Stacey Cunningham is an execution-oriented leader, business consultant, strategist, executive, and health coach who works with leaders and organizations to show them HOW to drive transformation through people leading to tremendous results. Working with Fortune 500 organizations, Stacey has a knack for breaking down complex challenges and devising elegant and straightforward solutions to drive change.Stacey brings a unique vantage point on what it takes to be a leader today with a master's degree in educational psychology, nutrition, and several coaching certifications. Whether it's sharing Captain Mike Abrashoff's phenomenal story of transformational leadership or getting leaders to focus on how to engage their best and brightest, Stacey knows what it takes to sustain high performance levels in the face of increasing pressure, diversified teams, generational expectations, and rapid change.She works with cutting-edge organizations that have discovered the link between engagement, development, wellness, and leadership as the key to productivity and overall achievement. She facilitates keynotes, breakouts, and interactive and hands-on workshops, so you leave her sessions not only energized but with a viable Take Action plan to ensure you have a practical plan ready to implement immediately. As a result of her extensive work, Stacey has impacted the lives and careers of many professionals in leading organizations. Many of Stacey's clients have acknowledged her as a significant contributor to improving the levels of two-way communication, employee engagement/retention efforts, leadership effectiveness, and resiliency within their organizations.
At the age of 36, the Navy selected Mike to become commander of USS Benfold. At the time, the ship was plagued by low morale, high turnover, and abysmal performance. Few thought that the ship could improve - yet 12 months later, the ship was ranked #1 in performance - using the same crew. People were amazed, and the lesson was clear - leadership matters, and culture is everything.Mike replaced the traditional command and control style that was rampant in the Navy with one emphasizing collaboration, commitment, and cohesion, ultimately engaging the hearts, minds, and loyalties of his crew.In many ways, what Mike was able to do with his crew was an extreme example of the same problems facing many organizations today. That's why dozens of publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company, have cited Mike's story as an inspiring lesson for leadership in business. Leaders uniquely identify with Mike's ability to drive results in an environment where he couldn't make the rules.Ultimately, Mike and his crew were able to achieve incredible results. Turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1%, the rate of promotions tripled, and the crew slashed operating expenses by 25%. Regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, USS Benfold won the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.
