PHOENIX, AZ— Publishers Weekly writes:  “In an era when good leadership is scarce, the unenlightened should look not to their politicians, teachers, clergy or family members, but to the one and only Tony Soprano, the infamous New Jersey-based Mafioso of the television series that shares his name.  While using the typical management buzzwords--networking, strategizing, delegating, executing--that generally lead to the eyes glazing over, Himsel manages to inject some newness into the business-as-usual theorizing that tends to characterize the many tell-don't-show works already out there.”   Bookpage adds:  “Business books don’t have to be boring…Fans will love the plethora of examples from the show, and the quizzes and role playing exercises will force you to practice being direct (dressing like a thug is optional)…A perfect gift for Sopranos lovers (or spineless friends).”  The Fort Worth Star-Telegram adds:  “Fictional mob boss Tony Soprano leaves no doubt about who has leadership responsibility in his New Jersey crime family. ‘I'm the one who calls the shots,’ he tells his underworld associates in one of the episodes of the HBO television series The Sopranos. … The chapter on feedback poses the Sopranoesque question: "You got a problem with me?" A leader who is gossiped about tends to be a leader who doesn't invite feedback [gossip needs an information-poor environment in which to thrive.]" Insights of that caliber abound in this informative, instructive, witty and slightly risqué treatise.”                                                                                                                                                     Deborrah Himsel, author of LEADERSHIP SOPRANOS STYLE, is in demand for her well-thought out views on ways in which the fictional Tony Soprano is a good business leader “not the whacking part…” She cites Soprano’s leadership skills – including the simple, clear, adaptive structure of his organization, his effective coaching, his techniques for conflict resolution, and his use of common bonding rituals – all highly prized in any workplace.                                    "Organizations today require leaders who know how to get things done, who are skilled at cutting through red tape and at finding innovative solutions to complex problems," Himsel says.  "This is one of Tony’s strengths." Because of her leadership skills, Starbucks Corporation recently hired

Himsel to facilitate a Teambuilding Session at the Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, outside  Atlanta.  Himsel is working with Hewlett-Packard and others while in Singapore.  Himsel is a recognized expert in leadership development, a change agent, a thought leader, an author, an educator and executive coach, a stand-up comedienne and sought-after speaker for conferences and workshops. For more information visit www.leadershipsopranosstyle.com

“I am flattered that the Starbucks organization recognized my work by inviting me to lead their staff in Teambuilding," Himsel, Global Organization Development Consultant for Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management, stated. “Organizations today require leaders who know how to get things done, who are skilled at cutting through red tape and at finding innovative solutions to complex global problems.” 

Himsel has led large-scale organizational change and HR process realignment, most recently at Avon Products, Inc. where her work was widely acknowledged in the field as a best practice.  Leadership Sopranos Style: How to become a More Effective Boss, was released to critical acclaim in late 2004. She is often interviewed and quoted on television, radio and in print. USA TODAY hired Deborrah to provide weekly expert commentary on the television series, The Apprentice.

Over the last five years, Himsel has shared her expertise on Fox News, CNBC and Bloomberg as well as numerous local business programs. She has written articles and been quoted in such publications as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times and HR Executive.

Deborrah M. Himsel

Author, motivational speaker, leadership development expert

Deborrah is a recognized expert in leadership development, a change agent, a thought leader, an author, an educator and executive coach…a sought-after speaker for conferences and workshops.  She has led large-scale organizational change and HR process realignment, most recently at Avon Products, Inc. where her work was widely acknowledged in the field as a best practice.  Deborrah wrote Leadership Sopranos Style: How to become a More Effective Boss, which was released to critical acclaim in late 2004. She is often interviewed and quoted on television, radio and in print. USA TODAY hired Deborrah to provide weekly expert commentary on the television series, The Apprentice. Over the last five years, she has shared her expertise on Fox News, CNBC and Bloomberg as well as numerous local business programs. She has written articles and been quoted in such publications as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times and HR Executive.

With more than 18 years’ of experience in leadership development, Debbie has acquired a level of expertise that not many other professional in the field possess. As a result, she is a frequent speaker and writer on leadership topics and has addressed such groups as the American Psychological Association, the Society for Human Resource Management, the Academy of Management, and the Society for Training and Development.

Deborrah is an adjunct faculty member at The Robert J. Milano School of Management and Urban Policy and The College of New Rochelle, where she has taught courses in International Human Resource Management, Group Dynamics and Organization Development.  Her courses consistently receive high evaluations with particular praise for her “real world” application of theory.  In addition, Deborrah is affiliated with Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management in their Executive Education group. She also contributes to the Global Mindset Project working with Mansour Javidan.  In addition, Deborrah is an adjunct professor at Western International University and is affiliated with Mercer Delta providing Leadership Development workshops for them.

Deborrah Himsel was responsible for worldwide leadership development, succession planning, recruiting, and performance management at Avon. Deborrah’s work in leadership development received Avon’s Pathfinder award in 2002 and will be featured in an upcoming Harvard Business Review article.

Deborrah was Vice President, Human Resource Planning and Development at Deutsche Bank (formerly Bankers Trust), for two years where she spearheaded the firm’s drive toward a culture that rewarded both results and people – a first for Wall Street. Her work at the bank focused on leadership development, talent management, executive coaching and performance management as enablers of change.

The early part of her career was spent with Pfizer in the roles of Director of Training and Development and Manager of Organization Development. This included leadership development, organization and team development, competency modeling and team and process facilitation. One of her initiatives earned the Big Apple Award from The Public Relations Society of America.  She was instrumental in implementing the change of four distinct sales and marketing organizations into integrated disease management teams in the U.S., earning a top sales award in 1996.

Debbie holds an M.B.A. with a concentration on Organization Development from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a Bachelor’s degree from the same institution. 

Deborrah divides her time between New York and Arizona.