As I greeted him and asked how he was doing, he did not hesitate to tell me how technology had changed his profession, complicated his work environment, and had demoralized his otherwise great team. When I naively asked him what he meant, he related that being an MBA, CPA, and Department Head in his company, a large Fortune 100, is not what it used to be.

"In the old days," he said, "I could simply focus on my duties as an executive in Finance. But today, everything is different. I now have to spend an inordinate amount of time every year in technical training merely to use the new technologies which 'empower' and 'liberate' my organization to achieve ever greater performance. Not only do I have to be a very good CPA," he sadly informed me, "but I also have to be a very good workplace technologist." He remarked that he is sick and tired of the schooling and the additional burden it places on him and his team. "When is all this going to end?" he asked me.

I assure you, he did not appreciate my answer. But he compelled me to wonder about the number of others out there in corporations and organizations who, like himself, suffer from technology overload and lack the leadership and management skills necessary to solve this mounting problem. And even more, his situation compelled me to wonder what we, the Systems Management Institute, could do about it? Since I too must face this situation, I took an aggressive home run approach. I decided to attack all the bases by examining the problem dynamically, humanely, managerially, and ethically. What I found was indeed worth knowing. It is no exaggeration to suggest that this problem deserves the attention of every executive and manager. For this reason, I developed my approach to executive and management workskills development. Intimately, I love the challenge of solving the human problems of technically enabled organizations whenever and wherever I encounter them.

As a result of this accidental meeting, I began intensive investigation into the challenges of executive and management performance in modern organizations and the problems of leadership they generate. In time, I developed my Ulthule© Approach to Leadership which enables clients to achieve the highest level of performance attainable, an approach that does considerably more than merely echo the leadership and business thinking of past commentators on the business scene.

Life today is a paradox. While innovation and technology have improved the standard of living and offered new opportunities for a more enriching and better quality of life, many people find that they have less time to enjoy the new world of the 21st Century or gain satisfaction from their jobs.

It may be true that people are challenged in the workplace today like never before, but so too are their leaders. As the new technologies have promised a better quality of life at home and on the job, the associated expectations for ever improved GroupWork performance have correspondingly increased the competitive pressures resulting from the introduction of the new technologies. We now realize that the drive to provide ever more convenient technologies correspondingly increases the demands on workplace and personal life. The result is obvious: as ever more people become disgruntled and overwhelmed with their situations, they have begun to develop a new set of issues that inhibit Group Work performance. What a mess!

The results are paradoxical - chaos and a reduced quality of life are the results both at work and at home from the new technologies intended to improve the quality of life at work and at home. These are challenges of leadership, management practice, and social justice. Systems Management Institute enjoys transforming these challenges into powerful pathways of personal and business success. We have been meeting these challenges since the 1980s and along the way have built a record of outstanding success.

Today, Systems Management Institute offers a menu of virtual-learning, consulting and coaching services designed to improve executive and management performance. We offer certification programs in executive and management practice and provide a range of programs ranging from the basic and advanced to the expert level.

We are a unique company with a very interesting history of achievement. Although we are small in size, consisting of a small number of consultants and executives, we have made significant contributions to the largest of global organizations on departmental projects and enterprise-wide, global programs using our staff wisely, forming alliances as needed, and using expert contractors occasionally. We are a small company that carries a very big stick.

I hope that you take the time to tour our web site and learn more about the Systems Management Institute and what makes our company so attractive to clients. And oh yes, I almost forgot, our pricing is probably the best in the industry for the quality of services and high caliber of programs we offer. The one complaint that I consistently hear about the Systems Management Institute is that we are very, very good but inexpensive when compared to our "Big 5" competitors. Somehow we can live with this.

I feel certain that our performance coaching integrated with our virtual-learning content are second to none. I am very honored to say that I have not found better people or programs anywhere else here or abroad. I really mean this! If I had found them, I would have joined them myself. Please take some time to enjoy the Systems Management Institute experience for yourself and discover why the larger consulting firms are not necessarily better. It's all in the brainpower, earnest desire to make a positive difference, and record of success. We have an abundance of all three.