Why Me?
Hi, my name is Katherine Lambert. My background is non-traditional, and I take pride in being different from what you may have encountered with traditional HR.
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Much of my early career was in account management for the Corporate Executive Board (aka CEB), selling to and consulting with CIOs and CHROs from Fortune 1000 companies. I learned how businesses are structured and run, best practices in corporate IT and corporate HR, how to sell, how to consult, and how to manage others.
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From CEB I relocated from DC to LA to attend a full time MBA program and pivot from consulting to HR leaders to becoming a corporate HR leader myself. My corporate HR experiences have ranged from
- Recruiting and Sales Training roles for small to medium sized tech companies in Austin
- Employee Engagement, Employee Relations, & HR Business Partner (HRBP) roles with Sony Pictures Entertainment in Los Angeles, and
- HRBP and OD/Learning roles with LinkedIn in the SF bay area, including leadership of a small HR team for the CMO- growing and developing the Marketing organization from <200 to more than 700 globally
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Now I run KVL People Consulting (based in LA but supporting clients globally), which you can read all about on this lovely website.
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Education-wise, I have a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication (major in Advertising) from the University of Oklahoma, and an MBA from the University of Southern California (Management & Organization emphasis).
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Creatively and artistically, I am a classically trained dancer with a love for the arts and music. I also teach dance fitness classes, identify as an aspiring novelist and an amateur theologian, volunteer with my church, and love travel, my husband, and all dogs- especially our 15-year-old long-haired dachshund. I’m a Theta, Enneagram type 4, and a native Texan- so I say y’all a lot.
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Bottom line: I’m a business person with a passion for solving people problems, delivering results with impact, and making people feel good about themselves. Others have described me as creative, inquisitive and positive. No matter your previous experience with HR or with consultants, I hope I surprise you in the best of ways.
For Businesses
How is Katherine different from other HR consultants?
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Many traditional HR consultants focus on operational activities, employment processes, compliance with the law, etc. As a “People Consultant,” I instead focus on what larger organizations often call strategic HR Business Partner work- solving a people or organization issue with business enablement as the priority, and the employee experience top of mind. So while I’m not going to write or revise your employee handbook or implement Workday for you, I can help you re-organize a team, support you with hiring or termination decisions, train and/or coach managers, and build out practices to make promotion and compensation decisions easier and more fair. You may not realize you need me if you have never worked with a true HR Business Partner, or not had a great experience with HR in the past.
I outsource HR administration. Why would I need Katherine?
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I’m glad you have resources for HR administration (policies, payroll, benefits, compliance, etc.) because that is not what I do. I help with management decisions and people-related problem solving- be it a single sticky issue or building out a people development solution to make things easier for the future. If you see growth or change on the horizon for your team or company, I can also help read the “people and organization tea leaves” and get ahead of issues.
I’ve worked with a coach before. How is this different?
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The job of a Co-Active Coach® is to ask powerful questions, listen, and activate the skills and creativity a client already possesses, rather than to instruct or advise. In contrast, as a consultant helping businesses with management and organizational challenges, I do instruct and advise while using coaching skills.
Can I outsource activities to Katherine, like firing someone?
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If I take on communication of your decisions, I take away some of your power and credibility. Part of my job is to empower you with the language and approach to mitigate the painfulness of difficult conversations. Currently, the only activity companies can “outsource” to me would be certain types of training, which I can custom design and facilitate for you.
For Individuals
How is Katherine different from other coaches?
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My approach is a blend of co-active coaching skills (asking powerful questions to help you realize what you really want) and advice (“I wouldn’t recommend taking that approach and here is why.”) You can think of coaches on a spectrum. At one end you have coaches that help with a particular skill, like presentation skills- giving very specific and helpful instruction for you. At the other end of that spectrum, you have coaches who focus wholly on asking questions and making observations to help you uncover insights. I put myself in the middle of that spectrum. I am a student of the co-active model: asking questions to challenge you and making observations to affirm you. But I also offer my advice of what to say and what not to say, what I’ve seen work and what usually doesn’t, and how to navigate the system effectively.
I haven’t had a great experience with HR. Why would I reach out to Katherine?
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I get it. And I’m sorry you haven’t had a great experience. I’d like to show you a different approach. I’m not about policy and procedure. And I’m not affiliated with your company, so I will protect confidentiality and bring a neutral third-party opinion to the situation. I’ll be honest with you about what I think is possible, and help you find solutions as a thought partner and champion for you.
Tell me more about “communication assistance.” Will she write emails for me?
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No, but I will copy edit your proposed written communication(s) following a coaching session, making suggestions to your content to help you achieve the desired impact.
Since she used to work at LinkedIn, will Katherine redo my LinkedIn profile for me?
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No. There are a number of people out there who specialize in this and can help you. That said, if you’d like to use part or all of a coaching session with me to ask for my suggestions for your profile, I’m happy to offer my recommendations.
Values & Guiding Philosophies
Often we rush to judgment, or assume we know another person’s motivation or situation. Instead, be curious. Seek to understand, and if making assumptions, assume positive intent.
As Maya Angelou said, people won’t remember what you said or did, but how you made them feel. For me, the “how” matters deeply. Speaking the truth is important, but extending empathy and grace allow you to be heard.