Centauric is an expert consulting firm that helps organizations unleash the potential of their people to drive business performance. They use a data-driven approach involving interviews, surveys, and facilitated discussions to understand organizational dynamics and identify opportunities. Their integrated services then develop leadership capabilities, strengthen employee engagement, and align culture and systems. The outcomes include increased focus on goals, engaged and committed employees, an innovative culture embracing change, and effective talent selection and development.

1. People.
Clarity.
Performance
Unleashed.
CEOs, Boards and senior leaders call on Centauric
to help them bring out the best in their people and
organizations as they face transformational challenges
and opportunities.
Blending extensive behavioral science expertise and
techniques with deep industry experience, our senior
specialists work to develop capabilities, strengthen
engagement and align organizational support.
We help unleash talent to drive the performance of
your top and bottom lines by rapidly clarifying complex
individual and organizational dynamics – translating
understanding into action.

2. Our Perspective
on Business Issues.
Close to 85% of a company’s expenses may be related to intangible
capital tied up in people – knowledge, reputation and talent.
A recent Business Week survey of C-level executives
identified the top five challenges leaders face today:
1. Increasing innovation
2. Leading internal organization growth
3. Improving the quality of leadership talent
4. Developing the next generation of leaders
5. Increasing employee commitment and retention
Combine these challenges with current trends:
• The top 10 jobs today didn’t exist five years ago
• 41% of companies report difficulty hiring the people
they need
• New workers will likely have 10 to 14 jobs by the time
they are 38 years old
• By the end of 2010 Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers
in the workplace
• Three generations converging in the market and the
workplace – each with its own values, perspectives
and needs
To win, industry leaders need to understand and capitalize
on the staggering transformation in the ways people
think, interact with each other and use rapidly advancing
technologies.

3. The
Outcomes
We Create.
Centauric helps clients zero in on people-related
strategies and actions to realize business goals
and agendas.
The outcomes we create include:
1. Productive group and organization dynamics: Increased focus and
effort devoted to achieving organizational success
2. Engaged people: Commitment, enthusiasm and exceptional
customer service
3. Change capability: Innovative leaders and employees anticipating
and embracing change
4. Culture, structures, and systems aligned with brand: Promises
delivered, and employee and customer loyalty enhanced
5. Effective selection and development: Leaders and professionals
who demonstrate critical leadership, self-management and team
competencies

4. How.
We develop capabilities, FOR LEADERS: Perspective and Impact
1. Impact assessment and coaching for leaders and their teams
strengthen engagement
2. Leadership succession and transition planning
and align organizational 3. Facilitating entry into new leadership roles
support through our 4. Individual consultation on personal and cultural dynamics
5. Board orientation and development
integrated services.
FOR PEOPLE: Capability, Engagement and Team Effectiveness
1. Employee engagement evaluation and enhancement
2. Capability audit and development for individuals and groups
3. Change readiness assessment and acceleration
4. Facilitating productive interactions
5. Career-management support for individuals
FOR ORGANIZATIONS: Culture, Structure and Alignment
1. Evaluate, create and maintain optimal organization and team culture
2. Risk assessment for merging organizational cultures
3. Communication effectiveness assessment and improvement
4. Align organization systems and structure for targeted performance
5. Internal and external brand alignment
Industry Expertise
Centauric assists clients in industries facing significant
transformational pressures. Our experience in varied industries
enables us to quickly understand your business and lead you safely
and effectively – from concept to action.
Our primary client expertise includes:
• Professional services: (Accounting & Audit, Law, Financial
Advisory & Wealth Management, Engineering, Public Relations,
Marketing, Architecture & Design)
• Financial Services
• Universities
• Hospitals
• R&D: Life Sciences, Telecommunications, High Tech

5. Working With Us.
Our style is direct, candid and mutually inclusive. Our promise is
to be transparent in how we apply the science of what we do, to
achieve the business outcomes you need.
Define Data
Target issues or opportunities. Define data Generate and organize data for analysis, review
that could expand thinking and support and discussion. Data includes observations and
decision making. Describe desired outcomes. ideas from Centauric.
Achieve Dialogue
Evaluate achievement. Consolidate
Data Driven Engage in dialogue to interpret the meaning
learning. Celebrate progress.
Achievement of the data. Evaluate possible responses.
Act Decide
Execute the plan, including related Gain commitment to act. Define the plan.
communications and evaluation. Mobilize resources. Agree on evaluation criteria.
We call our approach Data-Driven Achievement. Through data analysis and dialogue, we work with
Since no two situations are identical, we have you to evaluate your options and build an execution
developed a method that is flexible and scalable to plan that will achieve targeted results. We help you
support our work with you – whether we are tackling monitor progress, evaluate intermediate outcomes
individual leadership development or full-scale and make course corrections. To complete the
culture transformation. cycle, we focus on how you can leverage your
achievements in the future.
We begin by clarifying your current situation and
identifying what needs to happen to achieve your
objectives. We help you define and gather the
information that will be critical for success.

6. Some of Our Work
New
Hospital
CEO.
A surgeon, who was leading a large cancer treatment center,
was recruited to be the new CEO of one of the most recognized
hospital / research centers in the country.
He called Centauric with a request: • Analyzing his assumptions and leaps
“Help me decide if this is a good career of logic.
move and if it is, work with me to make • Discussing how he could capitalize on
sure I am positioned for success.” his strengths and compensate for his
We knew that he would make the best blind spots.
decisions if he had the right data and
Together, we developed a strategy that
people he trusted to challenge his thinking.
balanced dealing with the departing CEO,
engaging the Board, addressing the urgent
Centauric assisted this client by:
need of staff for clarity, and understanding
• Identifying the questions he needed
the organization before “showing his hand”
answered and the best possible ways to
and committing to significant changes.
ask the questions, so that his position
was strengthened and not compromised. Today this CEO has command of his
challenges and has gained full support
• Garnering critical information from
from the key players to pursue a bold
members of the Board and hospital
agenda of transformation.
leaders. We subsequently met and
discussed our interview findings and
considered a number of strategic choices
that had emerged from our inquiry.
• Reviewing his observations and
conclusions.

7. Culture Audit
and Dialogue
in Merging Banks.
A large foreign bank decided to purchase a US regional bank and
combine it with another regional bank that they had acquired
earlier. They needed to ensure that the merger was a success in
terms of both economic synergy and brand equity.
They asked Centauric to assess the iterative process of data-driven dialogue
compatibility of the two corporate and that eventually engaged the integration
regional cultures, as well as identify how committee, the management committee
best to capitalize on opportunities and and leaders throughout the organizations.
minimize risks associated with combining We facilitated staff and leadership in
these organizations. a productive dialogue about culture,
Centauric developed a two-pronged highlighting areas of common ground
approach to data collection. First, 4000 that could serve as a foundation for the
employees in both banks were invited to new bank. We identified hot buttons
complete a comprehensive culture audit that needed to be addressed in carefully
questionnaire. We then launched a series crafted communications, and emphasized
of facilitated workshops in both banks to how orientation and development
give people a chance to tell their stories, programs for teams and leaders could
express their hopes and concerns and get accelerate cultural integration as the new
involved in shaping the merger. organization took shape.
This approach generated useful data for Through our Data Driven Achievement
bank leaders and gave people comfort that approach, leaders reported that they were
the parent organization was willing to listen able to address quickly and productively
and was concerned with integrating the issues of culture that otherwise would
banks in a thoughtful and sensitive manner. have been ignored or avoided.
Our findings lead to consensus on some The new bank now reflects the best of its
issues and a need for further clarification predecessors and is a hit with its customers.
and analysis on others. This began an

8. Young
Lawyers.
A prominent international law firm – recognized for its
effective practice management and outstanding pro
bono programs – received low marks for mid-level
associate satisfaction. Leadership was concerned.
This information would impact their ability to hire top
talent and may put them at risk of losing some of their
most important assets. of actions was agreed upon and approved
by the Chairman of the firm.
They called on Centauric to identify While a number of people used the
the issues and to recommend ways of occasion to vent their grievances, we
improving the situation. also heard how much associates valued
Centauric discouraged them from their relationships with mentors and
another anonymous survey, and instead practice groups. The two most important
suggested one-on-one interviews with a suggestions that emerged were to improve
representative sample of associates and communication with these associates and
partners. These meetings would better provide them with guidance to help them
identify a range of perspectives and ideas manage their careers.
and enable us to evaluate the emotional Early indicators are that improved
state of the associate group. communications and a well-conceived
Using our Data Driven Achievement development program are having the
approach, we met with the sponsoring desired impact.
leaders as soon as patterns started
to emerge in our findings. The early
discussions were aimed at engaging
leaders in interpreting the data and shaping
the direction of subsequent interviews. As
the study progressed, more leaders were
brought into the discussion until a clear set

9. High-Flying
Auditors.
A prominent audit firm moved a group of high-potential senior
managers to its national office for intensive, on-the-job technical
training. Typical of millennial employees, the program participants
expressed concern that while they had an amazing opportunity
to develop their technical expertise, they were missing out on
a chance to develop other critical skills needed for account
management and senior leadership roles.
The partner responsible for the program individual coaching, group discussions and
asked Centauric to design a complementary the engaging of senior partners in providing
development program to target non-technical insights and guidance. We were light on
skills for these high flyers. theory and heavy on concrete action and
Centauric began by meeting with the personal feedback.
participants and asking them what they The program was refined with participant
thought they were missing. We sent input and has run for the past three years.
them out to meet with senior leaders and Its impact has been significant in generating
experienced account managers to identify participant engagement with the firm, team
success factors. The interviews fueled functioning at national office, satisfaction
a dialogue about their strengths and with career choices and effectiveness in
weaknesses and what kind of assistance personal career management. Firm leaders
they needed. report that participants demonstrate
We then designed a year-long program increased self-confidence and capability
aimed at building self-awareness, refining in dealing with senior executives. Every
emotional intelligence, managing personal participant in the first cohort has been
brand, establishing and maintaining admitted into the partnership.
effective networks and enhancing business
savvy. Our approach involved data-driven
dialogue, on-the-job assignments,

10. Our
People.
Dr. Tina Beranbaum
I earned my doctorate in Sociology with a focus on of a capital campaign and work with a variety of
business ethics – researching how people’s previous community task forces. Currently, I am a member
and current experiences shape their decision- of a San Diego-based charitable foundation and am
making and behavior when confronted with ethical excited to be participating on a task force exploring
dilemmas. Over the past 25 years, my career has the empowerment of teen girls.
taken me from a faculty position in the Industrial
In my spare time, I enjoy participating in book clubs,
Relations Program at McGill University to conducting
walking on the beach with my dog Daisy and, to the
evaluations of large, national government social
chagrin of my children, have signed up for my first
programs. Currently, I provide advice and assistance
paragliding adventure and am preparing to jump off
to senior executives concerning their impact and the
the cliffs of Torrey Pines in La Jolla.
human dynamics of their organizations.
I am a member of the American Sociological
I help clients focus on mission critical facts,
Association section on Organizations, Occupations
engage them in productive dialogue, help them
and Work.
reach robust decisions and determine critical
actions. They tell me that my ability to help them
understand the complexity of human dynamics
against the backdrop of transformation, as well as
my focus on their success, has made me a valued
and trusted advisor. Recent clients include C-suite
executives in one of the world’s leading audit firms,
a top U.S. law firm and an international private
capital management company.
I have a strong commitment to using my professional
skills to give back to the community. Some of my
volunteer efforts include a term as president of
a not-for-profit organization, pro bono evaluation

11. Our
People.
Dr. Mitchell Shack
I earned my doctorate in Industrial / Organizational Fortune 100 firms. I consider providing pro bono
Psychology with a focus on achievement motivation, services to non-profit organizations in Canada and
person perception and executive assessment. the United States as an important part of my work.
My ability to influence individual, group and My most gratifying assignment to date has been
organizational dynamics was further developed when working with the senior managers for the UN High
I completed extensive postgraduate training at the Commissioner for Refugees in Asia.
world famous Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.
Clients appreciate my ability to quickly understand
I have followed a career path that has included complexity, explain concepts simply and deftly
working as a university professor in an MBA program, manage interpersonal dynamics. Clients tell me they
serving as an in-house consultant for the Government trust my counsel and appreciate the safety I provide
of Canada, managing a national consulting portfolio when navigating risky or difficult situations. My
as a partner with Deloitte and building Centauric, low-key style makes it easy for people to tell me
a boutique consultancy that specializes in helping what they really think and allows me to deliver tough
CEO’s, Boards and senior leaders bring out the best messages to my executive clients in a very direct,
in their people and organizations as they confront practical way.
transformational challenges.
I am a member of the Society of Industrial and
My behavioral science expertise and methods blend Organizational Psychologists in both Canada and in
with my deep industry experience as I help clients to the United States.
develop their leadership and functional capabilities,
After raising money for a local charity by participating
strengthen the engagement of their people and align
in a long distance bicycle ride, I have become an
organizational support. The result is leaders who are
avid cyclist.
better able to focus on priorities and equipped to take
actions that will realize business goals and agendas.
My extensive consulting career has brought me
into contact with leaders in a number of industries
ranging from local technology start-ups to global

12. Contact
Information.
We created Centauric for three reasons:
1. We enjoy bringing out the best in people and
organizations, especially in challenging situations.
2. We are most effective when we work directly with
our clients rather than through junior consultants.
3. Together, we offer a unique blend of complementary
skills and styles that coalesce around a strong set of
shared values.
Our clients tell us that we make a difference.
Phone: 858 366 4824
Email: mshack@centauric.com
tberanbaum@centauric.com
Head Office: 070 La Jolla Shores Drive, Suite 429
8
La Jolla, CA, 92037