BALTIMORE — There is an old saying, “Behind every man is a good woman.” However, when it comes to organizational development, one local entrepreneur has her clients saying, “Behind every good business or manager is a ‘Karenthia A. Barber.”
“I help organizations and individuals become more efficient,” said Barber. “People do the best they can with what they have. However, sometimes people just don’t have the support, training and development they need to be successful. That’s where I come in.”
Barber is highly sought after for her expertise in the areas of leadership; supervision; conflict; communication; customer service; community engagement; cultural competency; change management; strategic planning; teambuilding; and workplace violence prevention.
“I have been doing this for 25 years,” said the consultant. “The goal is to get an organization that has a high level of chaos, and see that it becomes a high-functioning organization. I believe God has gifted me to be able to access situations and develop remedies and strategies.”
Barber provides a wide range of organizational development and training services, including workshops, facilitating focus groups, seminars, motivational speaking, staff retreats and coaching for corporate and non-profit organizations around the country. According to Barber, she has a long list of state and federal clients, which include the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and US Postal Service.
Marcel Malloy serves as superintendent for the Real Operations Control Center (ROCC) for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
“In 2014, I was promoted to Lieutenant and Assistant Superintendent in the ROCC, which is considered as the second largest transportation system in America for commuting,” said Malloy. “I wanted some training in mid-level management, and was able to get Ms. Barber as my coach. At that time, I was responsible for 30 direct personnel reports. I needed help getting my message across effectively. Ms. Barber helped me to take a step back, and access all I was dealing with and how to address it.”
Malloy added, “She helped me and my team by coaching me to be an effective manager and leader. I disseminated the coaching and leadership she provided me down to the team. She really showed me how to redirect my skills from being a manager to being a leader and team player with compassion for those you manage. That all helped me to become a great leader in the organization.”
Since that time, Malloy says he has been recognized as a safety manager, received numerous awards, and several promotions leading up to his most recent post.
“All of that came about as a result of the assistance of Ms. Barber,” said Malloy.
Since 2008, Barber has served on the Board of Trustees for the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (MAIF). In 2014, she became MAIF’s first female chair. She recently received the ‘Gold Leadership Award’ from Leadership Maryland for her leadership in the state.
“I was humbled and honored to receive this award,” said Barber. “Service is part of my DNA. It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized for the things I do naturally. It is so important for those of us who have been tremendously blessed to do our part to make a difference in our communities.”
Barber received her undergraduate education at the University of Pittsburgh and completed her graduate studies at Penn State University. Last year, the Daily Record named her as one of its ‘Top 100 Women’. She is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., The Baltimore (MD) Links, Inc., and serves as President of the Ednor Gardens-Lakeside Civic Association and as Second Vice-Chair of the Baltimore Democratic Central Committee.
“My 92-year-old-mother was very active in the community, and is my role model,” said Barber. “As a child, she always had us handing out something. That was the inspiration and the blueprint for me.”
Barber’s memberships include the American Society For Training and Development, Women In Communications, and National Association of Female Executives.
“I believe the true measure of success is helping others,” said Barber. “While I have impacted the lives of thousands of people through training and consulting, there are many more lives for me to touch. There is so much need out there. The climate right now in this country has given rise to a lot of that. Companies need someone like me to come in and to do some introspection to get them where they need to be.”
To contact Barber, call (410) 963-6166 or send an email to kbmotivator4u@aol.com.