When a man's willing and eager
the gods join in.
—Aeschylus
No pressure, no diamonds.
—Thomas Carlyle
Prediction is difficult, especially of the future.
—Niels Bohr
We do not see things as they are, we do not hear things as they are, we hear them as we are.
—The Talmud
Life is about moving, it's about change.
And when things stop doing that they're dead.
—Twyla Tharp
Prayer without action is no prayer at all.
—Mother Theresa
You will be as small as your controlling desire
or as great as your dominant aspiration.
—James Allen
The soul never thinks without a picture.
—Aristotle
We become what we contemplate.
—Plato
A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind
and won’t change the subject.
—Winston Churchill
I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound
they make as they fly by.
—Douglas Adams
Chance favours the prepared mind.
—Louis Pasteur
Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.
—Samuel Johnson
Smile, breathe and go slowly.
—Thich Nhat Hanh
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways
that won’t work.
—Thomas Edison
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical.
—Niels Bohr
There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic because he has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing.
—Maya Angelou
No matter what the rules are, great coaches will always find a way to win.
—Red Auerbach
The best audience is intelligent, well educated and a little drunk.
—Alben W. Barkley
Most of us have lost that sense of unity of biosphere and humanity which would bind and reassure us all with an affirmation of beauty. Most of us do not today believe that whatever the ups and downs of detail within our limited experience, the larger whole is primarily beautiful.
—Gregory Bateson
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.
—Henri Bergeson
When people asked what happened to my money, I let them know most of it went on women, booze and gambling. The rest, i wasted.
—George Best
The first function of a political leader is advocacy it is he who must make articulate the wants, the frustration, and the aspiration of the masses.
—Aneurin Bevan
There is a difference between interest and commitment when you are interested in doing something you do it only when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.
—Ken Blanchard
Most executives, many scientists, and almost all business school graduates believe that if you analyze data, this will give you new ideas. Unfortunately, this belief is totally wrong. The mind can only see what it is prepared to see.
—Edward De Bono
The ascent of man is not necessarily made by likeable men but by men with at least two qualities: an immense integrity, and at least a little intelligence.
—Jacob Bronowski
If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.
—Ray Bradbury
I believe you are your work. Don't trade the stuff of your life, time, for nothing more than dollars. That's a rotten bargain.
—Rita Mae Brown
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.
—Rita Mae Brown
This is my depressed stance. When you are depressed it makes a lot of difference how you stand. The worst thing you can do is straighten your head high because you start to feel better...If you are going to get any joy out of being depressed you have got to stand like this (with your head down).
—Charlie Brown
There is hope in South Africa, and it comes down to the refusal of Nelson Mandela to make his own martyrdom—or the martyrdom of his people—the issue. After twenty-seven years in prison he shows not as hint of bitterness towards his jailors, calling instead for dignity and understanding of the white minority's fear.
—Stephen Budiansky
Life moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it.
—Ferris Bueller
What a man is, is the basis of what he dreams and thinks, accepts and rejects, feels and perceives.
—John Mason Brown
In a TV commercial the sale is made or lost in the first 3 or 4 seconds. In a print ad, 75% of the buying decisions are made at the headline alone. In a sales presentation, the sale is made or lost in the first three minutes.
—John Caples
To appreciate heaven well, tis good for a man to have fifteen minutes in hell.
—Will Carleton
If you don't know where you are going how will you know if you get there.
—Lewis Carroll
On being asked why he still practices 5 hours a day at the age of 85, he replied: because I think I am getting better.
—Pablo Casals

About CBS | Faculty

Jeff Powell: Managing Director & Senior Organizational Consultant

With more than twenty years experience as a business consultant, business owner and entrepreneur, Jeff founded Critical Business Solutions in 2006 by bringing together colleagues who share his intense interest in a very different and powerful kind of management consulting.

Jeff spent the first half of his career in Europe and has been working in Asia, Europe and the U.S. since 1999. Having worked in over 25 countries, Jeff now brings this unique perspective of the emerging global economy to all his engagements. Today, Jeff has specialized in supporting companies in a variety of industries with large, complex global challenges and organizations with business critical initiatives that are at high risk of failure.

Jeff also has a strong interest and supports several environmental organizations that have solutions for some of the larger environmental challenges facing the world.

Dave Smith: Senior Organizational Consultant

Dave began his career working in social work, special education, and in the early 80s shifted into human resources and leadership and organizational development. His fascination with organizational culture and leadership have lead a wealth of experience and unique insights into the common dreams, challenges and life cycles shared by individuals and organizations around the world.

Dave’s specialties include executive coaching, senior team development, organizational culture, leadership and culture, emotional intelligence, holistic leadership, and change management. Dave has worked supporting leaders and organizations in a variety of for-profit and non-profit sectors across the globe, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence in positively shifting cultures that support organizations in achieving their goals. This has included extensive work in organizational assessment, program design, facilitation and program evaluation.

Lauri Ericson: Organizational Consultant

Lauri has been consulting in education, global development economics, international health and information technology since 1997. Lauri is a courageous and energetic entrepreneur who enjoys the challenges of working with diverse populations ranging from Fortune 100 executives to marginalized producers in India and South Africa to at-risk youth from America’s inner cities. Lauri’s work experience extends from research analyst to corporate marketing; from private equity and venture finance to annual report writer for Non-Governmental Organizations at the United Nations.

Lauri’s work with Critical Business Solutions includes interviews and assessment, project management, facilitation, leading workshops and marketing communications analysis and management.

Lauri also has a passionate interest in yoga, dancing, hiking and reading.

Linda Nyberg: Organizational Consultant

Linda has her professional background in the pharmaceutical industry and has spent the last 6 years working with clinical trials worldwide, leading operational teams and projects to meet targets and delivery. With her earlier academic research background and the current industrial experience, she has a broad perspective of drug development, from the "bench" to the market. This also gives her a deep understanding of the challenges individuals, projects and management teams are facing in this sector.

Linda is energetic and enjoys challenges to see how far one can go, both as individual as well in teams or organizations. She is driven by the holistic view of life and enjoys working with the physical, intellectual, and emotional part of our being, which she believes is essential ingredients for all types of performance.

Linda is working on a part time basis with Critical Business Solutions focusing on interviews and assessments, facilitation, co-leading workshops and marketing. She is also actively working and holding a position within clinical research.

Linda has a passionate interest in yoga, as well in adventure racing, triathlons and kayaking. Linda is currently based in Stockholm, Sweden.

Ian Hale Senior Organisational Consultant

Ian Hale is an inspirational force in the field of coaching, leadership and training. Working in some of the world’s top organisations he has been instrumental in changing cultures through his unique and powerful style of coaching.

Ian is renowned for an abundance of energy and passion.

Who has Ian worked with?

Ian has a natural flair in designing exclusive programmes for individual organisation. He’s a key player in the coaching field and is sought after internationally. Here are some examples of his work.

Working with the United Nations Ian produced the LEAP programme, a series of cutting edge courses designed to bring 21stCentury Change to the Co-operative movement.
With ITT Ian developed a pioneering communication and sales skills programme that is still used after its conception 20 years ago
Coaching senior executives and working extensively in field of leadership with BP, KPMG, Selfridges, Coca-cola, Harrods, BOC etc
Helping 10 clients maintain their place in the ‘Sunday Times List of Top 50 companies to work for and best employers.’

Achieving outstanding results

Ian has an instinctive style and his laser sharp intuition cuts through issues. His approach is to challenge assumptions head on and to help clients address the ‘unsay-able’. People working with Ian say they experience swift, rapid and lasting change. By waking up to new possibilities clients, teams and groups cast off harmful patterns of behaviour and create positive and fulfilling futures.

Ian Hale’s background

Trained in Ontological coaching, therapeutic counselling, Neuro-linguistic programming and Hypnotherapy, Ian has over 20 years of experience with coaching. His impressive experience of leading large groups was fostered as a Director for a major personal development organisation responsible for UK, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The team of 70 seminar leaders were presenting to 5000 people every week.

ÍHe has been involved in developing programmes for the Princes Trust and has been Chairman of the board for National Parent link and pioneered programmes on fathering with the National Children’s Homes.

Paul Haupt: Senior Organisational Consultant

As a clinical psychologist, lecturer, management coach and consultant Paul draws on a multi-disciplinary mix of analytic and intervention skills in his work as an Organizational Consultant. His areas of focus include; engaging and understanding the value of multiple perspectives, managing complexity, strategy development and implementation, applied systemic management practice, leadership and management development, facilitating change.

Paul began his career in Civil Engineering in the mid 1980’s in South Africa. The social and political conditions he met on constructions site and his intrigue in the conditions and contexts in which people and organizations perform, motivated him to change his path. He embarked on a journey that exposed him to a wide range of organizational, cultural and political settings and experiences which has inspired his passion for change and transformation. Paul has over 20 years of experience in a range of organizational contexts spanning the NGO, State and Corporate Sectors. Fulfilling roles in research, health practice, organizational consultancy, facilitation, coaching and teaching.

Engaged in South Africa’s Political Transformation Process Paul worked in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) where he was involved in the design, development and implementation of transformational processes in support of the TRC’s public hearing process in communities across the country. As the Director of Political Perpetration Studies at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Paul conducted in-depth research into the motives of political conflict during apartheid seeking to better understand; the drivers of political, organizational and individual transformation among former protagonists from across South Africa’s political divides.

Fred Graff: US Healthcare Practice Lead & Senior Organizational Consultant

With thirty years of pharmaceutical leadership experience at Rhone Poulenc Rorer, Sepracor and Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Fred provides executive-level perspective and significant commercial experience spanning from early stage commercialization through high-growth and transformational phases in organizations.

Prior to joining Critical Business Solutions, Fred was Senior Vice President of Sales at Sepracor Pharmaceuticals where he built and scaled a fully integrated sales organization from inception, spearheaded five sales force expansions over an eight-year period and drove revenues to $1.1 billion.

As Senior Organizational Consultant at CBS, Fred leads the US Healthcare Practice with specific focus on pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies seeking solutions beyond predictable results. Fred is passionate about bringing new thinking and ideas to organizations that can change their competitive positions. His executive coaching practice focuses on the assessment and development of leadership talent to meet the business challenges of the 21st Century.