Theodore Klein Email & Phone Number

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

I am the Managing Partner at Boston Strategy Group, a venture-funded professional services firm leveraging applied improvisational (AIM) techniques to improve organizational performance. I am directly involved in research, marketing, and delivery and have published articles on AIM, including "Leaders, Are You Ready To Take The Creative Leap Into The Future?" in HR.com's December 2021 issue of Leadership Excellence.I began recognizing the significant connections between theatrical improvisation and leadership competency when taking improvisation classes. For example, basic improvisation principles such as being present in the moment, "giving and taking," active listening, labeling, and building upon ideas instead of dismissing them at the onset directly connect to best leadership practices. I uncovered rich and significant overlaps between the fields as I did academic research into improvisation theory. In conjunction with several colleagues, this served as the spark for Boston Strategy Group (BSG), which leverages AIM to improve leadership and management capabilities at large clients in five markets: information technology, life sciences, manufacturing, higher education, and financial services.I bring over 40 years of consulting experience with C-level executives at Fortune 1000 firms to my current role at BSG. I am trained in improvisational techniques and principles and continue to be an active researcher into AIM's origins, development, and benefits. Along with my highly qualified professional team, we develop academic models to understand how improvisation theory connects with management issues. In addition, I speak at industry conferences on the subject and led the creation of the world's most extensive bibliography of improvisation research and published works, updated and published annually.

Heidelberg, London, Munich, Boston, Chestnut Hill

Assigned to Boston University Overseas Program in Heidelberg and Munich, Germany and London, England. Developed curriculums, instructed, and evaluated American executives and senior American military officers serving throughout Europe. Responsible for MBA and computer science courses in a variety of fields, including: business strategy, decision support systems, MIS, and marketing. Special assignments in Basildon, England leading executive workshops in marketing strategy for Ford Motor Company and conducting strategic and marketing management programs for the United States Marine Corps at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina.Taught undergraduate classes in Statistics and Information Systems for the University of Massachusetts, Boston.Taught graduate MBA classes in Marketing of Services at The Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

Boston

Sourcing ExecutiveLeveraged a deep understanding of corporate business issues and strategies to conceptualize and create business cases, improve organizational function, and rigorously illustrate process improvements, cost savings and risk reduction opportunities. Advised, counseled and assisted multi-national executives on IT transformation, organizational strategy, innovation, sourcing and expense takeout situations leading to improved client competitive position. Drove significant sourcing sales and led development projects for healthcare, insurance, financial markets, and banking clients.Consulting Practice ExecutiveProfitably managed joint client/IBM teams implementing business transformation, organizational improvement and risk reduction programs. Successfully remedied several run-away projects quickly achieving project and profit objectives. Developed cutting edge organizational and IT strategies and directed a complex “first of its kind” Workforce Analysis program conducted successfully for the highest level of IBM senior management.

Successfully directed and drove IT Sourcing, Transformation, Prioritization and Global Strategy engagements for numerous “C” level executives for a wide range of global financial service, technology, and consumer goods clients. Conceptualized and designed innovative consulting approaches for government clients, including a highly regarded, politically challenging engagement for policy makers within the Executive Office of the President.

Interim CIO for multiple clients, ensuring IT and business strategic alignment, improved staff morale and expense reduction. Successfully led an international team to undertake a due diligence effort for a large South American bank takeover, identifying several business issues that saved client over $25M. Designed and developed a wide range of innovative business/IT process transformation approaches for Fortune 200 firms.

Conceptualized, developed and successfully implemented a novel consulting practice model which transformed the IT function and better leveraged IT to support business strategy. Achieved annual revenue growth of 25%. Direct executive responsibility for over 250 business consulting and IT engagements conducted for some of the world’s most prominent organizations.