Our Leadership & Experience
Meet the Founder & Principal
Sharon Johnson Coleman is an executive leader, strategist, author, and the founder and principal of Coleman Strategy & Experience Group, LLC. Over more than 25 years, she built her career from the ground up, beginning in a coordinator role and rising to senior executive leadership, including serving as Senior Vice President of Operations & Talent Strategy for a national financial services organization.
Her leadership has spanned human resources, operations, payroll, customer service, compliance, and convention management across nonprofit, faith, and mission focused organizations. She has built people systems, led organizational change, and directed conventions of more than 11,000 attendees, working alongside union labor, hotel partners, exhibition companies, production teams, and thousands of volunteers.
That range of experience taught her an important lesson: many workplace problems blamed on people are actually rooted in the systems and environments around them. That insight became the foundation for her book and methodology, Communication That Leads to Action™, including OPEN Voice™, SAFE Conversations™, and the Five Action Paths™.
Sharon believes HR is architectural. The systems leaders design influence how people communicate, make decisions, experience accountability, and ultimately get work done.
Today, Sharon leads three areas of work. She delivers Communication That Leads to Action™ workshops, keynotes, and assessments. She leads the Human Resources Studio, focused on people strategy, culture, and capability. She also leads the Conference & Event Studio, which delivers seamless execution and meaningful experiences. As needed, she collaborates with trusted HR and convention professionals so every engagement is resourced well.
Sharon holds master’s degrees in Human Resources and Business Management and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Based in the Indianapolis and Fishers area, she partners with organizations nationwide.
At the heart of her work is a simple belief: people should not have to rely on courage alone to speak, and what happens after they speak should not depend on luck.
What Leaders Say
Insights From Those Who Know Our Work
What Leaders Say
As a member of the national board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and later as a board member for the Pension Fund, I have known Sharon Coleman for more than 15 years. Throughout our work together, Sharon consistently demonstrated impeccable judgment, thorough execution, and the highest standards of integrity. Her professionalism and commitment to excellence were evident in every aspect of her work. Without reservation, I would recommend Sharon in any capacity to any organization. –Jabari Butler, Co-Creator & CEO of Sign1News dba Sign1Studios
I have known and worked with Sharon Coleman for more than 20 years through my roles as Sales Manager and Director of Sales for multiple hotel properties. Throughout that time, Sharon consistently demonstrated integrity, fairness, and a deep understanding of the hospitality and events business. She has an exceptional ability to identify and negotiate true win-win outcomes—balancing the needs of the organization she represented with those of the hotel partner. Her strategic insight, attention to detail, and collaborative approach made her a genuine pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend Sharon to any organization seeking a skilled negotiator and a true master of details. – LaShanta Vaughn, President/CEO Horizon Convention Center, Muncie, IN
Sharon Coleman hired me as the Director of Human Resources for the Pension Fund of the Christian Church. Working alongside Sharon, we streamlined and simplified numerous organizational processes, strengthening both efficiency and effectiveness. Together, we developed a manager training program designed for new and first-time managers, equipping leaders with the tools they needed to succeed. Sharon’s strategic vision and thoughtful leadership elevated the Human Resources function and positioned it as a true partner to the organization. – Mikka Mabius, Director of Human Resources, Institute of Organization Development
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