Dr. Andrea Shapiro
Meet the Author and Developer
Strategy Perspective principal, Dr. Andrea Shapiro, brings a unique and broad perspective to her work. She has experience that extends over decades and over several disciplines.
Andrea designed and developed the Tipping Point computer simulator after seeing so many well-meaning change efforts miss their mark because leaders fail to involve employees and leverage their perspectives. This deprives leaders of valuable input, and causes the very people who are expected to modify the way they work to feel discounted and disconnected. The simulator introduces and applies the Seven Levers of Change, and forms the heart of the Tipping Point Workshop (also known as The Change, Dialogue, and Action Workshop). She has delivered the Workshop to corporations, professional organizations, and business schools across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Her first book, Creating Contagious Commitment, grew out of a demand from workshop participants for additional examples, theory, and background, all of which will appeal to any manager faced with implementing a significant organizational change. Contagious Commitment at Work is designed to offer lighter approach to the background—putting more emphasis on applying the ideas on and first-person stories that together provide a framework for involving employees and ensuring success.
Andrea keeps a hand in the Workshop’s ongoing development and worldwide deployment through Dr. David Yarrow and Time For Change (Development). Dr. Yarrow delivers Workshops and certifies Workshop facilitators in businesses, consultancies and training organizations.
ANDREA’S BACKGROUND
After earning master’s degrees in mathematics and psychology and a doctorate in behavioral decision making, Andrea went on to further studies at the Coaches Institute and the MIT Sloan Business School executive education program in system dynamics. She has also taught decision making at Pfeiffer University’s graduate program in organizational management.
Andrea has worked in software design, management, and organizational development in several Fortune 500 companies. She also has a demonstrated ability to improve team learning and communication by leveraging technology and creating innovative learning tools and workshops.
Her goal is to help organizations optimize their effectiveness through innovative learning methods and improved decision making. Andrea’s varied background contributes to the strength of the Tipping Point model. She speaks the languages of multiple industries and has applied her wide vision in the development of the tool. Her broad view enables a wide applicability of the Tipping Point simulation across many sectors.
Experience
- Organizational Learning
- Business Modeling
- Interactive Learning Simulations
- Software Design
- Organizational Effectiveness
Education
- Masters degrees in Psychology and Mathematics
- Doctorate in Behavioral Decision Making
- MIT Sloan Business School Executive Education course in Systems Dynamics
- Coaches Institute Training
Interests
- Change Management
- Employee Engagement
- Dialogue
- Team learning
- Decision making
- Helping teams take a long term view
- Quantitative and qualitative data analysis
Industries
- Telecommunications
- Medical Test Equipment
- Aerospace
- Government
- Higher Education
- Public Utilities
- Healthcare
Perspective
- Gain insight by ‘stepping back’ and taking a long view
- Use systems thinking to put problems and opportunities into context
- Leverage appropriate technology as a catalyst in learning
- Combine qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand complex business problems
Mission
- To help organizations optimise their effectiveness implementing change through innovative learning methods and improved decision making.