"I've watched her work with private sector executives, public sector administrators, academic managers and non-profit directors. I am in awe of her quickness, astuteness, skill and high effectiveness." - Len Silvey President Silvey Associates

Since 1979, RIZULTS...performance consultants has been facilitating a broad range of organizational performance interventions. With intention, we have offered our services and products to organizations, regardless of their sector identity. Our client list is representative of the private sector, public sector, academic institutions, non-profit organizations and cross-sector partnerships.

With profit being the primary indicator of high performing business, the challenge is to integrate people and systems to tackle real operational issues and realize highest outputs. Capitalizing on the special opportunities that change does offer, RIZULTS strengthens a business's ability to accomplish desired performance and achieve economic vitality!   Corporations Small Business

"Her entrepreneurial commitment to creative results combined with her high energy is why I contracted with RIZULTS." - Arthur Wehl Training Specialist Corporate Education and Training AT&T     "Assessing our situation of declining sales, her immediate credibility allowed us to be open to her suggestions and try a new way of doing our jobs." - David T. Moore Director, Sales and Marketing Griggs Productions

AT&T Cellular One Egghead Fujitsu America, Inc. Griggs Productions Hart, Schnafer and Marks Honeywell, Inc. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Levi Strauss McKesson Corporation Ortho-East Medical Group Pacific Gas & Electric Company Prudential Life Insurance Rush Prudential Health Plan SFO Shuttle Bus Company/SFO International Airport Southern Pacific Railroad   AT&T Designed and facilitated twenty-five workshops as part of an Outplacement Workshop Series for approximately 250 Western Region occupational and union workers effected by corporate downsizing strategies. Workshop titles: "Job Hunting with Results," "Resumes for Results" and "Interviewing and Negotiating for Results."   Cellular One Facilitated a three-day leadership training for regional, line managers that increased cross-functional communications.   Fujitsu America, Inc. Facilitated Outplacement and Reduction-in-force seminars for executives and top managers.   Honeywell, Inc. Co-facilitated Honeywell's Planning Committee for a National Black Employee Network. Conducted problem-solving sessions regarding organizational structure. Reviewed and finalized job descriptions and roles. Advised on the establishment of communication systems between the Board, the Network and the Corporate Diversity Manager.   Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Facilitated a half-day "Work Plan Seminar" for a purchasing department's five-person team. Work plan agreements resulted from negotiating and problem-solving interpersonal communication and behaviors on five key performance indicators included in the department's strategic plan.   Levi Strauss Reviewed and conducted an initial assessment of immediate in-house training needs. Launched a search for and obtained a firm that could meet proprietary and technically specific needs that could begin the project within two days. In addition, coached the Manager of Claims administration simultaneously with a massive restructuring and anticipated layoffs.   McKesson Corporation Consulted to sales department subject matter experts. Facilitated a preliminary design review to enhance the design, development and field facilitation of a fifteen module, self-study sales training program for the drug company's 500-person direct sales force and its managers.   Ortho-East Medical Group Facilitated monthly executive coaching sessions. Analyzed business operations. Conducted a human resource management review. Facilitated employee participation in revising their job descriptions and adjusted performance standards to support organizational restructuring with the addition of new staff. Assisted the organization in effectively managing complaints without litigation. Assisted in developing marketing strategies.   Pacific Gas & Electric Company Contracted to provide six months of executive coaching services for a fourth-tier executive. Shadow consulting in leadership team meetings provided more detail to the initial assessment provided by human resource managers. Established a performance contract with developmental behaviors outlined. Facilitated one-on-one coaching sessions at a bi-weekly minimum. Facilitated three way dialogues with executive and direct report manager at least once per month. Arrived at desired results two months early at cost savings of 14.3% of the contract dollars.   Rush Prudential Health Plan Assessed a 67-person Sales and Marketing Department Team for the fourth-largest regional HMO with a $480M premium revenue, 355,000 members and 1,500 corporate employees. Designed and facilitated three High Performance Teamwork sessions. Provided executive coaching to the Vice President. Output from the teamwork sessions were integrated into departmental strategies and individualized work plans for managing diversity. Identified incompatible information systems that increased performance feedback to support changes aimed at improved customer service. Facilitated coaching sessions with top managers around managing diversity issues and departmental EEOC complainants.   Southern Pacific Railroad Team Project Manager. Led a "top-down" cascade of accountabilities aligned with quality improvement efforts throughout the 27,000 employee Operations Division. Designed and implemented nationwide performance management system employing a team of five junior consultants. In addition, designed and facilitated "Supervisory Training" for 250 unionized Yardmasters nationwide. The program was easily approved and promoted by the Western Railway Supervisors Association.   Return to top

"Thank you for your assistance in reviewing the human resource management concerns that I have had with my business. Anyone who is interested in solving business problems or mistakes should not hesitate to contract for your services." - Celeste Cron President Cron Corporation

Small business operations are analyzed with cost-saving recommendations made in order to reduce overhead expense. Combined with executive coaching, owners and sole proprietors develop managerial competencies and organizational plans that address the primary concerns of their businesses. Planning addresses: Gaps between invoices and accounts receivables.   Constantly shrinking or unknown profit margins.   Missing information for decision-making.   Managing employees and/or subcontractor expenses.   Designing cost-effective marketing services.   Distributing time between administration, service or production and the marketing and sales efforts.   Crist Building Group Kimball Real Estate Klecker Plumbing Montclair Fine Arts Sophisticated Lady St. Patrick's Copy Business Women's Calendar Soap Sistahs Glenview Key and Lock Hey, Coach! Chocolate Designers Roseler Group Porier Restaurant The Cron Corporation Heritage Resources residential & commercial builder residential real estate plumbing art gallery consignment/women's apparel copy shop/printers newspaper publisher soap manufacturer retail locksmith occupational fitness consultant retail store management consultants restaurant and wine bar printers book distributorship   Return to top

"With your assistance, The Human Relations Commission and the Status of Women Commission have made a significant step forward in their own developmental process, enabling them to move forward and become more effective in their work." - James P. Banks, Sr. Chairman Human Relations Commission City of Concord

Governmental agencies present a specific challenge. The decision-making process is uniquely influenced and shared by elected officials, administrators, commissioners and citizens. RIZULTS aids governmental agencies in realizing the 'value-added' from solutions and plans that compile diverse intra-agency and public opinions.   City County Federal Alameda County Fairgrounds Alameda County Public Health Agency Alameda County Social Services Alameda County Transit Authority California Department of Health Services City and County of Los Angeles Clinic City and County of San Francisco City of Concord City of Oakland City of Stockton East Bay Municipal Water District Port of Oakland United States Forest Service United States Postal Service

"Your efforts were highly valuable during a difficult time of transition for the Human Relations Commission...as they assimilated four new members into a nine-member team." - Rita Hardin City Manager City of Concord

City of Concord Human Relations Commission Transition management consulting to the Human Relations Commission including the development of a strategic plan; interviewed key community and city employee stakeholders; designed a public relations strategy; facilitated public forums; mobilized positive press coverage during a period of negative public opinion; and facilitated joint City Staff, City Council and Human Relations Commission planning meetings. Personnel Department Developed a written questionnaire and elicited suggestions and recommendations through individual meetings and focus groups from existing city management and supervisory personnel for consideration by the reorganization team and a newly appointed City Manager in preparation for a City-wide reorganization effort. The findings and recommendations were presented in a written summary report and used by the reorganization team in preparing endorsements to the City Council.   City of Oakland Assessed Cultural Arts Department's staff reorganization concerns regarding morning announcement. Immediately designed and facilitated a two-day teambuilding retreat. Facilitated a two-day strategic planning session. Facilitated management/staff role clarification around "old" and "new" job responsibilities as a result of the reorganization. Provided process consultation with executive coaching for the manager following each weekly staff meeting for two months.   City and County of San Francisco Juvenile Hall Determined training needs, objectives, content and training design for a three-day, first-line supervisory course, "Letting Go of Old Norms," based upon a review of all training delivered within the previous 18 months. Consulted with previous trainers or consultants. Conducted a "mini-assessment" of skills and knowledge requirements from an interview sample of the target audience. Conducted assessment interviews with designated senior management. Co-facilitated a two-day, teambuilding workshop for senior management. San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Contracted to conduct a human resource assessment and design a reorganization plan study for the grantee, Urban Economic Development Corporation. Work effort included conducting confidential interviews and evaluation of all staff and key stakeholders. Facilitated focus groups with the board and client/customer groups. Reviewed human resources policies, all job descriptions and related materials. Monitored organizational communications. Recommended interim organizational structure to assist in the support the implementation of consultant's recommendations.   City and County of Los Angeles Clinic As a member of a ten-person facilitation team, facilitated fourteen focus groups within Los Angeles County to support the Department of Health Services strategy to increase health care visits. Created and wrote the facilitator's guide, incorporating objectives of Department of Health Services Staff and the full participation of their Technical Consulting Team and local clinic project management team.   City of Stockton Collaborating with the City's Affirmative Action Officer who was responding to complaints of sexual harassment, designed, developed and facilitated four, four-hour sexual harassment training programs for a 50-person fire department.   East Bay Municipal Water District (EBMUD) Conducted individual assessment interviews of the Customer and Community Services Division Staff and co-facilitated a two-day "Managers' Teambuilding Workshop" aimed at building openness and trust with identified and prioritized organizational values and behaviors.   Port of Oakland Facilitated teambuilding seminars to develop collaboration skills for increasing national sales of the Aviation Division's Air Traffic Development Staff. Conducted half-day follow-up sessions one month later.

"Based upon the apparent success of the recent session with Air Traffic Development staff, I am confident the ensuing sessions will be very beneficial." - Charles W. Foster Deputy Executive Director/Director of Aviation Port of Oakland

Alameda County Fairgrounds Attended executive overview and facilitated one-on-one top management interviews as part of an anticipated reorganization. Wrote managerial assessments combining the "Personal Prevue Report" and "One-on-One Interview Data." Assessed top managerial capabilities and recommended placement into a new organizational structure, which maximized individual contributors' performance and increased organizational capacities. Attended executive reorganization announcement meetings, debriefing and facilitating staff concerns. In one-on-one interviews, discussed the combined evaluative feedback and coached application for open positions within the new structure.   Alameda County Public Health Agency Co-facilitated two-day meetings with senior management executives and delineated a large-system change effort and its organizational development efforts for transformative change. The project scope detailed work efforts to "move" the two-year reorganization into the reshaping of old paradigm norms. Provided leadership coaching, preparing the Executive Director to explain the reorganization's horizontal timetable and to announce the transformation strategy at the "All Staff Day" held for 600 employees. Facilitated executive coaching to assist a team member to fully accept a promotion and the Executive Director's work style.   Alameda County Social Services Project Manager. Rendered the three-month installation of a human resources consulting team as the result of an agency-wide reorganization. Lead six, senior-level consultants in organizational assessments through interviews, focus groups, senior-level management team interventions and on-the-job training for an internal staff of five. Results: defined performance standards; 44% return on a 2,000-person voluntary training needs assessment; drafted "living" strategic plan; and, survey data upon which to build a training curriculum.   Alameda County Transit Authority Facilitated focus groups in defining issues of managing diversity and impacts which would increase organizational productivity.   California Department of Health Services - Medical Eligibility Branch Facilitated research focus groups gathering data on the "ease of use" of a new application form to be used for Medical for Children and Healthy Families.

"Your ability to 'read' the people involved and to capitalize on their strengths enabled us to not only write a meaningful document, but also helped us to initiate an atmosphere of trust between labor and management." - Supervisor El Dorado National Forest United States Forest Service

United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Designed and facilitated a three-day workshop on Self-managing Teams as part of the Pacific Southwest Region's Leadership Improvement Conference. This process-driven training assisted participants in assessing personal and organizational readiness for implementation of self-managing teams throughout the region. Coached district managers through implementation. El Dorado National Forest Facilitated teambuilding sessions addressing unproductive diversity and union-management paradigms and empowering union and district executives to form a Presidential-mandated Partnership Council.   United States Postal Service Project Manager for a segment of a major six-month diversity study of the United States Postal Service. Designed and facilitated a one-day, Train-the-Trainer program for twelve subcontracted consultants as focus group facilitators. Deployed ad managed facilitators to conduct two-hour focus groups within thirty days in nine cities nationwide. Collected site reports via e-mail. Provided preliminary study findings to study project team. Compiled the data into written final report, noting differences in perceptions by race and gender.   Return to top

"Ms. Williams' knowledge, analytical skills, political astuteness and systems insight provided high levels of achievement and productivity."   - Joseph Taylor Associate Superintendent /Human Resources Oakland Public Schools

An increasing range of constituents are concerned about to what extent our educational institutions are meeting the expectations of business and society. We encourage all members of the academic system to widen the process of gathering information during their decision-making and planning processes. RIZULTS facilitates work planning that assists in providing a strategy for meaningful education to students from different socio-economic backgrounds.   Oakland Unified School District   Oakland Unified School District Bella Vista Year-around School Designed and implemented a staff questionnaire and a Leadership Team survey around issues related to impressions and expectations of how the new leadership team does or should function. Designed and facilitated teambuilding sessions and monitored staff development and change in behaviors within Leadership Team meetings. Guided team members' behaviors into alignment with the responsibility for efficiency improvement and establishing accountability for performance management of site-based leadership. Recommended communication systems and procedures which enhanced full staff participation in "site-based management" based upon survey and questionnaire feedback data.     Human Resources Division/Union Management Conducted a job audit of a certificated, unionized administrative position. Designed an interview data-collection form; conducted management input meetings; interviewed the affected employee's former and current supervisors and synthesized findings into a written comprehensive report. The employee, the union representatives and school administrators accepted consultant's recommendations.   Human Resources Division/District Office Designed and facilitated a half-day job audit training to personnel specialists in preparation for both classified and certificated job audits procedures.   Return to top

"I found your approach to be neutral, fair and respectful of both the employee and employee's supervisor." - Michael Gorza Acting President and CEO Marin Community Foundation

Non-profits have unique dynamics. Their success can be measured by the degree to which they achieve balance between their not-for-profit purposes and the practice of sound business principles. RIZULTS aims to bolster non-profit organizations' ability to earn more revenue and obtain more dollars from dwindling funding resources. Black Filmmakers' Hall of Fame, Inc. Marin Community Foundation Planned Parenthood   Black Filmmakers' Hall of Fame, Inc. Facilitated management staff in a day-long visioning and strategic planning processes to produce a three year, operations plan including mission, goal and performance statements for presentation to and approval by Board Members. This plan was the foundation from which increased foundation and corporate funding was secured.   Marin Community Foundation Co-facilitated Executive Coaching for the Acting Chief Executive Officer and a senior level manager. Work effort began as the Chief Executive Officer departed and as an Acting Chief Executive Officer began to manage an extended introductory review period, its performance objectives and appraisal process for a poor performing senior-level management person of color. Initially, with the Director of Human Resources, provided human resources management consulting, providing advice on legal issues to the Chief Executive Officer regarding the written performance appraisal and his 'hand off' to the Acting Chief Executive Officer. Provided executive coaching and guidance to the Acting Chief Executive Officer through a second, introductory review period intended to manage toward the desired performance change. And, provided weekly, executive coaching for the senior level employee.   Planned Parenthood Reviewed the organizational structure and job descriptions. Assessed teambuilding needs through the use of survey questionnaires. Identified areas of discrepancy between team members' and manager's perceptions regarding key challenges of leadership. Prepared summary written report.   Return to top

"Jr.'s unique approach to customer service training was not only extremely effective but entertaining as well." - Robert "Bob" Rooper General Manager SFO Shuttle Bus Company

Cross-sector partnerships are essential in focusing on a larger result than can be gained from any one sector alone. With the intention of contributing to or revitalizing the community-at-large, RIZULTS facilitates voluntary partnerships in which all participants can successfully share diverse perspectives in the process of creating innovative community plans. City of Oakland Chamber of Commerce Presidio of San Francisco San Francisco Mayor's Small Business Forum SFO Shuttle Bus Company/SFO International Airport Smith and Lowe Architects   City of Oakland Chamber of Commerce Facilitated a Marketing Planning Session for the development of a draft marketing strategy for the City of Oakland with invited representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the hospitality industry, developers, business owners, merchants, real estate associations, education community, hospital and health care, Port of Oakland, Coliseum Board and staff from OEDE, Planning, Public Information and Cultural Arts.   Presidio of San Francisco Co-facilitated a one day visioning retreat with twenty Bay Area community-based organizations and Park Service management to assist the transformation of the Presidio into a national park. Facilitated gained agreement on a planned strategy that would blend traditional park values with activities and programs that respond to critical social, educational, cultural and environmental challenges and concerns.   San Francisco Mayor's Small Business Forum Working as a subcontractor, provided facilitation services for the San Francisco Mayor's Small Business Forum. Managed the facilitation of one of the ten workgroup sessions with each workgroup concentrating on a topic of concern developed by small business constituencies. At the conclusion of the work session, assisted workgroup chairperson in preparing verbal and slide presentations for the assembled Forum.   SFO Shuttle Bus Company/SFO International Airport Designed and facilitated four, six hour "Customer Service Training" programs for sixty, unionized shuttle bus drivers within labor expense constraints. Course content also included an interactive feedback loop to both clients' management teams on American with Disabilities Act preparedness and major SFO Airport construction expansion impacts. Designed and facilitated a six hour, "Train-the-Trainer" program for subsidiary and parent company managers.   Smith and Lowe Architects Facilitated a two hour public focus group meeting for the East Oakland Economic Renewal Task Force's proposal review process of Smith Lowe Architects redevelopment plan for East Mont Mall. Focus group consisted of thirty-five representatives from the local community, city government, civic organizations and churches, national artists, attorneys, architects, commercial developers, bankers and retail business owners.   Return to top