Hugh Ballou

Mr. Hugh Ballou

EDUCATION

M.Mu., Choral Conducting, University of South Florida, 1997.

B.Mu., Music Literature, Georgia State University, 1969.

McNellis Company, 1992 - Education in "Compression Planning" a refined facilitation method

Group Facilitation, ToP Facilitation Methods, 2005, Institute of Cultural Affairs

The Coaching Clinic, 2005, Corporate Coach U

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

International Association of Facilitators (IAF)

CEO Space International Business Forum (Faculty)

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

President, SynerVision International, Inc., Blacksburg, Virginia, 2005 to present

Senior Executive Position, Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia, 1997-2000

Senior Executive Position, Trinity United Methodist Church, Huntsville, Alabama, 2000-2005

STRATEGIC PLANNING

As author of five books on Transformational Leadership, Mr. Ballou is a recognized expert in working with leaders transforming organizations moving to a higher level of effectiveness.  His extensive experience as musical conductor provides a unique skill set training leaders in building high performance teams creating synergy in the development and implementation of a common vision.

Services include:

• Design collaboratively a strategic planning approach to meet client needs.
• Provide support to develop and establish strategic goals, priorities, and plans.
• Conduct analysis of the current state of the organization and provide SWOT report.
• Assist in the development of the organization’s mission statement and vision.
• Assist with the establishment of specific, measurable, short- and long-term goals.
• Develop a strategy to meet the goals established, and action plans for each goal.
• Design, develop and deliver methods to monitor and update each goal.
• Conduct risk analyses on key initiatives and developing mitigation plans.
• Produce prioritized budget exhibits derived from/linked to strategic plan documents.

Provided forums and strategies for conflict mediation and resolution as a result of group process

PROCESS ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT

As an internal and external presence, Mr. Ballou has successfully has worked with numerous large churches and religious organizations in staff realignment and process improvement resulting in doubling of attendance, tripling of participation and substantial improvement in income and financial effectiveness.  His other process clients include Financial Development Corporation, Martinsville/Henry County Health Coalition, United Way and Friendship Force International.  Services include:

• Flexible array of services to help clients collect, analyze, and use information to answer many questions about their organization.
• Development and implementation of data collection strategies to accomplish process assessments and inform process evaluations. 
• Specific services include observations, structured interviews, surveys, focus groups, document analysis, and archival data and case record reviews. 

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND MEASUREMENT

Mr. Ballou has utilized a wide variety of effective management tools in both the business and non-profit communities. He teaches balanced scorecard strategies that are developed, applied and monitored by teams for maximum efficiency and accountability with complete team support.  Measurement standards that are set by teams become their cultural and functional standards therefore, enjoy a higher success rate.  Services include:

• facilitate group discussions on measurement issues;
• assess compliance with measurement design, policies, and procedures;
• perform needs assessments;
• identify performance measures and build measurement tools;
• develop and implement Balanced Scorecards and Human Resource Scorecards;
• conduct program evaluations to assess effectiveness and describe outcomes;
• compile and interpret collected information and portray via charts, graphs and tables;
• design and analyze surveys, including web-based tools.

FACILITATION

With over 40 years of experience as orchestral and choral conductor, Mr. Ballou brings a unique talent to energizing and empowering group facilitation.  As skilled listener and process moderator he is able to guide various types of reams trough even the most complex decisions while building synergy and consensus.  In his most recent book, Building High Performance Teams: Systems and Strategies for Leading Teams and Transforming Organizations, Ballou demonstrates the following Skills and services:

• designing - providing highly effective decision-mailing and problem solving designs
• strategizing - expertise in process that insures maximum outcomes from every group session
• debriefing – facilitates this as a learning and evaluation tool for leaders and teams
• planning – providing strategies for practical, sequential action plans
• logistical – design and implementation of group processes
• convening - leading large and small focus groups and project teams
• reporting - providing timely, accurate results for each group session with action items
• listening – providing the flexibility to lead the group process toward the most beneficial outcome
• communicating – assisting the organization and its teams building communication models

COACHING

Mr. Ballou sees coaching as an interactive process that helps individuals and organizations to develop more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. He works with clients in all areas including business, career, process, leadership and relationships. As a result of his coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.  He is fully trained to listen and observe, to customize his approach to the individual client's needs, and to elicit solutions and strategies.  His Workbook for Transformational Leaders includes many tools normally utilized in coaching to assist leaders in setting their own vision, mission and goals, improving time management, building support systems and developing strong leadership systems.

Services include:

• discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
• encourage client self-discovery
• elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
• hold the client as responsible and accountable

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Mr. Ballou teaches transformational leadership strategies to individuals and teams.  Leaders striving to transform organizations understand the reason for change and need tools for implementing, facilitating and communicating both those reasons and the plan for change itself.  Through a program of coaching, consulting and facilitation, he has successfully worked with leaders in developing and implementing change strategies that build synergy and consensus while minimizing conflict. 

Services include:

• conducting a situation assessment of the organization including inventory of core values
• developing change management programs targeted to the needs of the organization including facilitation, surveys, assessment, coaching and support
• strategizing processes and systems to move forward for positive change
• creating the Plan of Action
• creating a Communication Plan