What our clients say

Recruitment

“Terri managed the recruitment and selection process for our new Principal in 2019. She worked collaboratively with us to design the process and go through the selection stages… Terri’s extensive knowledge of the education sector and schools in New Zealand was of great value when it came to evaluating the experience of applicants and comparing this to our requirements. As much as Terri guided us through the process and shared her perspectives, she left the decision in our hands so that we owned the outcome. 18 months later we remain very satisfied with the support we received and the decision we made. Our school is in a much better place through having appointed a fantastic person to head it up.”

Andrea Gardner, Board Chair, Ohoka School

“Terri’s experience with Principal recruitment was invaluable for the Board of Trustees of Wairakei School. Even though we are an experienced Board comprising Management, Education and Recruitment experience, we benefited enormously from the methodology, sector knowledge and facilitation Terri provided. Significantly, the Board felt that our Principal appointment decision remained our own; the process guided by Terri gave us comfort that the decision was robust and defendable. We are completely satisfied with the service provided by Catalyst for Change and would recommend highly and any other School Board.”

Richard Little, Chairman, Wairakei School Board of Trustees

“Terri guided the Board through the entire process from creating a shared vision, extensive consultation with all our college stakeholders, shortlisting and testing of candidates, interviews, and final appointment. The entire process was very comprehensive and robust. Terri was particularly impressive at enabling extensive engagement throughout our college community which ensures a genuinely shared vision and approach. Terri skilfully guided the Board through this complex process in a thoroughly professional and empathetic way. Terri’s attention to detail was meticulous and this was invaluable to the Board throughout the recruitment and appointment process. The Board was very pleased with the outcome and the process.”

Hector Matthews, Villa Maria Board Chair

“The Clearview Primary Board of Trustees has engaged the recruitment services of Terri Johnstone from Catalyst 4 Change on multiple occasions to assist us with key leadership appointments. Terri always brings an incredibly professional and thorough approach to facilitating the process of appointment. She listens to our needs and tailors her services accordingly.”

“Terri uses a robust methodology to facilitate the process of appointment. We appreciate her skills in facilitating discussion, inquiring with referees, and communicating with our Board and appointment panels. I highly recommend Terri as a Recruitment Consultant to any school Board wishing to appoint a leader that is the best fit for your context.”

Rob Rush, Tumuaki / Principal, Clearview Primary

“I know we said our thank you’s today.. but really just wanted once again to say how much I enjoyed your process in our bid for a new principal. I have learnt a lot from the process and really embraced the journey you took us on. I was so impressed by your system and your ability to facilitate giving us direction and ownership. Thank You again..”

Tracey / Board Chair, Hoon Hay School

Strategic Planning

Terri enabled the Board to focus on the big picture vision for the future of our school. In my experience it was the best strategic planning I have a been part of, and it has resulted in a Strategic Plan that all the Board members have ownership of."

Kim Alexander, Principal, Redcliffs School

“Our Board employed Terri to lead and support it and the staff in bringing about positive cultural change. Terri skilfully encourages honest self-reflection and a safe environment for people to talk about their own and others’ performance…She was responsive to our needs, and able to action tasks efficiently under time pressures. Workshops were interactive and highly relevant to our desired outcomes”

Murray Hewson, Principal, Witherlea Primary School

Executive Coaching

“I did some career mapping with Terri at a point in my career where I needed to decide whether to leave my current workplace and try something new, or stay where I was and refocus. Terri used a range of tools as well as a series of interviews, exercises and discussions to help me untangle the different factors that were leading to my frustrations and indecision. I ended up with a very clear idea about where I wanted to head with my career, which, with the career map in place, was actually quite simple to organise within my existing role. When to say yes and when, and how, to say no became much simpler with a plan to work from. The fact that my line manager had engaged with the career mapping exercise made it easier to get support from my employer to execute the changes. If you find yourself constantly wondering what it is that you actually are going to be when you grow up, I recommend you have a chat to Terri.”

Juliet Gerrard, University of Canterbury

“Terri assisted me to decide between career paths when a new opportunity presented itself. Her independent coaching helped me to clarify my thinking on which path I wanted to pursue and why. I felt better informed and more confident in the decision I made.”

Susie Meade, Innovation Analyst, Powerhouse Ventures Ltd

Peer Group Mentoring

“Terri provided us with individual leadership training, and followed this up with a group session to assist our management team in enhancing our office culture through improved communication and developing a better understanding of each other. Terri showed a natural ability to build good rapport with all members of our team and challenge our leaders to identify and manage our areas of weakness, in a diplomatic and effective way. Terri was a pleasure to work with.”

Diane Skelton, Office Manager, Boffa Miskell

“Terri Johnstone of Catalyst for Change is a long standing user of Belbin Team Roles as a method for lifting performance in client organisations. Building on her professional background in the health sector, Terri has developed a particularly effective approach in using the Team Roles model in one to one performance improvement situations. My observation is that she is now one of the most skilled practitioners in using the self and interpersonal awareness that the profiling process highlights to help individuals and teams to resolve conflict and to move past situations that have caused performance difficulties.”

Winston Pond, Director, Leadership Solutions Limited

Conflict Resolution

“Our session on conflict management empowered every person to be constructive in resolving conflict as well as be responsible for our shared culture. Terri’s expertise in analysing, sharing and using psychometric data to develop understanding about team roles, strengths and weaknesses is valuable not only in understanding why some team members act the way they do, but also when it comes to appointing the people an organisation needs for balance of roles and attributes.”

Murray Hewson, Principal, Witherlea Primary School

“Due to Terri’s ability, Brannigans developed a new service offering in the field of conflict resolution where the employment legal specialist would recommend Terri as an alternative to progressing a legal route.”

Angie Peebles, Brannigans

Reviews and Investigations

“Terri was a pleasure to deal with on workplace behavioural investigations, including a significant cultural review. She takes great care to clarify written Terms of Reference and to ensure the integrity of the process for everyone concerned. She is particularly effective with complex and systemic issues; her ‘superpower’ is her calm matter of fact approach and obvious breadth of experience which inspires confidence in her professionalism and her judgments. Terri conducts fair, impartial, prompt and thorough investigations and people react very positively to her style and methods. She unfailingly treats people respectfully and sensitively. Her findings with regard to underlying causes such as behavioural issues, lack of capability, culture, and management style are insightful. Her recommendations are perceptive and she endeavours, wherever possible, to recommend constructive outcomes that appropriately resolve issues. She is a careful and discerning fact checker with an uncanny ability to identify underlying issues and behaviours. She tests her thinking with appropriately qualified experts on technical matters, if required, to maintain impartiality and minimise risks.”

Sue Yorke, Senior HR Advisor

“I worked with Terri when she led an inter-agency process using a reference group tasked with developing a practice guideline in a sensitive domain of practice. The group members were experienced experts in their respective fields but sometimes took conflicting positions on aspects of the work. At times these positions were passionately promoted! Terri respectfully worked with the group to facilitate discussion, provided relevant evidence from the research literature and helped us reach a consensus on a practice model. I was impressed with the way Terri planned and facilitated the process and enabled us to achieve a very positive outcome.”

Colin Hamlin, Principal Advisor, Child Youth and Family, Ministry of Health

Statutory Interventions and BOT

“Commissioner Terri Johnstone – what she has done for our school is nothing short of amazing in such a short time. Her experience and range of skills has astounded us all – we have watched, listened, and learnt! Her hard work in reviewing and reviving our school brought our community together and gave us a shared sense of vision and drive. Terri is an inspiration, a role model and a friend to our school.”

Ginny Neal, Principal, Fairlie Primary School

“We were very fortunate to have Terri as our governance facilitator, to support us in brining two schools together. Her experience and practical application was invaluable to ensure a smooth transition. Through her strong facilitation skills, Terri ensured she got the best out of people, by harnessing their strengths and creating an atmosphere of a team. In creating a team she was able to nurture deep conversation, so we were considered and measured in what we did, Terri has a great balance of knowing when to step in and leave it to the team to make the decision. Coupled with a great sense of humour the transition was a wonderful success.”

Matt Tippen, EBot Representative, St Francis of Assisi School 2016