Dai Gilbertson

Dr Dai Gilbertson has worked with over 50 organisations, often when their organization is in most strife. He is widely regarded as New Zealand’s top organization consultant, called in when there are significant issues. 

Examples of some of Dai’s consulting achievements are given below:

• At Shell New Zealand’s request, Dai was seconded from Victoria University for a year to build their organization development capability. The process Dai developed and implemented was adopted as the standard for all Shell companies in the world.
• For the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Dai led a participative strategic review of the 42 participating sports which culminated in a unanimously supported new vision, structure, and processes. Dai presented this process to the International Olympic Academy in Greece for adoption in other countries.
• With Skills Active ITO, Dai designed and implemented a participative strategic review with leadership development leading to a new vision, strategic intent, and processes. 
• With Ford New Zealand, Dai implemented a participative management and employee involvement programme. This was picked up by Ford headquarters and became the standard process for Ford companies worldwide.
• For the Hillary Commission Dai developed a strategic thinking and strategic review process for 24 sports funded by the Commission. Each organization did the strategic review, adopted the process and owned the results. It enabled the Hillary Commission to move its accountability processes from being based on written reports and plans, to an interactive and human process in which the Commission was integrally involved. As a result real issues were surfaced, debated, resolved and included in a statement of strategic intent by the sports bodies.
• Dai was called in to chair the meeting for the New Zealand Rugby Union, following the fiasco when New Zealand failed in its bid to host the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Present at the meeting were all of New Zealand’s rugby presidents for the regions, the board and key staff. The result was a unanimous agreement on the immediate and long term action steps. 
• Dai led a Pacific Regional Workshop on Leadership Development with representatives and stakeholders from 15 Pacific nations. He designed and led a process which for the first time led to the Suva Accord - a negotiated agreement signed by all nations on the pathway to leadership development in the Pacific.
• The Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC invited Dai to work with the senior management team and all of the museum directors on a process of strategic review and leadership development. Over the year of working, the Institute moved to become a more united team, adopting a team approach, and changed its vision to make its museums more alive and accessible to the public. As a result the Smithsonian Institution was successful in significantly increasing its congressional funding, despite being previously faced with major cuts.