 |
 |
|
||||||||
|
|
About Bobbi Kahler |
|
Bobbi is an expert at bringing the science of human performance into practical learning that managers can use to achieve business results. Her expertise comes from both her academic career and her life and professional experience. At the age of six, Bobbi was told by a speech pathologist that she had catastrophic speech problems from which she would suffer a life-long disability. Armed with her mother's words, "Never let someone else tell you what you can or cannot do," Bobbi progressed year by year, learning to mimic the mouth movements of others to form words. She eventually became a star on her high school speech and debate team and completely overcame the speech problems to make her career as a professional speaker and consultant. She advanced her career in management, training and development, and ultimately speaking and consulting. Upon reflecting on how she created her success through numerous challenges and what she learned about human performance, she pursued a Masters degree in Positive Organizational Development and Change at Case Western Reserve. (See below for further education and certifications.) Bobbi believes that the most effective leaders combine both performance and learning. This has led her to create a model for developing leaders, Performance-Centered Leadership. This model is the most practical, effective way to build leadership capabilities, without losing the depth of leadership development theory and personal transformation. It's based on the science of leadership and change, and the curriculum is built on the theories of adult learning to ensure maximum impact and usefulness. Throughout more than 20 years of her career, Bobbi has been drawn to helping people fully develop themselves. She is an expert coach, learning facilitator and speaker. Bobbi's forthcoming book, Travels of the Heart: Developing Your Inner Leader, helps individuals build personal resiliency and professional effectiveness. Bobbi is also a contributing author to the best-selling book Masters of Success (Entrepreneur Press), along with Lou Holtz, Harvey Mackay, Vince Lombardi, Jr., among others. She’s also a contributing author to Conversations on Customer Service & Sales, along with internationally acclaimed speakers and consultants, Brian Tracy, Jim Cathcart and Don Hutson. (See below for other publishing credits.) Bobbi grew up in the small farming community of Custer Park, Illinois. When she was 12, her family moved to Neosho, Missouri where Bobbi attended junior high and high school. Upon graduation from high school in Missouri, she went right to work and soon became manager of a Wendy's Hamburgers restaurant. Her talent for leadership and teamwork led her to the McDonald's Management Training School. At 21, she became the youngest McDonald's restaurant manager in Missouri, and in that role she guided her team to achieve the highest store profitability in her region. (After a surprise visit from top McDonald's Executives, she and her team earned the coveted "Outstanding Store Award!") Bobbi moved to Greater Chicago in 1990 where she took a job with the downtown-Chicago law firm, Sperling Slater & Spitz. She earned her Associate's Degree at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, graduating with a 4.0. She's the first in her family to graduate from college. She then moved to a larger downtown Chicago firm, Bollinger Ruberry & Garvey. While at Bollinger, Bobbi sought opportunities to use her natural talent for training and eventually took the responsibility for managing and delivering the computer training for the firm. She used this experience to springboard into her first entrepreneurial mission — starting her own business as an independent training consultant. Her old firm, Bollinger, became her first client. In 2001, Bobbi started a new chapter in her entrepreneurial venture by relocating her life and business to Portland, Oregon. There she grew her business into a vibrant speaking, training and consulting venture. In 2003, Bobbi became very ill, collapsed and very nearly died. It took eighteen months to locate a doctor who could diagnose the problem. During this time, Bobbi was continuing to serve select clients. She had to greatly cut back on her work load and travel schedule. Eventually, in 2005, it became obvious that in order to fully recover and truly heal, the business would have to be suspended. In 2006, she and her husband, Rick, moved back to Chicago to be closer to friends and family while Bobbi regained her health. Ironically, this gave Bobbi the time to reflect on many of the lessons that she had learned in her life, her business and her illness, preparing her for her future. She made decisions about how she wanted to live her life going forward, on what was most important to her, and things she wanted to accomplish. Not surprisingly, health, strength and wellness were among the highest priority, along with creating a life with her husband that they would love – everyday. Not just on vacations or the weekend, but every day. In 2008, she received a clean bill of health from her doctor: she had finally recovered – her greatest accomplishment yet! During her reflection period, she decided that she wanted to round out her professional experience by finishing her Bachelor’s degree and pursuing a Master’s degree. In 2008, she graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor’s degree (Human Performance Improvement) and is currently in the final year of her Master’s program at Case Western Reserve (Masters of Science in Organizational Development and Change). She has slowly – and strategically – selected client projects that engage and energize her. She loves working with managers and leaders to develop both the performance and the potential of their teams. Selected Accomplishments
FORMAL EDUCATION
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CERTIFICATIONS
COMMUNITY SERVICE • BOARD POSITIONS
SELECTED PUBLISHED WORKS
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS National & Corporate Annual Conferences
State & Regional Annual Conferences
|
|
| © 2004-2010 Bobbi Kahler | 303-586-1435 | Contact | Privacy |