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VIMA International has expertise in all aspects of organization and executive development from diagnosis and needs analysis through design, development, delivery, and evaluation of training and development intervention efforts. VIMA capabilities span the spectrum of organizational behavior, psychology, business management, executive assessment and development, and curriculum development to support these areas.
VIMA focuses considerable attention on the areas of executive assessment and development and organizational development. VIMA professionals consult with managers and executives in the public and private sectors, enabling them to execute strategies and programs to increase productivity from their people and their organization as working systems.
VIMA designs and delivers individual coaching for leadership development on the job. Each effort is designed with the latest management theory for content, but is tailored to the needs of the individual.
To support organizations in their efforts to develop managers along a career path within the organization’s culture, VIMA professionals deliver the Looking Glass. Inc. behavioral simulation developed by the Center for Creative Leadership. This state-of-the-art development program allows participants to identify and assess their management strengths and weaknesses, and to set plans for their own career development. TheLooking Glass simulation focuses primarily on the behaviors of managers as they function in a group context. This technology can be used to prescribe individual training programs for career development, to foster team building, and to assess organization culture.
VIMA also delivers the Looking Glass II intervention, originally developed by the Center for Creative Leadership to assist AT&T during its divestiture. Looking Glass II allows managers to actually experience the trauma of major organizational change in a simulated environment. VIMA has adapted this scenario to assist a client with its imminent sale, as well as to assist an international client with major structural and cultural change. The key adaptation ingredient is the development and presentation of client-specific change models that are immediately useful to organizational leaders.
VIMA is the exclusive provider of the Center for Creative Leadership's senior executive program in Systems Leadership. This program focuses on the executive process of developing a highly productive organization through the creative integration of all operating systems. It addresses organizational climate, leadership, vision, teamwork, power distribution and enhanced productivity. These issues are essential ingredients to attainment of total quality service and management.
VIMA is in partnership with National Computer Systems, Manus Associates and the Center for Creative Leadership to offer our clients the best research-based assessment/survey instruments and development programs for individuals, teams, or whole organizational systems. VIMA professionals deliver these services ourselves, relieving our clients of the need to deal with multiple suppliers.
Experience
VIMA professionals offer executive and organization development programs for various clients. Biographies of selected VIMA partners and consultants demonstrate our expierence and expertise. Selected programs of interest include:
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
Beginning partnership in 1987, VIMA conducts a program for Lockheed Martin to assess managers and high potential employees. Using the Looking Glass. Inc. behavioral simulation in conjunction with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, on-the-job skills assessment, research from the Center for Creative Leadership, and intensive one-on-one consulting, participants develop comprehensive career development plans. The Lockheed Martin philosophy is that "Managers Develop Managers." The program assessment offered by VIMA supports that vision.
LIFE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
VIMA International, in partnership with Life Technologies, Inc. delivered both the Looking Glass. Inc. and the Plasco, Inc. behavioral simulations to senior managers and individual contributors. These events produced a common experience and behavioral data that is used to enhance leadership experiences throughout the programs. The objectives include both individual and organizational assessment and development
Specific topics include an individual leader’s impact on organizational culture, effective work within teams, empowerment, alignment, vision, and trust. Both individual leader impact and organizational policy on strategy are examined in depth. Participants depart these week long events with realistic individual action plans and recommendations for the organization as a whole.
LIFE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
VIMA International joins Life Technologies, Inc. in an organizational wide use of the Campbell Organizational Survey. At approximately 18 month intervals, Life Technologies, Inc. surveys all of its 2000 employees.
VIMA International assists in structuring the survey so every manager views the results in group reports ranging in size from 3 to 2000. The positive impact of this effort is indicated by workers asking, "When are we doing Campbell again?"
FREDDIE MAC
In 1996, VIMA International partnered with the Management and Employee Development Directorate of Freddie Mac and another consulting firm skilled in competence research in a comprehensive effort to coordinate all aspects of human resources development. The work features three major thrusts. These are an executive leadership program with the Looking Glass, Inc.® behavioral simulation as the core element, a coaching model to assist individual leaders in implementation of action plans for personal improvement and culture change implementation, and an organization-specific competency model.
The effort now includes periodic summaries of data measuring progress toward overall objectives as well as areas where additional efforts will yield extraordinary results.
THE MITRE CORPORATION
The MITRE Corporation has utilized VIMA’s Looking Glass, Inc.® behavioral simulation program for its senior management since 1991. Individual executive development is the primary focus. In addition, the collective data from the 360 feedback instrument, cultural analysis, and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator are analyzed to provide a comprehensive training needs and organizational analysis. MITRE used the analysis to guide the curriculum content and sequence for the 3-level management training and development efforts of its MITRE Institute.
VIMA conducts the executive level development program for both individual and team development. Following the Looking Glass session, VIMA facilitates a six month process during which teams transition from individual development to team learning and development.
THE MITRE CORPORATION
Information Systems & Technical Division
This two-year intervention was designed to create a climate characterized by a living vision of excellence in cutting-edge technology development and application. VIMA consultants conducted a one-day session to inform the division leaders of unique individual strengths using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
Then 22 interviews were conducted to determine division practices and perceptions that contributed to or detracted from the design goal. This intervention was followed by a two-day strategic quest resulting in detailed team action plans and individual ownership of the vision. VIMA consultants then stood in the background providing advice and council to the director who was in total control of the intervention.
NASA
These VIMA consultants conduct the Looking Glass simulation for NASA high-potential supervisors through Senior Executive Service to simulate realistic levels of an organization and to emphasize different skills practiced and required at different levels in the organization. VIMA also conducts the Looking Glass program with a 360 degree feedback instrument for managers from throughout the NASA organization. Managers from the Johnson Space Center sponsor VIMA Looking Glass programs, receiving the benefits of extended team development from their participation together in this experience.
A culture assessment of NASA using The Looking Glass simulation methodology revealed identical traits to those previously attained from a 3000 person employee survey.
ENRON International
VIMA International presents the Looking Glass, Inc.® behavioral simulation to the senior leaders of ENRON International as they make the transformation from being a project-related business to an integrated company. Leaders focus their learning on integrating specific project responsibilities with achievement of company wide goals.
NATIONAL AMERICAN RED CROSS
VIMA International consultants convened a strategic quest with forty experienced National American Red Cross Disaster Services officers in order to solve problems associated with material supply and disaster service delivery.
The highly intensive process enabled a pooling of expertise, overcame previous jealousies, and resulted in revised procedures. Of equal importance, individuals left with new perspectives on effort integration and a commitment to hight levels of quality service.
VIMA International consultants also conducted a strategic quest withthe senior management of the National American Red Cross Disaster Services, providing a focus for continuous process improvement and quality delivery or disaster services.
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
VIMA International assisted the International Monetary Fund in delivery of a Fund-wide process of evaluation and coaching for senior managers. The goal of this program was not only to assist senior managers in their professional development, but also to create open communication amog peers, subordinates, and superiors.
This process involved 360 instruments, briefing and facilitating groups of subordinates for feedback clarification, and coaching of managers and supervisors in a wide range of issues. Discussions focused on individual and departmental strengths and development needs as well as issues of organizational culture.
