Leadership is about people.

Leadership is about connection.

Tailored consulting for evolving organizational needs.

Why Szem-Szem Consulting?

With Szem-Szem Consulting, each client experience is strategically designed to meet the organization’s specific needs and is actively adapted throughout the engagement…because we understand organizational dynamics can change rapidly and what was needed a month ago may be different today.

Our ability to meet each leader where they are at, understand, and powerfully relate to their perspective, is a key driver in accelerating their development.

Working with thousands of Executives and Directors, we specialize in:

• Executive coaching

• Leadership development 

• Creating highly engaged workplace cultures

• Custom programming

Current Workplace Realities

%

of employees say they need a better reason to go in to the office than just company expectations.

%

of leaders say the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence that workers are productive despite increases in hours worked.

%

of C-Suite executives are seriously considering quitting for a job that better supports their well-being.

%

of C-Suite executives agree employees are more likely to be healthy if their executives are healthy.

Our Values

Growth Mindset

Curiosity

Partnership

Courage

Collaboration

Testimonials

Nancy Calkins

What was wonderful about Marisa as a mentor was that she seemed to know what I was capable of long before I did and she operated as if this future she envisioned for me was already a reality. She’s a master at reading people, tapping into their potential and taking them to new levels of performance and I was lucky enough to have had access to her unique talent. She pushed me professionally in the best possible way and the results for both me and our organization were remarkable. I was truly happiest and most gratified in my work when I stretched myself – at Marisa’s prompting – beyond my self-drawn boundaries. I never ended a conversation with Marisa without being fired up and fully inspired to make something great happen.

Nancy Calkins

Director of Training for the Pointe Resorts

Hilton Hotels Corporation

Graham Brown

Our senior management team has benefited from our partnership with Marisa for the past three years as she facilitated year-long leadership academy programs with our firm.  This program allowed my colleagues and I to explore multiple leadership distinctions through didactic, interactive, and reflective adult learning approaches.

With a thought provoking and challenging curriculum, Marisa engaged us intellectually and emotionally over the year, which expanded my thinking and actions.  As a result, I have a robust set of techniques in my toolbox to lead my team more effectively. Her engaging approach and timing gave us the chance to test and refine our application of the new methodologies or tools and to develop our success over time.

Marisa’s great interest and talent for getting to know her clients, is combined with her desire to work in depth on the practical and complex inter-personal issues they face.  For me, the program helped me focus on the priorities and key needs of my clients and team; armed with new techniques to take on my leadership challenges.

Graham Brown

Vice President, Practice Leader Population Health and Clinical Integration

GE HealthCare

Robert A. Blackman

I have had the great pleasure and good fortune to take the leadership course taught by Ms. Marisa Szem-Stafford. I have been a Regional Medical Director for HealthCare Partners, a large multi-specialty medical group in Southern California, for over 30 years. When I was offered to take the course, I was unsure what I could learn that 30 years of leadership experience hadn’t already taught me. Well, to my surprise the answer was: “A lot!”

The course is broken down into modules each dealing with a different leadership skill. The experience is very interactive and Marisa does an exceptional job. I came away with a powerful set of tools that have enhanced my ability to lead. My only regret is that I had not been apprenticed to her sooner.

Robert A. Blackman, MD

Regional Medical Director

HealthCare Partner

Daniel Chan

Marisa,

I want to express my sincere gratitude for the amazing class you facilitated.

Because of this course, I am much more effective as a lead physician. The skills are powerful. They are so well structured. Having put some of the skills in real practice at my clinic, I see a positive outcome in terms of improvement of practice style and certain behaviors, and also, I see a greater buy-in from the clinicians on performance requirements. I’m so happy to see such results which I had so longed for, and in a positive way I feel empowered as a leader.

I should’ve taken this course years ago.

Thank you again.

Daniel Chan

Lead Clinician

Optum