I’ve had the honor of working with Sharon Kay Ball with 9Paths on a number of projects that required a tremendous amount of work in the area of diversity and inclusion. I don’t know anyone more committed to ensuring equity than Sharon. Her ability to pull people into a real dialogue that leads to self evaluation which promotes change. Sharon’s training and strategic planning skill makes it easy for organizations and individuals to move forward with the idea of the whole team in mind. When I need executive coaching my first call is to Sharon. Why, because she knows how to create an environment for you to talk and work through your thoughts and biases that’s impacting your work place productivity. So here is what you need to know most of all; you can put what’s on you mind out there with Sharon and not have to worry about it coming back to you from anyone, as Sharon (Dr. Ball, that’s what I like to call her) will hold in confidence those thing you don’t want anyone to know. So yes, I would say that her integrity runs deep and she is the ideal training and executive coach that can get you where you and/or your team needs to be. 

 Sharon has been very integral in the development of Dow Inc’s corporate inclusion and sponsorship program. Her courage to break through barriers and challenge the status quo has enabled several promotional opportunities for protégées across the company. Sharon has personally coached me and through this experience, I have had exceptional results. Her candor and willingness to listen first and guide second is one of the reasons why I would recommend her or any other professional/executive coach. Her coaching perspectives have allowed me to reset and refocus my lenses to why I matter and why it’s important for me to be the best version of myself. 

Sharon and her team led the kick-off of Champion 4 Change (Mid-level professionals), a development program at Dow for the Asian Diversity Network. Utilizing Enneagram types to understand individual types, she and her team were able to support matching sponsors/sponsee pairing as well as creating psychologically safe environments for all.

I have collaborated with Sharon now for a couple of years…and can tell you definitively, she is of the highest caliber of professionals. Starting with her strategic thinking, Sharon has an uncanny ability to think through ideas and projects and then formulate complex people-oriented programs. For instance, in the diversity and inclusion space (an ambiguous and subjective concept), she starts with a process to TRULY understand a company’s needs, challenges and desired outcomes and then weaves together a plan that yields amazing on-target results. The other thing I find striking about Sharon is her depth of knowledge in the soft skills arena. She is a true expert and thought-leader, but one with the ability to teach and facilitate discussions that cause ideas to sink deep and stick in the minds of audiences. And finally, what a delightful, friendly person to work and collaborate with. Sharon strikes that perfect balance between being highly professional and super personable. Sharon is in a class of her own and to which I can confidently recommend her in the highest way. 

Sharon is one of the best facilitators of inclusion discussions in organizations looking for positive change. Sharon led a very candid year+ long effort for our company that culminated in every participant being vulnerable and sharing their lived experiences. Her integrity and authentic leadership through the process was very apparent. I should add these sessions were well ahead of the recent and heightened discussions on inclusion that have become more visible. She preceded the times in that regard and I will highly encourage anyone looking to build an inclusive culture, at any level, to trust Sharon and her team to deliver results. I look forward to continuing to learn from her experience to continue to shape the culture of our organization. Thank you Sharon for your candor, care and respect for people.

During the time the City of Franklin, Tn sheltered the Katrina evacuees, I observed the work that Sharon did with these folk in a time of extreme stress for them. She coordinated the mental health professionals to implement a makeshift “crisis counseling center,” fully staffed with volunteer therapists, psychologists and psychiatrist from the community. The evacuees who came to the shelter for services, seemed to leave with a much more positive outlook for the future than when they arrived. I recall the Street Party that was held on the final night of the shelter and how much fun they had and their enthusiasm toward life and much of that I need to attribute to Sharon and those working with her to help the evacuees begin to cope with an almost impossible situation. 

I have had the honor of working with Sharon K. Ball and 9Paths on several projects requiring tremendous work in diversity and inclusion. I don’t know anyone more committed to ensuring equity than Sharon. Sharon’s training and strategic planning skills make it easy for organizations and individuals to move forward with the idea of the whole team in mind.

I had the honor of working with Sharon and 9Paths for almost six years in a collaborative effort to develop a ground-breaking sponsorship program for promising talent at my company. With the Enneagram as our foundation and the goal of integrating inclusion, diversity, and leadership components, Sharon succeeded in helping us deliver an authentic, empowering, dynamic program. Sharon customized a curriculum based on credible research and expertise and facilitated multiple workshops throughout the program.