About me
Cynthia Scott Ph.D. M.P.H.
Wisdom & capability for building resilience through change and transition
I work with values-driven leaders to sustain their focus and energy during change.
I am a change catalyst, executive coach and strategic consultant who guides high performers attain resilient performance, sustain wellbeing and build authentic capacity to stand in your own truth throughout their personal and professional life.
I focus on helping professionals distill their values and purpose, learn and practice mentalfitness resilience to bring authentic leadership to standing in their own truth.
My experience
As a senior consultant, leadership professor and executive has provided inspiration, thought leadership and direction to help change makers lead innovation and culture change. I have worked across non-profit, cross-cultural, multi-generational family businesses, government and university settings.
I bring training and research from cultural anthropology, psychology, health behavior change, leadership development and large-scale organizational transformation to bring strategic rigor and human centered insight to create innovative approaches for organizations such as VMware, Capital One, Presidio Graduate School, Saatchi & Saatchi S, The Gap, Charles Schwab, Kaiser Permanente, AT&T, Deloitte & Touche, Este Lauder, National Semiconductor, IBM and McDonald’s, The Monterey Herald, Daughters of Charity, Internal Revenue Service and other organizations in financial, healthcare, high technology, and government sectors.
My credentials
I earned my Ph.D. in Psychology from the Fielding Graduate School, and M.P.H. in Health Planning and Administration from the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley.
I am a co-author of 15 books, including: Living Your Values, Leadership for Sustainability and Change, Take This Job and Love it, and Getting Your Organization to Change.
Books I’ve Co-Authored:
Getting Your Organization to Change
Tools and strategies for becoming a change leader. Step by step guide to mobilizing and sustain your organization through the three stages of change.
Leadership for Sustainability and Change
A concise, practical and energizing distillation of what is working for today’s most successful sustainability leaders. Provides a clear set of actions you can take to generate transformation.
Managing Personal Change
Guide for employees to learn how to understand the fast pace of change and respond in a positive and productive manner. Step by step practical exercises to build skills and confidence.
Take This Work and Love It
The handbook for working in today’s changing workplace. Guides employees to develop five basic skills for success : change, commitment, challenge, control and connection.
Managing Change at Work
Revised in 2003. Provides hands-on management tools for overcoming resistance, planning and implementing change. Shows how to build employee ownership and increase individual and team commitment. Assessment tools available.
Organizational Vision, Values, & Mission
Tools for individuals and teams to create a shared set of values, turn them into an essential mission and generate a vision of a preferred future.
Self Renewal
Comprehensive handbook of skills and strategies for moving from burnout to balance at work. Includes extensive self-assessment tools and exercises for dealing with fast paced work environments.
Empowerment
Step by step guide for managers and employees to identify the boundaries of self-management. Shows how to release excessive control and release creativity and commitment.
Change Management
The book helps managers work through organizational change with strategies for providing positive leadership while dealing effectively with resistance and other trouble spots.
Rekindling Commitment
Keys to revitalizing individuals, the environment they work in and the organization itself. Targeted at mobilizing individuals to become the CEO of their jobs and leaders of organizational change. Executive Book Club main selection.
Mastering the Change Curve
A toolkit for managers to assess their current response and have a conversation about upcoming change and the tools for mastering change.
Mastering the Change Curve
A toolkit for managers to assess their current response and have a conversation about upcoming change and the tools for mastering change.
Why Work With Me?
Throughout my professional career, I have worked at the intersection of leadership and change. I help individuals, teams and whole organizations see and unwind patterns in complex systems to release creativity and innovation.
I work with leaders in a broad range of industries (healthcare, technology, education, financial services, military, and retail), responsible culture change, leadership development and organizational transformation.
My fieldwork as an anthropologist led me to appreciate and value the creativity of global cultural diversity and community resilience. My practice as a psychologist taught me to listen deeply to unlock hidden patterns to achieve resilience, performance and values alignment that supports mission-aligned, values-driven, sustainable organizations.
I have translated my research and experience into writing books, designing programs, assessment tools and models to guide and inspire people to become creative sources of resilience for their teams and organizations.
Praise for Cynthia Scott
“Cynthia always brings an expansive sensory lens, and the capacity to see beyond the normal way of thinking. She has generated many creative ideas and reflective insights in our sessions.”
— Chene S.
Change Consultant, Coach and Author“Cynthia’s insights were not only profound but deeply relevant to the realities of African family enterprises, and the clarity with which you delivered them made a lasting impact on the audience.
Her ability to illuminate the interplay between change, resilience, and family dynamics sparked meaningful reflection and conversation among participants."
— Dr. Dennis O. Oteng
Host of Africa Family Business Summit
“Her work continues to be relevant and helpful to leaders grappling with change and transitions in both their personal and professional lives.”
— Ok Kim
Program Manager, Executive Leadership Programs, Canada School of Public Service
Want to work directly with Cynthia?
1:1 Leadership Coaching is available
Together, we’ll reconnect with your deeper purpose to navigate transitions and challenges – to enhance your wellbeing, relationships, and performance.
I offer a personalized coaching that focuses on your specific situation and provides a safe space to consider transitions, make decisions, and reset your values and purpose.