Steve Van Remortel
Chief Strategist and Talent Advisor

1. How does my role enable people to achieve their business, career, and life goals with the right plan and right talent?

To ensure our clients have the right plan and right talent to achieve what they want.

2. Do’s and don’ts of communicating most effectively with me?

Do’s:

• Be proactive in setting up time to meet
• Be efficient
• Bring recommendations
• Get done what you commit too

Don’ts:

• Be tangential
• Create drama/politics
• Talk about things that are off topic
• Leave topics or action open ended

3. What’s one thing I’ve learned about myself through the behavioral science assessments?

The importance of emotional intelligence especially with my behavioral style.

4. What’s one recommendation I would give every leader/person?

Become a Shepherd of the Talent at work and at home. Own your responsibility to bring out the best In others by developing those you are responsible for. Professional and personal success of those closest to you Is the greatest reward.

5. What do I love most about working at Stop The Vanilla?

The opportunity to change people’s lives every day and help them accomplish their goals.

6. Current leadership development priorities?

• Increase emotional intelligence, especially with others
• Live by this truth: That making statements creates judgment, asking questions creates opportunity.
• Better work life balance

7. Favorite ice cream flavor?

Chocolate chip cookie dough

Cindy LaLuzerne
Client Success Manager

1. How does my role enable people to achieve their business, career, and life goals with the right plan and right talent?

At Stop The Vanilla, we want people to think of us when they have issues/challenges they are facing. One of the things I love about my role is that I feel like a silent member of your team. With my Altruistic motivator, helping others is in my DNA. I am reliable, available, and responsive to our client needs.

2. Do’s and don’ts of communicating most effectively with me?

Do’s:

• Allow me to ask questions
• Give me time to process big decisions

Don’ts:

• Tell me I can’t
• Manipulate me – I have an opinion, but I won’t fight back
• Take my sarcasm personal – It’s all in good fun

3. What’s one thing I’ve learned about myself through the behavioral science assessments?

The importance of challenging myself to continually be better. No matter how far along we are in our career, we are never done growing and learning. It’s part of my development every year. Understanding behavioral science not only helps me in my professional life, but it has improved the overall relationships in my personal life as well, which makes for a healthier me!

4. What’s one recommendation I would give every leader/person?

Care for and understand your team and teammates. People will walk on glass for a good leader with a vision and a plan to get there with others. Together you will do great things!

5. What do I love most about working at Stop The Vanilla?

I love the opportunity I get every day to grow in my understanding of others and myself. I get much satisfaction out of serving our clients and providing them with resources to help them accomplish their goals.

6. Current leadership development priorities?

• Be a Shepherd of the Talent to those in my life
• Be a contributing member of the Stop The Vanilla leadership team
• Stay disciplined to our systems/processes

Mark S. Zelinski
Strategy and Talent Advisor

1. How does my role enable people to achieve their business, career, and life goals with the right plan and right talent?

As a member of the Stop The Vanilla team and as a strategy and talent advisor and coach, I bring over 40 years of real-world, practical experience in several industries and with broad functional responsibilities. Utilizing the “Stop the Vanilla” processes, I will provide insight and knowledge to help your business and improve profitability while guiding your management team to a higher level of performance.

2. Do’s and don’ts of communicating most effectively with me?

Do’s:

• Be prepared and have facts
• Listen and stick to business if it is clear there is work to be done

Don’ts:

• Don’t waste time

3. What’s one thing I’ve learned about myself through the behavioral science assessments?

All of us have a very “individual” behavior style, unique to us and with both strengths and weaknesses. We all need to own our style and work to minimize our weaknesses. And it takes a certain amount of Emotional Intelligence, especially “self-awareness” to understand and have the willingness to improve oneself. I am an ongoing work-in-progress.

4. What’s one recommendation I would give every leader/person?

Do not take planning and development for granted. Know that no matter how well you or your company are doing, there is always room for improvement and growth. And if you are not using “Behavioral Science” as a part of your Team and Personnel Improvement Program, you are missing out on valuable insight into yourself and your key employees.

5. What do I love most about working at Stop The Vanilla?

At this stage of my career, I simply enjoy helping individuals grow and thrive both inside and outside the walls of their company. It’s about helping people that truly want to help themselves and grow as individuals.

6. Current leadership development priorities?

My personal development priorities have not changed. My “style” is one that tends to be aggressive, results-focused, and detail-oriented. I must continually work to listen well and have patience when working with a team.

Mitch Van Remortel
Digital Project Manager

1. How does my role enable people to achieve their business, career, and life goals with the right plan and right talent?

My role allows me to get great content into people’s hands to implement into their business and life.

2. Do’s and don’ts of communicating most effectively with me?

Do’s:

• Build rapport/trust with me to make the conversation feel more casual
• Give immediate feedback/constructive criticism

Don’ts:

• Overreact or lose temper too quickly
• Ask for my opinion and then disregard it

3. What’s one thing I’ve learned about myself through the behavioral science assessments?

Understand how to own and leverage my own emotional Intelligence and how it can affect my and others work.

4. What’s one recommendation I would give every leader/person?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Questions can lead to breakthroughs for teams and Individuals

5. What do I love most about working at Stop The Vanilla?

Anyone that wants to change their life is able to do so with some direction and hard work.

6. Current leadership development priorities?

• Leveraging other person’s strengths effectively in their tasks