Charles Schwab | Paths to Change

Case Study 1: Strategic Marketing Analysis

“The approach focused on getting outstanding results, using efficient work processes and building a healthy workplace climate — and our team benefited in each of these areas. … I’ve worked with several excellent teams throughout my work life, on the sports field, and in other arenas — both as a team member and as a team leader. SMA was one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with, and I owe that, in large part, to the work of Paths to Change.”

— Jim Pedrick, former Vice President, Strategic Marketing Analysis, Charles Schwab & Co

Outcomes of this work:

Built a high-functioning Strategic Marketing Analysis Team within a very short time frame
Provided important counsel during interviews to help determine which candidates would be the best fit for this group
Once team was established, worked on everything from team structure and team-member competencies to work-process improvements, mission and vision, and navigation of company politics

Jim Pedrick, former Vice President, Strategic Marketing Analysis, Charles Schwab & Co., current Senior Vice President of Marketing – U.S. Retail, ING Americas, shares his perspective on the value that Lawrence Ellis [of Paths to Change] brings to developing high-performance teams.

Situation Summary

The Strategic Marketing Analysis (SMA) function at Charles Schwab & Co. plays a pivotal role in determining the company’s overall strategic business direction by presenting critical data, analysis and recommendations to the CEO, president, executive vice presidents and other senior leaders several times a month.

The vice president of this function, Jim Pedrick, was tasked with building a new team from scratch, and turning it into a high-performing team within a very short timeframe.

“Paths to Change had a stellar reputation throughout Schwab, and I was impressed with previous work with me. However, as confident as I was that [Paths to Change] could help me build an excellent team, I wasn’t sure how much anyone could accomplish in such a short timeframe.

In those few months, Paths to Change provided critical coaching and consulting from the start, helping me to refine my vision and thoughts, working to clarify key aspects of our sponsorship within the larger organization, and providing important counsel during interviews to help determine which candidates would be the best fit for this group.

Once the team members were selected, [the lead consultant] brought a wealth of information about and experience with teams, and a rigor and discipline of practices for developing our team. Through a range of activities, we worked on everything from team structure and team-member competencies to work-process improvements, mission and vision, and navigation of company politics.

The approach focused on getting outstanding results, using efficient work processes and building a healthy workplace climate — and our team benefited in each of these areas.

While I left Schwab for the challenge of a more senior position at a larger international company, I’m still in touch with SMA team members. I hear that the foundation we put in place continues to serve the team well.

I’ve worked with several excellent teams throughout my work life, on the sports field, and in other arenas — both as a team member and as a team leader. SMA was one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with, and I owe that, in large part, to the work of Paths to Change.”

Case Study 2: Team Dynamics Analysis

“In addition to technical excellence, [Paths To Change] brings tremendous heartfulness to the work; [their] ethics and integrity are almost unparalleled.”

— Dr. Michael Applebee, Vice President of Organizational Development, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Outcomes of this work:

Used a high-powered instrument to provide a bull’s-eye analysis of team dynamics and generate guiding principles for a more cohesive team
Client experienced the work as the epitome of “flawless consulting”

Dr. Michael Applebee, former Vice President of Organizational Development, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., shares his perspective on what it’s like to work with Paths to Change.

“Paths to Change helped us clarify our objectives from what we wanted to what we really needed; used a high-powered instrument to provide a bull’s-eye analysis of team dynamics; and helped us generate guiding principles, ground rules and performance indicators for building a more cohesive team. In addition to technical excellence, (Paths To Change) brings tremendous heartfulness to the work; (their) ethics and integrity are almost unparalleled.

I have worked for seven years with the Chairman (Mr. Schwab), the Co-CEO, the top Vice Chairs, and others in Senior Management, and would refer Paths to Change to any of these clients. (Paths To Change) epitomizes “flawless consulting”, and clients’ needs and expectations for quality service would always be exceeded.”