Education
BA, Organizational Communication / English and German, Brigham Young University, 1975.
MA, Human Resource Development / Organizational Behavior, Brigham Young University, 1976.
Ph.D, Organizational Communication / Organizational Behavior & Management, Ohio University, 1980.
Executive Work Experience
ZANDEX HEALTH CARE CORPORATION, Zanesville, OH
- President / Board Director
- Trustee for Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
- Chairman of the Board, Appletree Homes (Subsidiary of Zandex, Inc.)
ARMOUR SWIFT-ECKRICH, Division of ConAgra, Inc., Downers Grove, IL / Omaha, NE
- Director, Quality Improvement Process and Organizational Development, Armour Swift-Eckrich, 1991 - 1992
- Director, Training and Organizational Development, Armour Food Comp, Omaha, NE 1986 - 1991
WENDY'S INTERNATIONAL, Dublin, OH
- Director, Management Development, Started and operated training/mgt development function for executives for 3,500 restaurant chain.
COOPER ENERGY SERVICES, Mount Vernon, OH
- Manager Personnel Services
Training & Development, Coaching, Consulting & University Experience
- Principal Associate and Master Certified Trainer and for Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations and Influencer from VitalSmarts
- Adjunct lecturer or guest lecturer for Creighton University, Ohio State University, Ohio University, Brigham Young University, Kenyon College
- Adjunct lecturer for Capital University's Executive Masters of Business Administration program
- Chief Executive Network: Facilitated semi-annual two-day meetings of CEOs and other executives on best practices and other agenda issues developed by members of the network
- Designed and implemented the STAR (STrategic Alignment for Results) process.
- Member of Coachville and Graduate School of Coaching
- Coached extensively, executives and entrepreneurs
- Executive Team Development
Dr. Conducting a Crucial Conversations Training Session See Dr. Southam in Action
Personal Leadership and Management Philosophy
- The most important asset is management attention. What do people focus on?
- Discretionary effort is a silver bullet and often an underutilized asset. Those who learn how to tap discretionary effort achieve a strategic competitive advantage.
- Effective teams and other relationships are built on mutual purpose and mutual respect.
- Control variances at the source or facilitate solution thinking of those closest to the issue, obstacle or opportunity and empowering them to act.
- Modeling and reinforcing the maxim: "I have a mission first, a job second."
- Owning the problem when appropriate and making it safe for others to own their problems.
- Continuous improvement, growth and development are crucial to the vitality of the organization and the individual.
- Three things make a good job: 1-opportunity to work and make a contribution, 2-opportunity to learn, 3-have fun.
- Balance in life will sustain long-term performance serving the organization and the person.
- Glory in the success of others.
- Accountability and follow-up with resilience facilitates results, and results provide fulfillment.
- Get the people thing right first and the rest will follow.
- You don't have to be sick to get better.