
Alies Jordan
Our session last week was brilliant and that is all thanks to you. [I] Want you to know how very much I appreciate all that you have done and continue to do to get us on the right footing.
Marsha Lewis, Principal, Human Capital Development Division, LCI Inc.
I have had the good fortune to work with Ms. Joan Underwood of Underwood Talent Development Services (UTDS) in the capacity of fellow coach and facilitator specifically in the areas of Talent management and human resource development. Joan’s understanding of the primal context of human resource development is second to none. This coupled with an intimate and grass root feel of the socio-political frameworks which undergird our Caribbean region, makes Joan and her practice, the go to firm for organisation’s who really want to hone and realize the potential of their human capital.
The business of talent development is not one that is often given much attention by organisation’s until crisis stage at which time the ask is often for a quick fix. With UTDS the focus is not only on just in time solutions but timely and sustainable solutions that are created with the client in mind. The environment created through the UTDS programmes are punctuated with best practice methodologies with high doses of common sense intended for practical application. For this reason, what is shared by Joan and her team not only sticks with the participants engaged in the training/coaching but transforms and modifies their outcomes – a true mark of success in human behaviour modification.
Michelle Longsworth, Director CITO Belize
I first came in contact with Joan in 2015 when I was accepted in the Caribbean Leadership Project’s Leadership Development Program. As one of the Program Facilitators my first session with Joan will indeed have a lasting impact. Her decisiveness that day by making one simple statement that you are here – relax with me through this journey as we build a new generation of Caribbean leaders and indeed that outcome was achieved, by her high level of commitment, her professionalism and her leadership style, the LDP journey was an awesome journey with Joan. She is an exceptional leader and motivator. Joan has my highest recommendation as a development and change agent professional.
Kathy Lalazarian
Joan Underwood is a strong technical specialist in public sector management, civil service reform and in the overall area of government efficiency. As a government counterpart in Antigua and Barbuda she has served her country well in diligently and doggedly pursuing reforms to increase management efficiency for the betterment of the people she served. Joan’s style of directness, tact and a high amount of intellectual acumen gets people’s attention. I hope to have the opportunity to work with Joan again in the future.
Mark Lambrides
If you have a program or project that you really need to be implemented carefully and on-time, then Joan Underwood should be seriously considered for its implementation. I have had an excellent experience in working with Joan to support the execution of energy policy work in the Caribbean. I give Joan my highest recommentation.
Kithinji (KK) Kiragu
Joan was the key client contact/director in a consulting project to address issues of public service employment and payroll management in the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, in 2011. She directed the assignment with a high degree of resourcefulness, diligence and amity. Joan not only guided the successful completion of the assignment but also made me enjoy performance of the tasks. She is an exceptionally endowed public servant.

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clients we've worked with...
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THE MANAGER LEVEL UP: Don’t Stop Until You’re DONE
One rainy Friday morning, I decided to do a YouTube workout rather than hitting the highway for the four-mile walk that I had originally planned for that day. I settled on a HASfit video. I chose that video because it promised a full body resistance band workout – sounded like just the thing I needed
June 26, 2023 -
When Success Hurts – The True Story of Women at the Top
Fifty-five percent of senior level women in a recent study reported feeling lonely in their jobs at least once in the last month.
March 14, 2023 -
What’s Love Got To Do With It [Leadership]?
A Leadership Story for Valentine’s Day On this day that’s devoted to celebrating love, we examine the relationship between love and leadership. In doing so, we begin with a story… Once upon a time (not too long ago) in a land not too far away, there lived a man who wanted to rule his country.
February 12, 2023 -
Debunking the Superwoman Myth – Lessons from Jacinda Ardern
Alicia Keys got it wrong. Jacinda Ardern got it right. You’re not a superwoman!
January 22, 2023 -
5 Reasons Why You Should Be Focusing on Psychological Safety
Psychological safety is broadly defined as a climate in which people are comfortable expressing and being themselves. More specifically, when people have psychological safety at work, they feel comfortable sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retribution. They are confident that they can speak up and won’t be humiliated, ignored, or blamed. They
November 21, 2022 -
Is Your Company Training and Appraising Managers Correctly?
Women in the Workplace 2022 While this publication is based on research conducted exclusively in corporate America, I put it to you that some of the findings are equally relevant to us here in the Caribbean. I refer in particular to the conclusions reached on the role of managers. [T]here’s a growing gap between what’s
November 8, 2022 -
How Do You Prefer Your HR – Strategic or Operational?
How do you prefer your HR – operational or strategic? Click on the link below for some insights into this riddle.
October 22, 2022 -
5 Common Training Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Training often gets a bad wrap. That doesn’t have to be the case. This article identifies five common mistakes and outlines how to avoid and/or fix them.
October 9, 2022 -
How to Reimagine HR – 4 Essential Shifts
Whether you are an HR practitioner, line staff, manager or executive, the shifts described in this article will affect you. So, I invite you to have a read.
September 25, 2022 -
5 Things You Need to Know About Quiet Quitting
Reality check – quiet quitting has nothing to do with actual quitting. Despite the epic fail in name selection, the phenomenon should not be ignored.
September 9, 2022 -
HOW TO TRANSFORM POTENTIAL TO GREATNESS
Greatness isn’t born; it’s grown. That’s true even when on the surface, it looks like someone has achieved overnight success. The good news is that this means that you too can achieve greatness – if you’re prepared to do the work.
July 22, 2022 -
Learn How To GROW Your Talent and Unleash Potential With Performance Coaching
The GROW Model has been seen to yield higher productivity, improved communication, better interpersonal relationships and a better quality working environment.[1] In this week’s blog, we discuss one of the most respected and successful performance coaching models. I’m referring here to the GROW Model created by Alexander Graham, Sir John Whitmore and colleagues. In the
June 27, 2022 -
Back to Office Mandates – Is This Really What Your People Want?
Post-pandemic work arrangements are proving to be a Goldilocks dilemma. What exactly do workers want or need?
June 14, 2022 -
Caribbean Pride And Leadership – Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley
With the power of conviction on her side and her fierce determination to be the best possible advocate for her people and her principles, Prime Minister Mia Mottley is having a global impact.
May 24, 2022 -
Hang in There With Purpose, Faith and Hope
What’s the best course of action when it feels like you’re going through hell? Keep moving! Build yourself a bridge using purpose, faith and hope.
April 25, 2022 -
#Break the Bias – International Women’s Day 2022
Happy International Women’s Day to each and everyone of you. Yes, that includes my male readers. Why? Because gender equity benefits us all. The elimination of biases which prevent more than half of the population from maximizing their potential and optimizing their wellbeing will serve to elevate us all. Therefore, I repeat Happy IWD to
March 7, 2022 -
Do Strong Leaders Always Provide Strong Political Leadership?
“A successful liberal democracy is liable to be one that is effectively “leader-proofed”, one in which… it is made difficult for a strong leader to acquire and wield power and in which the government does not rely on strong leaders for its long-term success”. Anthony King Last week, Business Authority carried an article titled “Strong
February 19, 2022 -
WANT PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY? THIS IS HOW YOU GET IT!
There is a compelling theory of change for psychological safety. So why haven’t more leaders adopted it?
February 8, 2022 -
Business Coaching : Building the Relationship
For a coaching relationship to be optimally effective, rapport must exist between the coach and the coachee. This article provides the concrete steps required to establish and maintain such a bond.
November 6, 2021 -
Business Coaching 101 – Decoding the Fundamentals
From Fortune 500 companies to individual managers and executives, all are reporting outstanding returns on investment. In this article we explain what exactly business coaching is and, perhaps more importantly, what it isn’t.
November 6, 2021 -
Ensure That Your Leadership Is Perennial And Not Seasonal
To succeed in creating the future, we must also excel in letting go of the past: selectively forgetting practices and attitudes that stand in the way of the new future. Vijay Govindarajan While in secondary school, I was required to read the story of Sir Thomas Moore as captured in the book titled A Man
October 23, 2021 -
The Paradox of Women being a Minority in Leadership Positions
While there have been some gains in terms of the prevalence of women in leadership over the past 5 years, it hasn’t been a clear win.
October 8, 2021 -
Four Steps to Master a New Skill
Any journey of learning and development can be an emotional rollercoaster. With these four steps, you can effectively navigate that treacherous terrain.
May 9, 2021 -
Millennial Workers – Myths and Insights
Millennials now occupy managerial positions, and they’re pretty ambivalent about that. As one female executive put it, “we feel like kids with adult jobs.”
April 25, 2021 -
Business Coaching – It Makes Dollars and Sense
Whether you’re the head of the organization, or a supervisor/manager with responsibility for a major department or a member of line staff, coaching is something that you should be thinking about.
April 10, 2021 -
How to Overcome Self-Sabotage
“I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.” Can you relate to that statement?
March 22, 2021 -
THE MANAGER LEVEL UP: Three Essential Nuggets to Help Manage Your Boss
One of the keys to success is establishing mutual respect in your relationship with your boss. This article outlines three nuggets to help you do just that.
March 7, 2021 -
THE MANAGER LEVEL UP: Make Difficult People Disappear
Learn how to make difficult people disappear – legally.
February 23, 2021 -
THE MANAGER LEVEL UP: 5 Step Action Plan to Jumpstart a Stalled Career
This 5 step plan could be just what you need to redesign the job you’re in into the one you want.
February 15, 2021 -
THE MANAGER LEVEL UP: Getting Others to Say YES
High Stakes Negotiation In June 2004, I was appointed as Antigua and Barbuda’s Non-Resident Ambassador to several Latin American countries. Among my assigned portfolio was Brazil. As a congratulatory gift, a colleague commissioned a special lapel pin for me. It consisted of the intertwined flags of the two countries. He was thoughtful and kind enough
January 26, 2021 -
THE MANAGER LEVEL UP: Don’t Stop Until You’re DONE
One rainy Friday morning, I decided to do a YouTube workout rather than hitting the highway for the four-mile walk that I had originally planned for that day. I settled on a HASfit video. I chose that video because it promised a full body resistance band workout – sounded like just the thing I needed
January 8, 2021 -
THE MANAGER LEVEL UP: How To Take Management Performance To The Next Level
During a quiet moment of reflection have you ever thought “I know that our team has the potential to excel, but we’re not there yet? What can I do to help take our performance to the next level?” Management performance is one of the key determinants of success factors such as profitability, employee engagement and
January 1, 2021 -
Achieve Your Full Managerial Potential – #TheManagerLevelUP
Greetings from UTDS Publishing – the new division in the UTDS family. We hope that you, your family, friends, and colleagues are well in these unprecedented times. What’s new with me? I am delighted to share that I have finished my long-awaited book and will be launching it in December – just in time for
November 7, 2020 -
How to Secure Training Success
Recently, I’ve had occasion to apply my mind to the question of what constitutes success when it comes to training employees. We are all familiar with the evaluation forms that one gets at the end of a training programme. You know the one I mean the one where they measure your reaction (Kirkpatrick Level 1)
July 25, 2023 -
It’s Time to Get LOUD 📢
Are you a leader who is ready for an unforgettable career-building experience? Join us at CSHRP’s LOUD23 Conference in Antigua and Barbuda from May 10-12, 2023 for 3 days of learning, change and LOUDness! This conference is designed for attendees to participate in immersive, 40-minute presentations that will provide you with the tools you need to
March 28, 2023