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Signet supports leaders who recognize that they operate in environments that
grow more dynamic, complex and competitive every day, and therefore, their organization must actively become ever smarter and more resilient. Signet also supports networks of organizations that are taking on large, persistent challenges in our society. ( companion site)
A defining characteristic of organizations that adapt and thrive in a challenging environment is that they actively tap into their people's intelligence, passion and resourcefulness – and do so at both individual and team levels. Where leaders see it at their job to shape conditions in this way, agility and resilience emerge.
Unfortunately, most workplaces contain structures and habits that choke off, rather than build, this resourcefulness.
The difference that makes the difference – is whether, in the course of performing their everyday work, people learn, and learn in ways that makes the organization more adaptive.
The transformation to becoming a learning organization does not occur overnight, as it is a matter of both culture and of tools. Yet getting there can be surprisingly simple in practice – small adjustments in the habits of action and thought that are part of people's work routines can have a significant impact.
Signet's approach is to provide leaders with means to accelerate results today
while simultaneously building adaptive capacity for tomorrow. Our methods are pragmatic, research-based, and leverage a client's existing strengths. They set the stage to get better at getting better, so that value continues to emerge long after we have done our part in transmitting and helping grow the practices to maturity. We serve as thinking partners for leaders, or as subject matter experts on organizational learning, and have been successful in providing services in a way that address the immediate situation and goals while supporting the long-term aspirations and vision of the organization. Clients have come to us from all sectors – commercial, civic, government and academic.
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Marilyn Darling founded Signet in 1989 to conduct research and consulting in strategies
for corporate learning. Beginning in 1997, Marilyn partnered
with Charles Parry to conduct research on highly successful organizational learning
and leadership practices, focused particularly on the After Action
Review at the U.S. Army’s National
Training Center, where it was created. The principles and tools of Emergent
Learning spring from that research. Prior to founding Signet, Marilyn
was president of Learning to Learn, Inc., which provided critical
thinking skills programs to corporate and university clients. She
serves on the Board of Visitors of James Madison College, a highly
regarded college of public affairs at Michigan State University.
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Charles Parry maps the tacit strategies of top performing leaders and teams, and leverages these insights for the benefit of clients. Charles is expert in building the AAR/Action Review Cycle into the operations of corporations. His success in translating research into practical applications began with pioneering work on skill development and peak performance strategies of elite athletes. It continues today in research on the leadership and improvement habits that create the conditions for organizations to thrive even in the face of world-class competition. He has taught change strategies to Six Sigma Black Belts, developed courses on topics such as Difficult Conversations, and advanced the skills of many hundreds of facilitators.
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Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Mark Pires is an expert on the Army’s After Action Review methods for shaping teams into learning organizations. Mark has extensive expertise in mentoring up and coming junior leaders to achieve their maximum potential. He is a 20-year veteran of the United States Army and a West Point graduate. Mark commanded an armor battalion consisting of 58 M1A1 tanks,
550 soldiers, 160 support vehicles, and equipment valued over $150 million. His earlier postings included being Chief of
Plans for an entire Army division. Mark's many awards and decorations
included the Legion of Merit and five Meritorious Service Medals.
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Jillaine Smith, a Signet Senior Associate, is helping Signet expand its services to philanthropic and nonprofit organizations. While manager of programs at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Jillaine worked with Marilyn Darling to introduce grantmakers to Emergent Learning and the power of peer learning and problem-solving. An experienced facilitator, Jillaine designs and leads strategic planning processes, retreats and workshops, and brings 25 years experience in nonprofit leadership, organizational development and leadership coaching to her work. She is a published author on grantmaking, capacity building, community building, online civic engagement and strategic communications. Jillaine serves on the board of the International Education and Resource Network.
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Now a Senior Advisor to Signet:
Colonel (Retired) Joseph A. Moore,
Jr. commanded the 3,000 soldiers
of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the unit serving as the OPFOR
(Opposing Force) at the National Training Center. All other
Army brigades must fight against OPFOR in order to prove–and improve–their readiness.
Joe led the OPFOR through an historic transition from
replicating Soviet-style forces into flexible forces capable of
winning in the fluid environments of Iraq and Afghanistan. His
depth at the NTC included being an Observer/Controller on two
tours, and Chief of Plans and Operations, developing
and supervising the execution of the intense battle scenarios through which every visiting unit is tested and developed.
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Emergent Learning and EL Maps are trademarks of Signet Research & Consulting LLC.
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