Peter F. Norlin, Ph.D.

Peter F. Norlin, has spent over 25 years as a leader-consultant in the human systems development professions, working in partnership with individuals, groups, and whole systems to help them to embody leadership; to move values into action; and to create mindful, spirited, flourishing workplaces. His internal experience has included roles as the head of organization development at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Maryland, and as a human resources consultant at USF&G Insurance. He has also worked in educational, health care, and social service organizations as a consultant, instructor, and manager in a broad range of training and skill development programs.

As an external consultant, he has worked extensively with leadership teams in both new and mature business settings to help them manage the key evolutionary transitions from entrepreneurial start-up, to large-system change, to organizational renewal. He is especially interested in the complex role and emotional dynamics of executive leadership, and he has experience coaching executives and leadership teams to find the insights that propel new business strategy, make decisions that successfully integrate new technology with complex human needs, and put their collective values into action with courage and confidence. One of his other areas of specialty is the facilitation of both small- and large-group dynamics, and he has had considerable experience and success designing and facilitating meetings, retreats, and work conferences for groups of 5 to 500 participants. His other areas of consulting expertise include developing satisfying, sustainable teamwork and business partnerships; crafting robust organizational architecture; and designing physical environments where people can do their best, most creative work.

Through the years he has served a wide variety of customers, in corporate, government, and not-for-profit settings; from two-person partnerships, family businesses, and entrepreneurial high-tech start-ups, to Fortune 100 companies; and in manufacturing, health care, education, retail, hospitality, legal, financial services, entertainment, and professional services sectors. His corporate, government, and not-for-profit clients have included Public Broadcasting Service, Eastman Kodak, Pfizer, General Mills, Texaco, Inc., Procter & Gamble, Annheuser-Busch, The Louisiana State Office of Mental Health, The Vermont Agency for Human Services, AT&T Credit Corporation, S.C.Johnson Wax, The Interlochen Center for the Arts, Citicorp-CHOICE, Clairol, AARP, General Mills, Union Carbide, Philips Electronics, and the U.S. Department of Education.

A graduate of The Johns Hopkins University Masters Degree Program in Applied Behavioral Science/Organization Development, he also has an M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. He is trained and experienced in the use of approaches to large-system change, including Whole-Scale Change™, Socio-Technical Systems (STS) Work Re-Design, Future Search Conferences, Open Space Technology, and the Technology of Participation (ToP). He is also a Certified AVA Analyst, a Certified Trainer for the Positive Power and Influence Program, and certified in the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Drexler-Sibbet Team Performance Model and Assessment. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he is a professional member of the NTL Institute and a member of the Editorial Review Board for the OD Practitioner.