show and Podcast for Technology Entrepreneurs. Around the globe, women executives and entrepreneurs face challenges in balancing career and family, but according to leadership expert Suzanne Frindt, Middle Eastern women also struggle with unique traditions. To listen to the show click the arrow audio

Download this show –

To download an MP3 file, follow these instructions:

1. Right-Click on the graphic above and choose “Download Now,” “Save Target As,” or “Save Link As” (depending on your browser). If your mouse only has one button, click and hold down until the necessary menu pops up. If you’re using a Mac, you can also hold down the Control key and click to bring up the menu.

2. Select a location on your computer and save the file. Note that the MP3 files are quite large and may take a long time to download, especially with a slow connection.

Suzanne Frindt Speaks at Middle Eastern and North African Businesswomen's Summit

(October, 2006) Suzanne Frindt was tapped by the State Department to speak at the 2006 Middle Eastern and North African Businesswomen's Summit in the United Arab Emirates. For more information please click on "read the full article" which will lead you to a downloadable .pdf. [Download] .pdf