KEYGroup® Press Releases KEYGroup® Celebrates Its 25th Year in Upper St. Clair When you talk with Dr. Joanne Sujansky, you get a firm sense of a person committed to expecting the best of herself and others. She is a long-time resident of Upper St. Clair and is chief executive officer of KEYGroup®, a keynote, assessment, consulting, and training organization, now in its 25th year, also located in Upper St. Clair. Dr. Sujansky has seen the company grow into an international leader in creating productive workplace cultures filled with passionate, dedicated people who are committed to increasing market share, building brand value, embracing new ideas, and delivering superior customer service. Along the way, she has authored ten books and hundreds of articles and has delivered keynote addresses to audiences around the world. She consults with executive teams in and out of the United States. Some of her local clients include PPG Industries, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, St. Clair Hospital, U.S. Steel, Mellon Financial, the Children’s Institute, UPMC, SAE International, Giant Eagle, Marc USA, Blattner Brunner, KDKA, and Westinghouse. And at the age of 35, she became the youngest person ever to achieve the national presidency of the American Society for Training and Development, a 70,000-member professional organization. Her latest challenge is to help cities like Pittsburgh assist companies to prepare for their transition from organizations staffed largely with Baby Boomers nearing retirement to organizations ready to welcome twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings into their midst. Her 25 years of research on worldwide companies throughout the United States tells her that corporate culture is the one competitive advantage companies can neither lose nor have taken away by other companies. And the companies that do this the best are what she terms Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organizations (VEO). These companies share the big picture younger people need to take personal risks and hold themselves accountable. They exemplify the new face of loyalty. “Today, employees want challenging, meaningful, enriching work. If they have it, they will look for ways to build and improve their company’s future,” she says, adding, “If younger employees feel they are treated as commodities that can easily be replaced, they will look elsewhere for opportunities. She points out that VEOs support high productivity while minimizing stress and produce a winning tradition. “They bring out the best in people and create a cycle of winning by seeking out and hiring only the best people,” she says. Most important, she adds, is that a VEO raises communication to an art form. “Communication goes beyond sending emails or holding employee forums on critical issues, even though these tools may be valuable for many companies,” she emphasizes, adding, “Communications by leaders of VEOs make sure that young employees understand the vision and future direction of the company and buy into major change initiatives about which employees can make their voices heard.” “Work-life balance is also critical. I wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s what we recommend to our clients. If I didn’t do what I recommended, they would see through me and my company and our credibility would disappear,” she says. Early on, Dr. Sujansky and Chuck, her husband of 28 years, wanted to live in a community that had the best combination of education and sports programs for their growing children. “It didn’t take us long to decide on Upper St. Clair,” she says. Over the years, she and Chuck have kept a firm grip on family values, and have raised three children here—Cara, 25; Justin, 24; and Jenna, 13. As one-half of a dual-career team, Dr. Sujansky credits Chuck directly for the success of their marriage and their family, and indirectly with the growth of her business. “In major ways, he and I balance each other very well. He’s our logical, left brain thinker, and I’m the right-brain type who likes to explore lots of options in our lives.” Staying focused on family has not always been easy, but Dr. Sujansky insists on doing the right thing, and her clients respect her for it. “I remember one year around Thanksgiving having to choose between traveling to New Zealand to deliver a keynote address and staying home for the holiday with my family. I opted to stay with my family, even though I had to forego business and income,” she said. She admits that saying “no” can be difficult, but that it gets easier with time. Her take on business is no less straightforward. “I feel that I owe it to our clients to do what we’re best at, to grow steadily and continually, and to hire the best talent,” she says. Her other challenge is to stay as smart and up to date with what’s going on in the world of business. “I read a lot to stay abreast of the latest thinking and to present myself to clients with an informed mind,” she says. Dr. Sujansky sums up her approach to work, family, and success in a simply understood way. “Believe in yourself, follow your passion and what you feel excited about, and care about other people along This article may be reprinted for your use in an organizational newsletter and or e-zine provided that you contact Kelly Hanna, Director of Sales and Marketing at 724-942-7900 to gain permission. |
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