Shawn Kent Hayashi

Founder & CEO
High Performing Teams Consultant
Executive Coach
Speaker
Author

The founder and CEO of The Professional Development Group LLC, Shawn Kent Hayashi is a global expert in developing inspiring leaders and high performing teams. Growth, innovation, and elevated performance and profits are the results of Shawn’s work as an executive coach, high performing teams consultant, and speaker.

Shawn facilitates growth in leadership ability, emotional intelligence, and communication skills—the tools needed to create strong relationships, inspiring leadership, collaborative teams, and effective presentations. She guides leaders to achieve positive, lasting changes in behavior—for themselves, their people, and their teams.

A dynamic speaker with deep experience working in entrepreneurial companies, Fortune 500, and associations around the globe, Shawn’s keynotes, customized presentations, and team workshops provide practical strategies and real world solutions that are highly relevant in business today.

Shawn is also on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, where she co-teaches the course “How to Think, Speak & Act Like a Great CEO” in Penn’s Organizational Dynamics Master’s Degree Program with Steve Hart, also a Consultant & Executive Coach with The Professional Development Group.

Shawn has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and Fast Company. Her TEDx talk on The Future of Talent@Work forecasts coming changes to the workplace, the growing need for collaboration, and the power of engagement.

Qualifications & Education

  • Frequent speaker at conferences and for Fortune 500 companies
  • M.S., Organization Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania
  • B.A. English, Susquehanna University
  • Attended Crosby Quality College: Master Trainer in Quality Practices
  • Author of 7 books: How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence at Work & in Relationships, the best-selling Conversations trilogy (McGraw Hill), Mastering Your Influence, The Influence Journey, and Power Presentations: How to Connect with Your Audience and Sell Your Ideas (John Wiley & Sons)
  • Certified DISC Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA)
  • Certified Professional Values Analyst (CPVA)
  • Certified in TriMetrixTM Assessment Instrument (CPTA)
  • Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach

Experience

Shawn brings over 20 years of people development expertise, as well as deep experience in one-on-one coaching. Her tenure with several organizations covered various roles including:

  • Chief People Development Officer
  • Vice President, Management & Leadership Development
  • Vice President, Operations
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Director of Customer Support