About T3
Three Tall Trees was born in late 2005, the brainchild of Tom Mann and Ted Zerrer, two Philadelphia-born, Durango, Colorado residents, who oddly enough, first met at a Leadership retreat in Sebastopol, California.
That retreat, and the ones that followed, were life-changing.
Sitting in two white Adirondack chairs on Ted's porch in downtown Durango, the sharpies were squeaking on flip charts for months, interrupted only by the occasional pizza and Greek salad.
Three Tall Trees became a toddler in 2006, testing exercises, games, and lots of other content. We were fortu8nate to fill two epic programs, held in the desert of Southwest Utah, and in an Aspen grove near Purgatory ski resort.
The results blew us away. Aha moments and life changing realizations.
T3 has worked with a Fortune 100 company, a winery, The State of Washington Department of Social and Health Services, Montana State Library, Mesa Verde National Park rangers, A Colorado mountain town's staff and city council, and many more organizations.
Three Tall Trees ‘cut its leadership teeth’ in shipyards, one of the toughest, most challenging business environments…ever!
Why Shipyards?
Because they're freaking cool!
And, early on, we realized that if our approach to Leadership Development worked in shipyards, there was a very good chance it would be successful with any business, in any industry. Shipyards are tough, high-stress, dangerous workplaces. Resources are limited, budgets are tight, and schedules are impossible. Leaders usually have a macho, get-it-done, old school mentality. Work is often a cyclical roller coaster. Feast or famine. The work is tough and challenging, and so are the people who work in yards! Making money is HARD.
WE’RE NOT CONSULTANTS.
WE’RE PARTNERS…with You and Your Org. We See You as the ‘Third Tree’ in Three Tall Trees. It’s the Only Way We Collectively Succeed.
We've worked in shipyards on both coasts of the US, and in every case, employees were curious, open and ready to make a difference where they worked. They knew that the status quo wasn't serving them or other employees.
T3 has helped shipyards across the USA develop engagement-oriented, human-centered leaders. The results have been eye-opening (see www.welcometothequest.com for the magical story of Vigor Ketchikan).
Why (again) Shipyards?
Well, in 2007, T3 kinda 'splashed' into them.
We worked with a Fortune 50 oil company that was planning on bringing 5 oil tankers to a Portland, Oregon shipyard over the course of a year.
Only one problem.
They pretty much hated each other.
No trust.
Crappy (if any) communication. Lots of blame, frustration and unspoken anger.
So, at a huge B & B in Portland, aptly named ‘The Rose,’ we brought 6 ship repair project managers from each company together.
It was…interesting.
OK, another word for it: brutal.
It started with venting, blame, accusations and a heaping helping of fear and loathing. And that was just day one. Four days later, the retreat ended with lots of handshakes and hugs. Trust and understanding. And a promise to speak truth, listen, and work together to complete the projects on time and within budget.
That was the start of 18 years of working in shipyards from Alaska to the Pacific Northwest, San Diego to Norfolk, Virginia. In those 18 years, we failed often, learned a lot, and over time, gained an understanding of how to help human beings and organizations become the best versions of themselves.
If your organization believes, (or wants to believe!), that you can have your cake and eat it, too—you can grow, be more innovative, and WAY more profitable by focusing on your people, you could be a great partner (and a third ‘Tree’) with Three Tall Trees!