CONTACT INFORMATION:
Personal cell: 512-534-5425 info@orgstrat.net P.O. Box 971 Cedar Park, Texas 78630
MISSION AS A EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT
For more than 20 years, I have coached new managers and trained teachers. For even more years, I have been an educational miracle worker and a turn-around artist for organizations.
I aim at being of highest service, and therefore supporting directors, owners, pastors and teachers who are being of highest service by helping children.
I help young people find their calling in life. I teach teachers. I train administrators. I facilitate organizations get organized. I offer real research AND rubber-meets the road reality — with unflinching devotion to integrity and righteous character.
For child development centers, I am Professional Master Level Trainer recognized by the “State of Texas Childcare Training Registry. ” I specialize in congregation affiliated centers, even though I started by helping small business owners. Know anyone else who has been a director, a pastor, a long-term professor, and a business owner?
As a consultant, I specialize in bringing elegant strategies, making the fewest changes possible for the biggest changes agreed upon. Our client base includes Child Development Centers, small businesses, and religious organizations. Work flow, staff motivation, board training are some of our specialties. I can do pre- and post- quantitative and qualitative research, and customized training. Meeting facilitation can get your team communicating and working together well. This whole package will most surely bring the biggest result to your organization.
Sharon has been a teacher, a director of a licensed CDC in Texas, and an associate pastor for education over a director. Training and speaking professionally since 1989. Facilitating since 1994. Consulting with small business owners and directors since 1998. Austin Families Fix It! Project consultant 2000-2005. Broadcasting since June 2008. Teaching at the collegiate level since 1992.
BIOGRAPHY
Speaking professionally since 1994, Sharon has been teaching all her life. Her seminars are high content, yet she always strives to contextualize and customize them, in order to give your group the highest possible effectiveness.
Her formal education includes a Diploma in the Montessori Method from St. Nicholas, the most prestigious of the Montessori Colleges with English as the language of instruction. She then earned a Bachelor’s in Sociology from The University of Texas at Austin with Highest Honors and Special Honors in Sociology and two master’s degrees. Her first master’s is in Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and her second in Sociology from Texas Tech University. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Kappa Delta. At seminary she was also accorded the highest scholarship available, based on academic merit and promise for ministry, and, upon graduation in the top five of her class, was given a fellowship for further study. More recently, she finished a Master’s in Sociology at Texas Tech with some courses from The University of Texas at Austin. She taught at Wayland Baptist University – Lubbock, at South Plains College – Lubbock, and Temple College-Taylor. She has taught Sociology to the widest possible diversity of student at Austin Community College for 10 years. Earned “Owner’s MBA” at Business Success Center.
She earned CTM and ATM from Toastmasters’ International and was formerly a member of National Speakers’ Association and American Society for Training and Development. She served two terms as officer in the Southwest Facilitator’s Association. She has been a member of Sigma Xi, a research association. She was the President of the South Plains Council for Learning Disabilities, restarting the group and serving a second term. She served as an officer in ISPI (International Society for Performance Improvement). She is a life member of Mensa. She currently is a grateful member of Kingsway International Fellowship.
As a pastor she also had some stunning successes. In her first assignment as temporary pulpit supply, she quadrupled attendance in 90 days. Then she proceeded to a post as Associate Minister in a suburban church and started many programs and gained 11% growth in one year. Then she was hired away to be solo minister and again she quadrupled Sunday Morning attendance in the first 6 months. The church had a youth group they had not had for decades, their first baptism in years, and greatly expanded program offerings. Subsequently she participated in other religious groups, including a national committee for religious education of a denomination. After a major crisis in her family, she returned orthodox, evangelical, charismatic Christianity.
As a clergy person she became known for regional Sunday School teacher training conferences, and then regional minister training for evangelism/membership recruitment. Her services as a clergyperson who understands a variety of faith traditions was sought after for interfaith weddings for a dozen years in Austin.
Sharon first wrote for paid publication in 1983. Her first check for writing was from the Messenger Publishing House. Since then she has published in several denominational magazines, reviewed children’s book for a librarian’s journal, written editorials, several booklets, and now three books.
She served as a self-employed professional speaker since 1994. She began consulting for small businesses after helping friends with 2 million dollars in annual sales, reconstitute their office after an outsource disaster. Other friends heard and asked for her organizational abilities. Not surprisingly, though, her client base grew to be mostly educational endeavors.
After a hiatus of a few years due to family needs, Sharon is re-opening her training and consulting. With re-invigorated faith and fresh experience in the world of education, she is even more empowered to serve and bless teachers and administrators.
SUCCESS STORIES
CHILD DEVELOPMENT ENTER PROBLEM
Church affiliated preschool on the point of closing down: sharp and paralyzing conflict on staff, on board, low enrollment, finances in the red, serious citation from state agency. Two thirds of staff left and longest tenured staff member, who boasted of having the last director fired remained. The board said they had tried but had been unable to fire her. She was supported by the senior pastor.
CDC SOLUTION
Sharon was hired as director, who formed a high functioning team, brought enrollment to full, and budget to surplus, no violations from Licensing, and conflict on board to nil – in one year! Returned reputation to the center.
DEMOCRACY PROBLEM
Neighborhood facing important decisions, often rolled-over by the city, and in disarray.
DEMOCRACY SOLUTION
Among other measures, brought in Sharon as a meeting facilitator for decision making that included many people. She also consulted on meetings and long-term planning. Austin Neighborhood Council, one of Sharon’s clients, won the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin Award: Most Improved Organization in 1999.
BUSINESS BACK OFFICE PROBLEM
A very well established and well-known business in Austin had an outsourcing disaster: no accounting books, no check register, and no computer.
BUSINESS BACK OFFICE SOLUTION
Sharon rebuilt records, brought in $82,000 in Accounts Receivable, computerized the company, provided advice on personnel matters and records management, and shopped both health and property insurance, and found a solid bookkeeper. Over a year a full $200,000.00 in decreased expenses are attributable to Sharon’s work. Owners now work one day less each week!
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER’S PROBLEM
CEO wanted to retire and go fishing by selling business to employees. Employees had a hard time with the idea of “self-management” that the owner favored and consequently could not fathom employee ownership.
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER’S SOLUTION
CEO called in Sharon to research employee opinion, consult and train. She conducted quantitative and qualitative research, submitting report to CEO with several intervention alternatives. He chose the most ambitious plan.
A short training session was instituted with the highest possible impact. The business knew that every moment employees were in meetings they were not at the presses. But employees knew that Sharon had something very important for them, so a faster pace than usual was very possible.
Employees were given procedures to call meeting on their own and skills to have more effective meetings. Employees were further helped to set in motion committees to research 1) formats for employee ownership with and without hierarchical management structure and 2)the financial aspects of purchasing the business. Both CEO and upper level employees were deliriously happy and lower level employees were content to cooperate. CEO and upper management secured Sharon’s services on a continuing basis. Owner went fishing, saying, “I’ve have nationally recognized firms in here. They were never much help to me. The last one I nearly threw out. Sharon was truly different. She is my solution genie!! ”
MEMBERSHIP PROBLEM
“We got a purty good crowd today.” “Well, we should, we called everyone to tell them to be sure and be here to see the new minister.” There were 11. Only two were less than seventy. There were no children. That was December. Someone had left them a bequest to hire a full time minister.
MEMBERSHIP SOLUTION
Sharon Sarles was that new minister. By April members who said they would never again darken the door of that church were coming back. A family with five children filled a pew. A youth group had been held for spring break, averaging 15 kids each day. Some of the children were practicing in a bell choir. Parents were making plans for a summer camp. The first baptism in decades was requested. Attendance was running at forty.
MEMBERSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM PROBLEM
A suburban congregation had difficulty mounting a youth program. In their affluence, these young people had many choices. Seldom did they choose the youth group. Meetings were held once every two months and about 8 came. The sponsors felt overwhelmed, under-prepared, and discouraged.
MEMBERSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM PROBLEM
Sharon found a couple who did not realize that their study of comparative religions and their ease of dealing with youth was a congregational treasure. Weekly meetings gathers 30 to 40 youths, challenging them with ethical and spiritual heroism and up to date information they could get no where else.
SOCIAL PROBLEM
Battered women’s shelter in nearby urban area was overflowing and having to turn away many women. Many of those turned away were from a small town called Westaskiwin, just north of a large Indian Reservation. The area had unusually high domestic violence statistics.
SOCIAL PROBLEM SOLUTION
Sharon recruited female community leaders from both town and reservation to found SAAV, the Society Against Abuse and Violence. Aggressive fund raising was planned in order to work toward purchase and staffing of a safe house while an aggressive education campaign was begun immediately.
TESTIMONIALS
“Your presentation was a real blessing to the participants, judging from their evaluations.” Terri Sloan, Weekday Ministries Conference
We hope you enjoyed your time with us as much as we enjoyed having you…hope we will be able to call upon you again in the future. April Peters, Christ Lutheran Learning Center and Jane Hazelton, Bridges to Growth
“Would I like to have her in again? Every day!” Phillip Merritt, ABC Preparatory Academy, East Austin
“My solution genie!” Michael Morgan, Morgan Printing
“I feel fortunate to know such a person who is dedicated to opening minds with her words and her example.” Nancy Shugart, master teacher and motivational speaker
“The highest level of professionalism” Harvey Madison, Madison Photographics
“All her work demonstrates great reflection and careful planning. I heartily recommend her to you.” Prof. Mark Harmon, Chair of Democratic party, Lubbock County
“A genius!” Lee Moczygemba, President, American Training International
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