Intro -- Scott Simmerman LO14758

Scott Simmerman (SquareWheels@compuserve.com)
Mon, 25 Aug 1997 18:26:36 -0400

Can't believe after contributing to the list for a couple of years that
there isn't a bio on file. It just goes to prove that the Square Wheels
really ARE everywhere!

So, here's some background:

I received a Ph.D. in Psychology (biological / behavioral) from the
University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1976 and taught at Furman
University before working with Ed Feeney doing behavioral interventions in
the workplace back in 1978. In 1981, I was Senior Vice President of
Operations of the Wherehouse (records, tapes and videos) in LA, where we
implemented a lot of programs focused on employee ownership and quality
improvement.

About 5 years ago, I invented a team development simulation, The Search
for The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, which focuses on leadership,
collaboration and quality. About that same time, we started the series of
cartoon illustrations best known as Square Wheels. There are now 4
toolkits (Change, Quality, Personal Growth and Productivity) along with a
5th edition of my compendium, Square Wheels, The Big Book.

Joan, my wife, and I comprise all of Performance Management Company by
design, collaborating with consultants and organizations worldwide. We're
more or less a virtual organization, working out of our home in Taylors SC
(near Greenville).

I recently keynoted the Malaysian Trainers Meet Trainers conference in KL
and the Clemson High Performance Teams Conference in Orlando. I've
presented at the past 9 ASTD International Conventions, the past 3 years
of Bob Pike's Creative Training Techniques program, and was the top-rated
presenter at May's AQP conference, where I delivered a session called
"Square Wheels, Caterpillars and Butterflies: Teaching the Caterpillar to
Fly."

My sessions are designed to be highly interactive. I believe that the
round wheels of organizational improvement are already IN the wagon and we
need to stop pushing and pulling forward to gain a bit of objectivity and
perspective.

We sell the toolkits and games to end users including consultants and
trainers. All are sold "unencumbered" and with only a one-time cost.

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And, if you want a FREE transparency of Square Wheels One, the main
cartoon in the series, along with a tip sheet on how you might use it,
drop me an email with your regular mailing address and I'll send one.
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I can summarize most of my philosophy with a few quotes:

Don't Just DO Something, Stand There!
(get perspective, be objective)

Trust is the residue of promises fulfulled.
(it's all about our behavior)

Caterpillars can fly if they would just lighten up.
(managers need to let go)

We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.
(obvious!) (Max DePree)

Nobody Ever Washes a Rental Car.
(create ownership)

-- 
For the FUN of It!

Scott Simmerman Performance Management Company 3 Old Oak Drive, Taylors, SC 29687 (USA) 864-292-8700 fax 292-6222 SquareWheels@compuserve.com

visit The Lost Dutchman at http://www.clicknow.com/stagedright/dutchman/

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>