Strategic Advisory Services
Strategic Advisory
At the conclusion of a conversation with my advisor, Professor Robert Selman, his having gotten a good sense for my understated way of being, he interrupted normal parting salutations to plant a final thought for me. “Ted, don’t leave your past behind you.”
I was in the second year of my theological and educational program of studies that would extend across six-to-seven years of studies, field work, and research initiatives. I had walked away from my Wall Street career which was scaling new heights and global reach. It was a time on Wall Street when we served corporate clients in their growth requirements. And it was a time before skyrocketing pay packages, which provided me with more impetus towards my departure. Moving five of us from New York City to Boston to be Harvard bound, marked enterprise, to be sure.
“I was on the admissions committee, and your application stood out. Your choosing to leave Wall Street to pursue your …. Is remarkable. Don’t try to walk the walk and talk the talk of the educators and students in your various fields of study. You bring so much more to it and you will need to find how to incorporate it.
My work with schools and their boards includes
Strategic Planning — Designing processes that invite authentic participation and lead to coherent, actionable priorities.
Leadership Coaching and Transitions — Supporting heads and senior leaders during periods of organizational change or succession.
Community Engagement — Strengthening the school’s narrative so that mission and values are reflected in daily practice and external communication.
Every engagement is shaped by the school’s unique context, culture, and aspirations, with the goal of building capacity for continuous learning and growth.