Jay Desko, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Jay is the President and CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute & University.
Videos
Want to be the kind of leader people talk about at dinner in a good way? Here’s how to become a world-class boss in 7 steps.
All organizations have blind spots, and when they go unchecked, they can cause a catastrophic event. Here’s how to identify and avoid blind spots in your organization.
In the movie “The Intern,” Robert De Niro is a retired executive who rejoins the workforce as a senior intern. This may sound like a story made just for the movies, but it matches our reality today. With the population aging and not enough young people to fill the available positions in the workforce, leaders are going to have to be creative to fill in the gaps. Here’s how.
There are a lot of examples of people who are perhaps smart, but not smart all the time. Here are five reasons smart leaders sometimes do dumb things.
Leading change isn’t easy, just ask any leader. But successful leaders will tell you that the risk is worth it. Here are six principles for leading change effectively.
Don’t you wish you could have your own Magic 8-Ball that would tell you how to make the perfect decision? Although that isn’t possible, here are four time-tested aspects of decision-making that leaders can focus on to make great decisions.
We are told to prepare for getting hit by the proverbial "bus." But in reality, something far more common may cause a gap in leadership and put our organizations at risk - illness, accident, quitting, or retirement. Here are four steps to help you prepare for succession when a key leader leaves.
Have you ever felt like a magnet where more and more things stick to you as you go through your day? You either fail to give things away, or tasks that others should have done land on you? Here are five steps to help you delegate wisely and effectively.
Why do we let a pilot, whom we have never met, fly us across the country at 35,000 ft in air? It all has to do with trust. Trust is one of the foundational elements in organizational life. Here are three actions that will help you build trust in your life and leadership.
There are examples of bad leadership all around us. Unfortunately, we can’t change others, but we can make improvements in our own leadership. Watch this video to learn three simple ways to lead well.
Blog Posts
Not only can work be fun – it should be fun. A fun work culture helps with recruitment, reduces stress, and aids in the retention of staff. Here are 5 ways you can create fun at work.
Doctors use MRIs to find problems before they become more serious. What if you could do the same for your leadership and organization? Here are the 5 areas to look out for.
That decision you keep putting off? It's already costing you. Here’s what indecision is really taking from your organization.
The pipeline of emerging leaders is shrinking, but the talent is still out there. You just have to know where to look and be willing to invest. Here's how.
Do you actually know who is carrying your team and who is quietly dragging it down? Here are the four types of employees on every team and how to manage each one.
Surveys are showing that Americans are increasingly lonely. What if your workplace became one of the best places to build real friendships?
If your organization feels outdated or stuck, it may be time for an “extreme makeover.” Before you begin the revitalization process, consider these six essential reminders for leading change wisely.
We can be quick to label someone a narcissist. But have we ever stopped to ask how they got that way, and whether we contributed to it? Here are five ways to make a narcissist out of any leader.
Ever feel like leadership is just one crisis after another? You are not alone. Here are five ways to lead well even when you feel overwhelmed.
At some point, every owner or leader must decide: “Should I stay… or should I go?” These 7 factors often determine the answer.
Most leaders would never say they are smothering their staff, yet many employees feel exactly that way. Here’s how to stop suffocating your staff and start leading with trust.
Have you ever noticed how organizations can spend months planning and still not move an inch? Here’s how to break the cycle and finally get things done.
Panel Discussions
For the first time in history, the U.S. workforce is evenly represented by four generations. In this discussion, our team explores how leaders can improve communication, culture, and performance across age groups.
How do you build a business without losing what matters most? Mike and Heidi Sterlacci share their journey of building CoVerica, staying grounded in their faith, and preparing the next generation to lead.
Our consultants explore the dynamic nature of trends leaders are facing today. From the urgency of succession planning amidst demographic shifts to the evolving impact of AI, they discuss into how leaders can adapt and thrive in an era of constant change.
Everyone wants to know that magic formula for what makes a great leader. Listen as our experienced consultants discuss traits of effective leaders, obstacles that can hinder their success, and how targeted coaching can be used to develop leaders.
Here are the biggest challenges family businesses face, the mistakes they often make, what contributes to healthy dynamics, and how to improve the likelihood of a successful succession.
Approaching retirement can cause both anxiety and excitement as people think about what the second half of their life will look like. Here’s what causes the fear, what changes to expect, and what questions to ask as you approach retirement.
There are 10,000 people turning 65 every day in the U.S. This means there are leaders from every type of organization who will eventually need to hand over the reins of leadership to their successor. Here’s why some leaders avoid succession planning, when you should start, and how to do it successfully.
Trust in many forms of authority has been deeply eroding. Listen as our consultants discuss the state of trust today, how leaders should approach the lack of trust, and how to begin rebuilding it.
Stress is a silent epidemic that has a measurable negative impact. Listen as our experienced consultants discuss how stress expresses itself and what leaders can do to address it.
We have seen many leaders fail or not reach their potential because they could not relate well to others. This is often referred to as lacking emotional intelligence or EQ. Here’s how to strengthen your EQ.
40% of employees are at least somewhat likely to leave their current job in the next 3–6 months. Here are the most important things you can do to attract and retain top talent.
Conflict feels like it is everywhere right now, and many leaders are spending an excessive amount of time resolving conflict among their staff and customers. Listen as our consultants talk about the conflict trends they are seeing and how to best manage conflict in the workplace.
While it may seem like spreading your focus out will increase your leadership, it actually takes away from your effectiveness. Here are five ways you can focus your energy and intention to be the most effective leader you can be.