Michael Ballard

Areas Michael Ballard is Knowledgeable in:

Techniques Michael Ballard Uses:

Michael Ballard's Problem Solving Skills:

1. Increasing productivity in retail store fixture installation and merchandising crews
2. Developing resilience in organizations through measuring, training self awareness, skills and strategy
3. Developing resilience in communities through measuring, training self awareness, skills and strategy
4. Resiliency
5. Increasing productivity in retail store fixture installations
6. Learned Optimisim
7. Developing resilience in individuals through measuring, training self awareness, skills and strategy
8. Increasing retail sales in mid to upper priced consumer outdoor and indoor lifestyle leisure products
9. Developing resilience in youth through measuring, training self awareness, skills and strategy
10. Developing resilience teams through measuring, training self awareness, skills and strategy
11. Developing resilience in families through measuring, training self awareness, skills and strategy
12. Business Development
13. Prospecting National Accounts Strategies
14. Communications
15. Inspiration
16. Increasing productivity in retail merchandising crews
17. Motivation

Michael Ballard's Problem Solving Experience:

1. Issue:
   Productivity in retail store fixture installation and merchandising crews for national chain was at best adequate.
   
   Solution
   I did an audit of past best and worst practises. Complied a manual with an audit and check list of key components of each installation needed to be complete in which order. I.e. Manpower requirements, trades, equiment, access, special training, safety requirements etc.
   
   Results
   Productiviity was increased by over 51%. 49 weeks and 50 plus store installations / renovations later we had a perfect safety record plus we'd lowered fixture damage rates.
2. Youth behaviour issues (stress and anxiety related) in the 13 - 18 year old range for Foster Parents
3. Child behaviour issues in young children in the 3 - 12 year old range for Foster Parents
4. Issue
   Public utility had a very serious moral program. Seven staff identified as a moderate to serious disruptive force. Hiding, sleeping on the job, beligerant behaviour and actively recruiting others to act against management and union leadership.
   A management, professional association, and union group did a needs assessment.
   
   Solution
   I was hired and delivered three - three hour moduals.
   Rights, Roles, Responsibilities, Boundries and Expectations 1 - 3 hour modual
   Resiliency for Life 2 - 3 hour moduals
   
   Results
   We had some amazing changes in behaviour starting the day after the last program, to some very large ones up to 10 months later.
5. Issue
   Fortune 500 company had started to experience high turn over in software division. Each professional lost represented recruitment costs, & $30 - $130,000 in advanced training. After 87 professionals quit I was call in.
   
   Solution
   We developed an integrated self directed learning system for the 10,000 professionals in this division. The focus was on broadening and deepening resiliency for both professional and personal capacity.
   
   Key Results
   Turn over went down. The program is still in use 12 years later.
   The IT professionals, Team Leaders and Spouses have quite enjoyed the program. It helps them have more meaningful discussions around career and work life balance and success.
   They appreciate the skills in the program that they relate to both career and personal life.
   It has opened up communications and assisted the IT professionals take more responsibility and control over their career.
6. Issue:
   Drop out rate, lower grades, failed subjects, student and funder satisfaction where some of the issues for Adult IT Retraining program.
   This IT hardware and software upgrading and retaining program placed participants in a 50 week, $21,000 program. It gave successful graduates the equivialant of five semesters of college, plus several industry acklowledged certifications.
   
   Solution
   We developed a 7 day interactive learning program "The Successful and Resilient Student".
   
   Results
   Those that took our program experienced a 100% graduation rate. Plus over 95% achieved all of their industry designations as well.
7. Issue
   Retailer of premium outdoor / indoor leisure entertainment products was suffering from lower sales and dissatisfied retailers.
   
   Solution
   Developed an integrated learning program that took the retail owner / manager through a self auditing and staff audit process to identify what key issues where being addressed and which where being overlooked. Then the process and steps to correct gaps in their process.
   
   Results
   Sales increased in the months afterwards in excess of 150%