Fresh Tracks, Inc.™ Guide Posts

IN SUM

When working with Fresh Tracks you get:

1. Great Results, Expert Advice, Good Value, and High Integrity, PLUS
2. On Time Delivery, Creative Problem Solving, and Personable Collaboration.

SEVERAL CLIENTS SHARE THEIR SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES

“My team is responsible for supporting a large physician group in delivering exceptional patient care. We are focused on the management of populations of patients and delivering high quality, efficient care. Our success in these efforts relies on the engagement of clinical and administrative colleagues in change management efforts. I hired Betsey Dalbeck from Fresh Tracks Inc. to design and facilitate our senior staff retreat to help my team clearly define a shared vision and create an action plan for supporting change within our organization. Working with Betsey, we achieved these goals.

Betsey is an intelligent and active listener, and after a prep meeting with myself and our senior director, she was able to grasp the complicated challenges facing our team. She developed and delivered a program that moved us forward, in a constructive and team oriented way.  Betsey is focused and results oriented, while simultaneously encouraging wide ranging conversation and debate. She is adept at guiding the conversations to keep them productive and focused on our two deliverables:  a clearly articulated strategy and an action plan we rolled out immediately.

My team was energized and left the retreat eager to work on the plan we’d created.  Betsey’s work with our team was critical in supporting our development of a team based strategy, and ensuring we did so in a timely and efficient manner.”

Jessica Dudley, MD/Chief Medical Officer, Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization

“Betsey Dalbeck provides value through creative and consistent high quality work. She adapts quickly to complement the client team she works with and creates a positive culture in order to meet the desired objective.”

Shelly Anderson, Administrative Fellow, Brigham And Women’s Hospital

“Betsey ran my company’s annual Goal-Setting Session early in 2011, and expertly handled all people and situations that came up. Her agenda was comprehensive and varied, and her acumen about personalities and capabilities fantastic. I was also impressed by her ability to get the team to agree on goals and metrics. From the moment we hired her, she was engaged and attentive, taking us through preliminary steps to prepare our internal landscape for our goal-setting meeting. On the day of the meeting, she led us through a full day of exercises that were not only engaging but purposeful, helping us arrive at a set of ambitious yet realistic goals for our company. The only thing I regret is not giving her more time, and the way we will handle that is by hiring her again. I could not recommend her more highly for her: - integrity - expertise - personality - ability to lead - sensitivity to personalities - timeliness - and her extraordinary knowledge of marketing, psychology and group dynamics. Now… let’s see if WE can hold up our side of the bargain and make good on our commitments!”

Nicolas Boillot, CEO, HB Agency

“We engaged Betsey when I was at Gilbane for a team building session focused on developing greater communication skills and trust at our annual HR management meeting. She developed a great set of exercises that “opened doors” previously closed for our team. The activities connected us at a more personal level, which led to improved communication. These activities have served as a springboard for enhanced collaboration and execution in our team. It’s really made our team-work! I hope our team has another opportunity to work with Betsey in the coming years and build upon the great session we had this year. Thank you Betsey!”

Drew Pollick, Director/Corporate Human Resources, Aleris

“I was against the use of an outside consultant initially and then was surprised at the value that Fresh Tracks’ Betsey Dalbeck brought to the equation - not only was our strategic company-wide offsite itself well put together and run very smoothly - which I credit to Betsey - but the content was also much more cohesive and valuable. This was due to the planning, questioning and constructive challenges that Betsey forced upon us. Facing a blending of cultures, Betsey’s help, support and direction was invaluable. The money we spent with Fresh Tracks was money incredibly well spent.”

Gary Colen, EVP, Alloy, Inc.

“At AMP we were faced with combining the cultures of five recently acquired boutique marketing agencies under one name, one roof and one set of managers. Many of the employees had joined their former companies because of the small company culture that existed when they were hired. We had decided to have one big company wide, two day off—site meeting to bring everyone together (from five offices) and create shared learning and synergies.

We chose Betsey to help us craft and deliver our message because of her ability to cut through all of the clutter and define what we had to say and how we had to say it. She started by interviewing the three executive officers to get their point of view on the company. Then she went on and executed random interviews with other key players to get theirs. We quickly learned that there were some subtle differences as to what we thought the company was and how we were trying to communicate it. She quickly got us to agree as to what our core essence was and then we were able to start the process of crafting it and delivering it. Betsey set up our timeline, found the physical site for the meeting (which was perfect), reviewed and commented on all presentation materials and ran rehearsals.

The results were nothing less than fantastic. AMP’s energy and positive culture seemed to grow overnight. People understand the organization that they work for, our shared goals, what the “other guy” does and what it takes to succeed. The energy has maintained quite well three months after the meeting. Overall we would not be as successful as we are today without having the meeting and without having Betsey as our consultant.”

Tom Schneider, EVP – Consultant, AMP 

“Our company, Longwood Events, has hired Betsey numerous times. Betsey’s first project was to help Longwood Events leave behind family business mentality and become a true corporation ready for expansion. Betsey helped, from concept to final output, create mission statement, brand standards, and operational standards. With Betsey’s help, we have created our first executive team and structured everyone’s goals, responsibilities and rewards. On a personal level, Betsey has introduced me to Keirsey-Bates character and temperament types - possibly most important thing I learned.”

 Alina Apteker, Owner/CCO, Longwood Events

“I was hired to be a change agent. When I took over as head of the Agency at Fidelity Investments, I was charged with improving client relations as well as employee morale. It was obvious that we needed a more client-focused vision and better teamwork across agency departments. That was the easy part. It was much more difficult to actually change staff behavior with clients and each other. Betsey Dalbeck conducted input sessions with employees to identify potential barriers to achieving our new vision, and then conducted sessions with a leadership team to develop levers to overcome those barriers. She also helped embed the teamwork focus in our day-to-day activities by helping to revise our workflow, and by leading train the trainer sessions with managers. The work has paid off. Our client satisfaction measures are up, employee turnover has reduced, and our people are working cross-functionally as never before. We couldn’t have done it without Betsey’s objective, professional observations and creative solutions.”

Todd Estabrook, CMO, Commonwealth Financial

“Betsey faciliated Maine Medical Center’s Strategic Initiative Alignment retreat. Because of her skill in listening to our needs and hopes with a critical ear, she helped us dig into our assumptions and expand our possibilities. Her professional discipline kept us on track and we met all of our goals. The 30-/60-/90-day plan you initiated launched us into action. Months later we were still on track with senior leadership incorporating our work into its own vision for MMC. We gave you an ambitious challenge, and you met it square on with intelligence and grace.”

 Laurie Davis, Director, Organization Development, Central Maine Health Care

 “Betsey and I worked together at Hill Holiday. I’ve also hired her as a consultant, and we’ve been members of a share group as well. She has a highly collaborative leadership approach - she knows the right questions to ask and issues to probe that lead to the right actions to take. She has helped me in my evolving roles by bringing clarity to issues, a team approach to solutions, and generating new ways to problem solve. Whenever I have brought Betsey in to partner on issues, she demonstrates a commitment to addressing problems where ever they may lead, a passion for solving them, and she offers astute recommendations to make it all work better long term.” 

 Arthur Sweetser, CMO, e-Dialog

“We hired Betsey during a time when our company was in transition - our business was growing, the staff increasing and client’s needs were changing. And we had a new management team in place. Betsey helped us to create a clear and aligned vision and advise us on the resources and systems we’d need to successfully grow our business. Her real-world agency experience allowed her to quickly understand our situation and articulate where she felt our priorities needed to be. She offered a process that helped us accomplish our goals without impeding our ability to get the client work done. Betsey was able to quickly collect key data points and provide us with a strategic point of view matched with an action-oriented road map that drove us to meeting our goals.”

Kathleen Bernstein, President, Seidler Bernstein

“The thing that I love most about working with Betsey is that she treats each and every problem to be solved as if it is completely unique. There are no pat answers with Betsey, only those solutions that will truly make you say “Aha!” and be able to scurry off and take immediate action. The other great thing about Betsey is she understands this: “sometimes a great question trumps a great answer.” When you discuss a problem with Betsey, you can almost see the years of in-depth research go clicking through her brain before she clearly articulates what it is you need to know. You cannot imagine the value Betsey brings to the table until you have the pleasure of really working with her. I hope you get that opportunity some day soon.”

Lisa Hickey, Founder and CEO, Velocity, Inc.

“I met Betsey through NOLS (the National Outdoor Leadership School) which always produces quality leaders. I’ve hired Betsey for two purposes. First, she conducted shared leadership coaching of my small adventure travel company. Second, Betsey led a 2-day workshop with my then, somewhat dysfunctional team. Betsey’s calm, yet very empowered style helped my team work through some major communication issues. She became “one of us” very quickly and gained people’s trust within the first 30 minutes of working with us. Betsey listened deeply to what our challenges were. This was hugely important and allowed us all to hit the ground running as the workshop unfolded. She was able to creatively apply a variety of team building tools that got everyone engaged in figuring out our strengths and weaknesses. She also kept the process tight and effective. Most impressive: she modeled the kind of leadership skills that I realized, as leader of my company, I needed to work on. She also reminded me to be playful and to leverage people’s skill more often. Of course her wisdom and integrity just made it a joy to work with her. We’re a better team today because of our work with Betsey.”

Lauren Hefferon, Owner and CEO of Ciclismo Classico

“We hired Betsey on two occasions and both times we were delighted with her results, her focus and her professionalism. As a consultant she had a terrific handle on the big picture all the while making sure we were executing against a tactical list of “to do’s”. Betsey is a unique mix of coach, cheerleader and team player. Add to that buttoned up and lovely to work with. Thanks Betsey!”

Marilyn Kass, CEO, Tooth+Nail

“We hired Betsey to help us explore expanding our services. This was the second time we’ve had the chance to work with her. Betsey brings intelligence, depth, and discipline to her consulting. We met every week, and she came armed with thoughtful, provocative questions, deep research and a terrific way to evaluate our choices and the competition. I look forward to the next time we can collaborate!”

Linda Button, Creative Director/Strategist, Tooth+Nail

“We were facing the challenge of rapid growth over a 5 year period. Functional departments and project team members were now located in different cities making cohesive teamwork difficult. Although business was strong, internal project work suffered. Errors became more frequent. Staff got caught up in an “us vs. them” mentality. Senior management became too involved in the day-to-day crisis management to spend time thinking about the big picture. Poor communication, internal missed deadlines and mixed expectations left staff morale less than desirable. The challenge became how to best create accountable, functioning teams empowered to simplify process. We decided to talk to Fresh Tracks, Inc. because Betsey had the experience we were seeking. Betsey gave a tremendous amount of credibility and expertise to our task at hand. Fresh Tracks came in and recommended a strong plan to bring a series of team building exercises and tools to senior management and our core teams.

Through facilitating a series of group activities and debriefings, Betsey coached the groups into coming to their own “Ahaaaahs”. Participants are now applying their learning to real life situations and behaving in a solution-seeking manner. One of our top project directors summed up the experience of many by stating:

“I’ve been through many team building workshops in my career, and this is the first one where I now have tangible tools I can take back to the work place and use tomorrow. Thank you!”

We look forward to the rewards of this time well spent and the practical tools that Fresh Tracks provided us.”

Monica Noce Kanarek, EVP/Creative Director, Purohit Navigation 

“Betsey helped me and other senior managers here learn the importance of constant communication, bringing in the right people at the right time and true team management. Today we are more professional in our approach to work and each other. Both prospects and clients have responded positively to the change. While others are struggling, we’re growing. I recommend her highly.”

Hugh Kennedy, Partner/EVP Planning, PJA  

“Betsey helps an organization effect high-quality, high-impact change that empowers it to be at its best — and to be highly profitable — all while retaining its distinctive values and character. This was essential for Smash since our clients include blue-chip clients like NBC, VH-1 and The History Channel, and startups with fast-changing, mission-critical needs. Betsey’s not about slick theories, fancy charts or glib, quick fixes. She immerses herself in the organization’s culture, reviews practices, debriefs top management and staff, unearths all facets of major issues, brings to bear her considerable change management experience, and delivers a blueprint for success. Her plan works because it’s relevant, actionable, and preserves the best of the organization’s corporate culture. But it also works because Betsey excels at selling-in the plan and converting best-intentions into best-practices. The result is an interlocking set of self-imposed milestones and deadlines for each member of the management team. Betsey is focused, direct, and firm; her experience and manner inspire confidence and prevent distracting “dramas” from cropping up. It’s a deceptively simple combination that results in powerful change. I’ve read all the books and met with a variety of consultants. Betsey’s the complete package, and I wish we’d found out about her years ago.”

Mark Tomizawa, Founder, Smash

“As I’ve progressed into higher levels of leadership in my career, I have sought out Betsey’s professional coaching advice numerous times. Each time, Betsey helps me further hone my overall communication skills, and coaches me on how to be a more effective leader at work. Her knowledge of workplace dynamics and strategies for effective communication has helped me more clearly articulate my ideas and present information in a way that helps people fully understand my contributions. Over the years, Betsey has not only enlightened me on personality types and workstyle differences, but has also shared concrete tools that have enhanced my relationships with my colleagues, senior leaders and staff.”

Karen Sax McLoughlin, Director of Medical Management, BWPO 

“I was struggling with getting to the next level. I’d received very good performance reviews but I wasn’t being considered for broader responsibilities and other assignments. Even though I had introduced several programs to help our managers be more effective: change management, action learning, and mentoring; I felt I was not fully recognized as someone who could broaden his scope and role - although I was seen as a thought leader within a specific discipline.

On a strong recommendation from trusted mentor, I met with Betsey Dalbeck and found her approach and coaching style refreshing. Her expertise was as a pragmatic hands-on manager versus a theorist. Also, Betsey’s marketing background was what I needed to help me build my personal brand.

Betsey absolutely delivered against my expectations! She worked with me on how to better market my value and worth to the organization without losing sight of who I am and my low key approach to self promotion. The result of our work together is that I have a NEW ASSIGNMENT - one which I had sought - that will broaden my skill set and experience. In this new and broader role, I have the opportunity to really progress in my career. Because it closes the gap in my background, I will be better prepared for even greater roles within my organization.

The most meaningful part of Betsey’s coaching was our conversations. I enjoyed having Betsey - a person I trust - listen to my thoughts, dreams and aspirations without passing judgment. She also did a great job testing which of these were merely venting and which were things I really wanted to take action on.

What has stayed with me from having this coaching experience is how hard I need to work at seeing the glass as half full. I have a tendency to look at the glass as half empty. It continues to be hard work.

I would recommend Betsey as an executive coach without hesitation for a couple of very important reasons. One: Betsey continues to work with me helping me identify what I really want to get out of my profession and out of life (she helps me keep my eye on the prize). She continues to offer help in networking and think of strategies I may want to employ. This tells me it’s not just a job for Betsey - she cares and works very hard to make sure I have the best possible chance to succeed. That’s important to me. Two: Betsey put together a great package of resources, activities and work I can consider in order to be more effective in my current role and future roles. I don’t know how much time that took but I was incredibly impressed with the output and the hard work Betsey put in. Made me want to work as hard as well.”

Lee Martins, HR Training & OD, American Science & Engineering

“Betsey worked with me as a life/career coach at a time when I needed to raise my management performance to a new level after 5 years in the same role. What was so surprising at first was the connections Betsey helped me draw between work and personal life - and between the past, the now, and the envisioned future. The outcome was not what I or my organization expected - I did not stay in the same job. But it’s been absolutely the right thing for me and for the organization I still serve. The insights Betsey helped me find have stayed with me and often inform my decisions and actions in many facets of my life. Be prepared for surprising results and new horizons!”

Hilary Lucier, Senior Development Officer at Thompson Island Outward Bound

 “I worked with Betsey to help me identify my strengths and weaknesses in my professional role and to shore up my weaknesses and enhance my strengths. I was transitioning out of a career in the non-profit world and seeking employment in the for-profit sector. Betsey was both hard-nosed (she didn’t sugar-coat problems, areas of concern, or weaknesses) and supportive at the same time. I always felt she was working to help me improve my performance and my “branding.” She helped me focus on strengths and talents I didn’t realize I had. That was an invigorating experience! She was also instrumental in helping me see the way others saw me - -both the bad and good. She guided me in turning these insights into plans and actions for improving my definition of who I was as a professional and what I was capable of accomplishing. That was essential to move from one career world (non-profit) to the private sector. Working with Betsey you can expect lots of very positive energy (always useful when dealing with these type of “life” issues), creative ideas, common-sense counseling and advice. She can help you identify issues and develop reality-based actions and solutions. I recommend her services highly!”

Jim Schultz, Recruiter at Fortune Personnel