Hi, I’m Sylvia Melena. 

I’m the Founder and CEO of Melena Consulting Group and the international award-winning and best-selling leadership author of Supportive Accountability: How to Inspire People and Improve Performance. I’m also a Certified DISC Trainer and an Association for Talent Development (ATD) Master Instructional Designer™.

With a Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Studies and 20 years experience in the trenches of management, I have coached, developed, and trained hundreds of managers and supervisors in person and have impacted thousands more through my work.

My leadership philosophy has been featured by the Society of Human Resources Management HR Today, the Human Performance Association, Entrepreneur, LEADx, Fit Small Business, and other outlets.

And I Still Work on My Leadership

You see, strong leadership is a work in progress.

I’m an off-the-charts DISC “D.”

If you don’t know what that means yet, don’t worry, you will by the end of your team’s training.

In my early career, I was frequently blunt and sometimes even rude. But I was fortunate to work with people who cared about me enough to give me honest feedback.

I particularly remember a brutally honest reaction from a co-worker like it was yesterday.

I don’t remember what I said to trigger him or how I said it, but I vividly recall the horror on his face and his shocking response to my affront: “Shoot from the hip, why don’t you! Next time, try using a little tact!”

I was stunned, momentarily speechless, and in disbelief. And I’m never speechless.

I didn’t know what he meant. So, I asked him to explain, and he did.

Thanks to his honest feedback and the support of others, I had an amazing 20-year leadership career in health and human services. I had the honor of directly managing workforces from about 80 to 300 employees and supporting performance for up to 1,400 in my senior leadership roles.

And most people enjoyed working with me and giving their best.

Yes, I said, “Most.”

The truth is, not everyone will enjoy working with you no matter how much you adapt your leadership communication. And that’s okay. Not everyone will like you. But that’s not your goal anyways.

Your goal is to be the best leader you can be, create a great workplace, promote accountability, and achieve measurable results. These are the things I intentionally worked on to elevate my leadership.

Because of my ongoing journey, I’m a firm believer in the power of positive feedback and supportive accountability to transform lives. But I also know it’s hard sometimes.

That’s why I’m excited to provide my online and in-person DISC Leadership Training. It gives your team members everything they need to adapt their approach and communicate more effectively in the workplace.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.

Warmest regards,

Sylvia Melena