Cheryl Crumbis an ISO 9000 accredited trainer, coach, transition consultant and facilitator who designs training programs to fit specific corporate needs. Her specialties include customer focus, strategic account management, leadership, conflict resolution, change management and presentation skills.

Cheryl’s clients come from a wide variety of industries and organizations including high tech, electronics, hospital and health care, cable TV, charities, cosmetic and publishing companies. A citizen of Canada and the United States, Cheryl has designed and presented international training programs for clients in Canada, US, Mexico, UK, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Romania, Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

She was the recipient of the 2005 High Performance Organization Partner of the Year Award from Celestica, a world leader in the delivery of innovative electronics manufacturing services. Cheryl is a regular columnist for CEBiz, a consumer electronics publication.
Cheryl’s Philosophy:
The most powerful ‘stop sign’ is the one we place in front of ourselves. Challenging our assumptions about ourselves and others is a first step toward breaking through that barrier. Taking responsibility and holding oneself accountable are fundamental life skills. We create our future by recognizing and embracing possibilities. Leadership is about hope and courage.
Cheryl Crumb & Associates

148 Fincham Avenue, Markham, ON L3P 4A9
Telephone: 705-357-0389

www.CCrumb.com

Download Articles in PDF file format by Cheryl Crumb

Communication – Tell ‘em often and tell ‘em straight

A skill for the future is courage – Designing your career

Leadership … A Cultural Shift

Proactivity…Customers are Demanding it

Sales Success: Lessons from “The Wizard of Oz”

How to Make Winning Recommendations

What I Stand For

• The possibility that people are alive and energized by the power within them.
• People making a difference in the lives of others
• Courage in action
• Turning moods of resentment and resignation into ambition
• Choosing empowerment vs. obedience

What I Believe

• The most powerful “stop sign” is the one we place in front of ourselves. We need to see it for the imaginary obstacle it is and plow through it. Challenging our assumptions about ourselves and others is one of the first steps toward breakthroughs.
• Everything important gets done through other people. Nothing is accomplished alone. We need to learn to enroll and engage others to create a stronger future.
• Learning occurs in action and through mistakes and lessons learned. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is of short duration if it’s not converted into action.
• The fundamental life skill is taking responsibility and holding oneself accountable
• Leadership is about hope and courage
• We cause our future by our openness or closedness to possibilities
• Looking at the world through the eyes of scarcity prevents us from seeing the true abundance present
• Technology is not the only path toward progress; we need to leverage a high level of self-esteem with the ability to create powerful conversations

Thoughts on Customer Focus

• It’s not about who’s right or wrong…it’s about making the Customer more successful with us than without us. Righteousness is what gets in our way. We must be willing to let it go.
• There is no such thing as an “unreasonable” request. From the Customer’s viewpoint, their requests aren’t unreasonable. They’re a response to issues faced. We need to find out what is missing for the Customer and create solution alternatives to help the Customer better position themselves.
• The degree to which the Customer trusts us is reflected in their micromanagement of us. All situations need to be managed. If the Customer isn’t seeing us as open, honest, reliable or action-focused, then they’ll manage us because their perception is that our self-management is missing.
• Customers perceive indifference (the biggest sin!) or ownership (the biggest win!) through our words, voice, and body language. If we’re thinking thoughts like “the Customer is a pain-in-the-butt”, that will be negatively reflected in our behavior. If we’re thinking thoughts like “what can I do to help the Customer out of this trouble?” that will be positively reflected in our behavior. Customer perceptions are the metamessage of that behavior.
• For us to be seen as value-creating by Customers, we have to master two areas: (1) understanding of the Customer, what’s important to them, what’s driving them, and show ownership, action and accountability; and (2) process capability so that we can master the dimension of time. Employees can definitely impact the former through behavioral change, and they can contribute to process improvement ideas by suggesting ways to take time out of processes.
• Regardless of our “job” (which is an internal concept), the Customer expects that each of us will act as a proactive long-term ally, provide recommendations and suggestions, and manage our commitments.
• Excuses are not acceptable. It’s irrelevant if they are true.
• We’re not necessarily doing the Customer a favor if we give them what they ask for. Most people don’t know what they want…they only know they’re in a “mess”. Each employee’s role is to sift through that “mess” and create options that might be more powerful than mere obedience to the initial request.
• Obedience isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s fear-driven and leads to “me-too, same-old” solutions. Proactivity, which is what customers are demanding, only occurs when people feel comfortable to challenge requests and immerse themselves in their customer’s problems.
• The behaviors associated with Customer focus require practice, time management, courage and self-esteem. The manager plays a significant role in coaching new behaviors.

TESTIMONIAL: Linda Barker, Director, Celestica

“Cheryl provides an excellent service to Celestica which goes beyond her course offerings. Her warm personality, wealth of experience and wisdom have established her credibility with the managers and employees she works with. She receives raves review in all the courses in my area and often goes beyond the call of duty to counsel and support our staff. Cheryl is truly a business partner and a member of the extended team. ”

TESTIMONIAL: George Goto, Tyco Electronics Canada

“Cheryl is one of the most effective trainers I have come across. Unlike traditional trainers, she listens to participants intensely rather than telling them what to do. She makes them think rather than just having them memorize the course material. She will not let you be comfortable doing the same old thing in the same old way. She challenges you to start thinking differently. She does all this with a smile, in a friendly atmosphere. It helps participants open up and creates an environment conducive to changes.

If you are interested in a comfortable training, where you attend the classes, say “that was pretty good” and go back to the old way of doing things, her training may not be for you. However, if you are willing to accept that you are not as good as you think you are, and are willing to take steps to find out what’s missing and do something about it, then I strongly recommend Cheryl’s training. It will be challenging, but if you put enough effort, it will be rewarding.”

TESTIMONIAL: Dianne Ramster, CEO, Hunt Personnel

“The concepts that Cheryl speaks so fluently about, work! My company has been built on these principles and everyone lives them. Proof of success is this: I am a “liberated” owner. I now work part time, much of this in Florida in the winter. I am not at risk with any one single manager, the company operates truly as a customer focused team. My role is cheerleader, coach, encourager from the bottom of the inverted organization triangle. It is not often however, that I become aware of someone like Cheryl, who can communicate with business owners in a way that demonstrates an understanding of these concepts while also understanding owner outcomes, big picture.”

TESTIMONIAL: Marion Reid, Chief Nursing and Professional Practice Officer, York Central Hospital

“Cheryl is a very warm and interactive leader/facilitator who is able to initiate meaningful dialogue that is theory driven and provider focused. “The Other Side of Care” empowers staff to be proactive and take control over their relationships and interactions in order to achieve improved outcomes. ”

Click here to Submit a Contact Request for Cheryl Crumb

 
Submit a request for contact to Cheryl Crumb