Today, we’d like to introduce you to Gail Rudolph.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As I sat in the C-suite of several major healthcare organizations, I often saw us pay large sums to consultants who would work with our teams. Yet, once they left, things reverted to the way they were before. This pattern troubled me, and I realized that if I could identify the problem, I could also find the solution.
I noticed that most consultants and trainers come in with theoretical approaches to how things should be done. Instead, why not use methods proven to work? Our egos shouldn’t make us believe our ideas are always right; we should back them with proven research to create the most effective solutions.
This realization led me to start Gail Rudolph Collaborative, a consulting and training organization specializing in soft skill development. Human behavior is at the core of all business activities—successes, failures, wins, losses, sales—you name it. Business is a human endeavor, and without mastering self-awareness and understanding how others communicate and make decisions, we’re just guessing.
Understanding that seeing a problem calls for solving it, I began developing proprietary and trademarked programs. I wanted our approach to be research-based, grounded in scientific principles that produce lasting, sustainable results.
This thinking led me to write my book on power dynamics. I wanted it to serve as a guide for people to interact without falling into power struggles, which hinder progress. Interpersonal power is a choice, and while we cannot control others, we can change interactions by how we respond. By altering our interactions, we can transform our relationships, workplaces, communities, and, ultimately, the world.
Only in this type of environment can meaningful accomplishments occur.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It wasn’t easy. Power struggles and people-pleasing were traits I had struggled with since childhood. It was likely because I needed answers that, I sought solutions, and through this struggle, I found what worked.
You could say I started out clueless. Early in my career, I became painfully aware of power dynamics and their misuse when I began working as the Associate Executive Director at a community foundation. I was the only full-time employee, while the Executive Director, who worked part-time, was often away from the office.
My responsibilities included running the organization’s day-to-day operations. I always strove to be diligent and hardworking, often doing extra work while my boss received the extra credit. Knowing I had advanced the foundation beyond expectations and exceeded organizational goals, I decided to ask my boss for a raise.
I went into his office, pulled up a chair, and calmly and professionally asked for an increase in my salary. His reply? “You don’t need a raise. You get child support for the kids, don’t you?” I was stunned but quickly responded, “Yes, but that has nothing to do with the job I am doing for the foundation.” He rolled his eyes and walked away.
At the next board meeting, I was encouraged to see “salary discussion” on the agenda. The board did approve a salary increase—but it was for his salary, not mine. Despite my commitment and efforts, I felt demoralized. My contributions to the foundation were unnoticed and unappreciated. Whenever I approached the Executive Director about a raise, he would repeatedly say, “You get child support. You don’t need a raise.”
Finally, I reached the end of my rope. Although it was a job I loved, I submitted my resignation and took a position elsewhere. I knew I had significantly contributed to the organization’s success and wasn’t surprised to learn that the Board of Directors hired three people to fill my position.
What did surprise me was realizing I had unknowingly given my power away. As a young, ambitious woman in the workplace, I wasn’t always aware of power dynamics and didn’t always use power properly. Power wasn’t something I thought I had at my disposal, especially early on. Looking back, I now know I made many mistakes trying to navigate my role and figure out where I fell on the power continuum. But I began my journey to become aware of and understand power.
What I experienced in that job early in my career was just the tip of the iceberg regarding my thoughts about power. Despite my knowledge, education, and achievements, my voice was often overlooked or ignored. I continued to be successful and serve in high-level leadership positions, but I felt deep down that I wasn’t achieving my full potential.
I often felt like I had handed my power over to someone else instead of having my opinion heard or considered. I spent almost all of my corporate career in the room but often felt invisible.
I had to find answers for myself, and once I did, I wanted to share them with others. I now consider myself a recovering people-pleaser and am living my best life because I learned how to harness my power and not give it away.
We’ve been impressed with Gail Rudolph Collaborative, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
As pioneers in innovative training and consulting, Gail Rudolph Collaborative (GRC) leverages scientifically proven, time-tested, and globally respected methods that are both teachable and learnable.
Our highly trained team offers a variety of in-person and virtual training sessions in areas such as the Science of Customer Service, Science of Sales, Interpersonal Power Dynamics, Generations in the Workplace, Principles of Persuasion, Leadership, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Team Development, Remote Team Building, Science of Fundraising, Values-Based Leadership, and DiSC Personality Inventory, most of which are proprietary and trademarked.
GRC consistently achieves ratings of 4.8/5 or higher in post-session attendee evaluations. Our approach is research-based, with principles grounded in science that produce lasting, sustainable results. Each of our trainers is certified in their respective areas of expertise. We meticulously curate training sessions to include research-based content, lectures, collaborative team exercises, and engaging interactive activities, ensuring participants’ comprehensive and immersive learning experience.
We are keenly focused on the adult learner. Research on adult learning emphasizes several effective methods that cater to adults’ unique needs and preferences. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), adults learn best through active engagement and participation rather than passive listening. Malcolm Knowles, a pioneer in adult learning theory, emphasized the importance of hands-on, experiential learning.
Additionally, the Journal of Educational Psychology suggests that adults benefit greatly from personalized and self-directed learning experiences, allowing them to set their own goals and pace. Studies by the National Research Council further highlight that incorporating multimedia and real-world applications enhances adult learning by providing contextual relevance and practicality.
GRC integrates this research by offering a blend of lecture, discussion, and interactive learning experiences, both group and individually-focused. Working with Gail Rudolph Collaborative is an active experience—not passive learning. We help you and your team take action, surpass your goals, and achieve more than you ever thought possible.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
As discussed earlier, I am a recovering people pleaser. Despite holding high-powered positions, I often felt overlooked, which led me to keep my ideas to myself. I frequently saw better ways to do things, but not knowing how to navigate power dynamics, I chose to stay silent.
Those who knew me then might be surprised because they saw me as successful, yet so many of my ideas went unspoken. I believe that’s why I now have so many trademarked and proprietary methods—I finally learned to embrace and harness my creativity and power.
Contact Info:
- Website: Gailrudolph.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GailRudolphAuthor
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-rudolph/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gail+rudolph+collaborative
Image Credits
C47 Films and Mike Lloyd Photography
