Mary Jane Pories

As Founder and President of Fishladder Inc., Mary Jane has achieved success through her innovative and customized approach to challenges in the workplace. Using her extensive teaching/training experience over the past 25 years, coupled with her award-winning performances, she brings a lively, results oriented approach to strengthening productivity through an empowered workforce.

As an alumnus of the main stage at The Second City, she has appeared in numerous traditional theater pieces, independent films and commercials. She is also Producer, Director and Performer of Fishschtick, winning the Silver Townie Award for Best Improv Troupe for the last several years.

As a performer, director, and instructor of improvisation, Mary Jane has witnessed first hand the power this medium can have on an individual’s ability to communicate, innovate, and remain agile in the midst of change.

Through our training, we have created real change in numerous organizations by equipping their leaders to adapt to and initiate change to stay competitive in a volatile economy. We have facilitated genuine growth in emerging talent by enabling them to reach beyond their expected capacity to become more vocal, more confident, and more innovative. Their achievement has resulted in greater overall effectiveness and profitability for the companies they serve.

Results Achieved

  • A young leader of a global company based in Grand Rapids, desiring an overseas position thought this would only be a possibility after several more years of service. Following my coaching, she was promoted to Managing Director of a Global Regional Service Center in Mexico in less than a year.
  • A Marketing Manager of a global company based in Chicago was asked to provide an update to the executive team and global sales managers. Seeing an opportunity, I suggested she broaden her presentation. Our work together on the content and her presentation skills so thrilled the executive team that it resulted in the acquisition of a competitor and ultimately her promotion. In over 100 years, the company had never moved so quickly on such a major change. Her initiative will result in an additional $50 million in sales in the next 5 years.
  • Confronted with reduced state funding, higher tuition and new board members, a major university needed consensus on a sweeping new budget to address increasing enrollment and long term need. Following our work together, the board voted unanimously to adopt the new building and budget proposals.