Who We Are

JAMES C. SELMAN Founding Board Member James C. Selman Jr. is a recognized leader and authority in the field of organizational transformation and culture change. Beginning over 35 years ago, he was amongst the pioneers of organizational/management practitioners to identify the need for manifesting organizational change, identifying the leverage points for leaders and managers to generate change, and developing a technology for accelerating the pace of change.

As a coach, facilitator and consultant, he has made numerous breakthrough contributions to his clients’ capacity to mobilize people and build competencies in the areas of communication, relationship, business process design, coordination and executive leadership. Mr. Selman was an early designer and continual innovator in the process of culture change, organizational visioning, and implementation of practices producing recognized and lasting benefits. In 1976, he formed his own firm and began the research into the nature of culture and large-scale systems change which later distinguished organizational transformation as a distinct field of management theory and practice. Prior to this innovative launch of Selman & Associates (from 1988, ParaComm Partners International), Mr. Selman was a partner with the firm of Touche Ross & Co. In 1984, Mr. Selman co-founded Transformational Technologies, an operating network of over 70 consulting organizations in the United States and Europe. Some of his accomplishments in working with both public and private sector clients include: Design and Leadership of National Program Initiatives in areas of environmental protection, drug and alcohol abuse and economic development on behalf of various government agencies including the White House and US Congress. Development of strategies for corporate reinvention (transformation) including design of original approaches to building leadership competencies in the telecommunication, health, aerospace, petroleum, and electrical utility industries. Design and Implementation to new approaches for dealing with the human and cultural aspects of large mergers and acquisitions.  Landmark example involved a $5 billion acquisition involving 4000 people, which was completed to the satisfaction of people from both organizations in less than six months. Since 1998, Mr. Selman has worked with over 700 Public Service Executives in their learning to lead change. His leadership course, "Coaching for Breakthroughs and Commitment," is seen as a component in an overall current strategy to transform the culture of the Canadian Government to become a more citizen focused and effective learning organization. He has also worked with all of the major federal departments of the Canadian Government in the design and implementation of transformational strategies. Mr. Selman has spoken widely and has published several groundbreaking articles including: Organizational Transformation of Health Care, with Andrews et. al. Jossey Bass, 1993, Chapter Four “Rethinking the Fundamentals,” Canadian Utilities, 1990 “Contextual Management,” Industry Week, 1983 “Coaching and the Art of Management”, Organizational Dynamics, 1989 “Paradigms, Organizational Change and Productivity in Developing and Implementing Information Systems,” ICIT 1991 “Coaching Beyond Management,” 10 Hour Video Course with workbook “Ground Rules for Effective Teams,” TransAlta Utilities, 1992 “Empowering Organizational Culture,” TransAlta Utilities, 1992 “Managers Anonymous,” New Management Magazine, 1992 “Dialogue on Commitment,” Journal of Management Inquiry, 1995 Mr. Selman received his BA degree from University of Oklahoma with majors in Social Psychology and Philosophy, and he attended graduate school at the University of Florida. In 2002, Mr. Selman provided inspiration, vision, and technology to the formation of Legacy XXI Institute. He is a Founding Member of the Board of Trustees.