History
senn delaney is the original culture-shaping firm
Formed in 1978 with a mission of creating healthy, high-performance cultures
Senn Delaney was founded as the original culture shaping firm in 1978. It was well ahead of its time since the term “organizational culture” didn't exist as part of business terminology at the time. The new firm was an outgrowth of a business process consulting firm, Senn Delaney Management Consultants, which had been founded by Larry Senn and Jim Delaney 10 years earlier.
Two things prompted the creation of a second Senn Delaney firm. The first was an observation from the early, more traditional consulting work. In attempting to implement strategies and initiatives, Senn Delaney Management's consultants observed that companies, like people, had personalities and habits, and over and over again the collective habits and behaviors of organizations caused good ideas to either fail or succeed. They concluded it was often easier to recommend a performance-enhancing change than it was to get people to work together to implement it.
The second was curiosity about that phenomenon that prompted research into this uncharted territory: Larry Senn's doctoral dissertation in 1970. It was the first systematic field study ever done on the concept of corporate culture.
Research leads to development of a unique culture-shaping methodology
The early to mid 1970s were spent developing the foundation of a culture-shaping methodology. Senn Delaney Management Consultant's engagements were used to test in a real-world business environment ways to create high-performance behaviors to support change initiatives for clients. The success of that early work led to the creation of a new company, Senn-Delaney Leadership, in 1978. It was founded with a stated mission of creating healthy, high-performance cultures.
Senn-Delaney Leadership leveraged a central finding of the research: a concept from the dissertation called “The Shadow of the Leaders.” From its inception, this culture-shaping model was based on a belief that culture change begins at the top of an organization. When an early retail client wanted to create a service culture, it was guided to begin the process at the top with the CEO and senior team, not just in the stores at the associate level.
Senn-Delaney Leadership also found that one of the most powerful ways to shift thinking, hence behaviors, was to give leaders new insights or ‘ah-ha's'. That finding, combined with pilot work on its application in business, led to development of an insight-based learning model that helped unfreeze old habits. The resulting process and its impact on leaders and organizations set Senn-Delaney Leadership apart from every other consulting firm.
Recent work to enhance and perfect the process
Senn Delaney has been enhancing the culture-shaping model as a core competence for 30 years. During the last five years, that culminated in creation of the comprehensive, integrated culture-shaping model, DURAM, which includes five elements of culture change: Diagnostics, Unfreezing, Reinforcement, Applications and Measurement.
The diagnostics and measurement capabilities were expanded through the acquisition of Hughes Research, a leading work culture measurement firm. The availability of higher speed Internet capability and wider access to computers by clients led to investment in a cutting-edge online system, Senn Delaney Connect, which connects the firm's clients to its culture-shaping process in a variety of ways. Reinforcement content has been created, including the eCoach and Senn Delaney's Web-based culture-shaping Resource Center. In recent years, added focus has been placed on ensuring that the measurable improvements in cultural qualities fully translate into better business results.
Client work began in retailing and spans most industries
The first industry Senn Delaney served in 1978 was retail, where clients wanted to create a service culture. That work continues today with many of the largest retailers and fast-food companies in the world.
Senn Delaney played a significant roll in the transformation of the phone industry after divestiture when it worked with most of former regional Bells to shift firms such as Bell Atlantic (Verizon) from regional monopolies to global competitors. Work with phone and cellular companies continues around the world including in Eastern Europe.
The utility/energy industry became a major sector for the firm after historic work to successfully transform the culture of the Tennessee Valley Authority, create a safety culture for the restart of Three Mile Island and the privatization of British Gas Transco in the UK.
Its financial services/insurance practice grew from a start in the 80s creating “the values you keep” at New York Life to work today at USAA, which is rated by Business Week as the best service company in America.
Engagements with global Pharmaceutical companies helped carry Senn Delaney's work around the world and prompted it to translate its materials in a dozen languages. Over the years, its client experience base has grown to include health care, consumer products, other consulting firms, manufacturers, transportation and distribution, major universities and high-technology.
International expansion began in the 1980s
The firm began work internationally in the 80s and opened a London office in 1996 to serve Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Today staff operates out of the US, the UK, Germany and elsewhere as they deliver results for clients in more than 40 countries.
An experienced team, commitment to being the best at culture shaping
As founder, Chairman Larry Senn still plays an active role but today the operation of the firm is largely in the hands of Jim Hart, who became President and CEO in 1999. Jim is supported by dedicated and talented partners Nick Neuhausel, Mike Marino, Nitsa Lallas, Bill Parsons and Dustin Seale as well as numerous account leaders, dozens of seasoned consultants and a strong core of support staff, most with over a decade of experience with the firm.
Three decades of a singular focus on being the best culture-shaping firm in the world has culminated in a methodology that is time tested and proven to make a difference. What has stayed constant is the mission of creating healthy, high-performance cultures and a passion for and commitment to enhancing the spirit and performance of organizations.
The lion with a heart as a symbol of the spirit of the firm
A lion with a heart representing bold and courageous, yet caring and compassionate, was first incorporated into the Senn Delaney logo in 1980.
In 2008, the company's brand identity was updated to better reflect the culture of Senn Delaney as it is today and all the capabilities that have been added. Its tag line, the culture-shaping firm, was added as a designation Senn Delaney has earned based on its history and results.