Career transition coaching, business productivity, innovation consulting, experiential learning consulting

 

Living the Potential was founded in 1998 as a company helping schools maximize use of technology, such as computers, multimedia educational resources, and videoconferencing, in educational environments. Founder Renee Poindexter, who taught high school English for many years, saw a need for schools and other organizations to change their perceptions of learning in order to realize the potential of these new types of technology.

From the beginning, Ms. Poindexter embraced the concept of natural learning—using self-designed projects to allow students to uncover knowledge, rather than receive it passively from a book. In the course of fulfilling this mission, she worked extensively with students, parents, and educators to create safe, collaborative environments where the students could discover their unique gifts and goals, and map out their own learning plans. Her vision of creating learning communities has been influenced by her association with the Wondertree Foundation, and her work with founder Brent Cameron. Brent and his team are committed to bringing natural learning to the world as the essential process for life development, a commitment Ms. Poindexter shares. She continues to practice the principles with groups of teachers, mediators, executive teams, and technology leaders. She sees that business and education organizations are all experiencing transformation, and that the essential design elements (which they hold in common, but without awareness due to language challenges) must begin with a shift in managing the greatest potential: humans, and the way they use technology.

Because of her sales and marketing experience within Fortune 500 businesses, as well as within startup software companies, Renee is able to facilitate culture change by integrating natural learning methodology with the intention of forming learning communities. Wherever people need to collaborate to get work accomplished, there is a need to understand how learning happens; where innovation originates; and how to synergize on a daily basis.

Since learning happens at work and in schools, there is a need to create TEAMS to make learning more relevant to today’s issues. Learners want to model what business needs, and business needs to prepare students for the future. Ms Poindexter promotes partnerships between business leaders and students that combine interdisciplinary and project-based learning in a manner that dovetails with business and its drive toward project management and program development. (See related case history.)

She worked with educational teams, including teachers, principals, professors, and administrative staff, to create programs and systems that facilitated this new mode of learning. To create the space for change inside existing structures and perceptions, she worked with people one-on-one and in teams.

By word of mouth, demand for her services spread to other types of organizations, as well as to individuals facing crossroads in their career or life. To each client she brings a commitment to protect and nurture the full potential that is inherent within individuals, and allow this unfolding capacity to create and innovate systems of growth for schools, businesses and organizations.