The Hayes Group International

What The Hayes Group International does

The Hayes Group International is a privately held, founder-owned organizational consulting firm founded in 1976 and headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It delivers a full-service portfolio of human-capital consulting engagements — leadership coaching, team development, customized leadership training, organizational strategy and culture, talent management, performance management, change management, surveys/assessments, professional facilitation, off-site meetings, and human capital valuation — primarily to enterprise clients. The firm is led by President Michael D. Comer, MBA, D.M., with founders Merwyn A. Hayes, Ph.D. and Marge Hayes remaining associated through co-authorship and the Heartbeat of America Award recognition.

The firm's intellectual property is built around several proprietary frameworks: The Belief System (focused on confidence, trust, and satisfaction as cultural levers), the Change Acceptance Curve (a five-stage model developed in 1989 with Robert Hunter PhD and Arthur Andersen colleagues), the Nine Change Essentials Framework, the DISC Behavioral Style Assessment, and customized 360-Degree Assessments. Delivery is human-led by a network of 38+ senior consultants — many drawn from C-suite or senior leadership roles at Gulfstream Aerospace, ABB, Deloitte, PNC Bank, the U.S. Air Force, and the Permanente Federation — operating as a distributed team across at least 24 U.S. cities and providing on-site coaching, workshops, and facilitated engagements globally. Customers span aerospace, financial services, insurance, healthcare, industrial, retail, and media (logos include AutoNation, Volvo, Hardee's, NBC Universal, Harbor Freight, AIG, Gulfstream, Wells Fargo, ABB, Mastercard, AltaMed, USAA, ABC, Harvard University, Westinghouse, and Coach).

Revenue is generated through billable consulting engagements using project-based and retainer fee structures, with non-public quote-based pricing. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, leveraging referrals, industry reputation, content marketing via a large blog library, published books, case studies, and the Heartbeat of America Award for credibility. The firm has cumulatively served 1,700+ organizations across 28 countries over its 48+ year history, with no disclosed institutional investment, M&A activity, public funding, or parent-company ownership.

Name

The Hayes Group International

Legal name

The Hayes Group International, Inc.

Website

https://www.thehayesgroupintl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Hayes Group International is a privately held, Winston-Salem-based organizational consulting firm founded in 1976 that delivers leadership coaching, team development, change management, and performance management services to enterprise clients using proprietary frameworks and a bench of 38+ senior consultants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organizational Development Consulting

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Management Consulting Services (54161), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organization Design & Change Management Consulting (BPAHACAD), Employee Experience, Engagement & Culture Advisory (BPACAJAI), Organization Design & Operating Model Consulting (BPAHAGAB)

Keywords

• Leadership coaching services
• Organizational development consulting
• Team development consulting
• Change management consulting
• Talent management consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: Revenue generated through billable consulting engagements including leadership coaching, team development programs, organizational assessments, and change management engagements. Services are tailored to each client organization with project-based and retainer fee structures.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Hayes Group International is a full-service organizational consulting firm that delivers leadership coaching, customized leadership training and development programs, team development, talent management, performance management, organizational strategy and culture, change management, surveys and assessments, professional facilitation, and off-site meetings. Engagements are tailored to each client organization and delivered by senior consultants using proprietary methodologies such as the DISC Behavioral Style Assessment, 360-Degree Assessments, The Belief System, the Change Acceptance Curve, and the Nine Change Essentials Framework.

Product overview

The Hayes Group International is a full-service organizational consulting firm founded in 1976 that offers a comprehensive portfolio of human capital consulting services. The core offerings include Leadership Coaching, Customized Leadership Training & Development Programs, Team Development, Organizational Strategy and Culture, Talent Management, Performance Management, Change Management, and related assessment tools including DISC Behavioral Style and 360-Degree Assessments. The firm also publishes proprietary books including Start with Humility, The Belief System, Give to Get Leadership, and Good Stress: Living Younger Longer. These services are delivered through individual coaching, team sessions, workshops, and organizational assessments to help leaders and teams achieve excellence across more than 1,700 organizations in 28 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Customized Leadership Training & Leadership Development Programs
• Team Development
• Self-Care and Work-Life Alignment
• Organizational Strategy and Culture
• Talent Management
• Performance Management
• Change Management
• Surveys and Assessments
• Professional Facilitation
• Off-Site Meetings
• Human Capital Valuation & Organizational Assessment
• DISC Behavioral Style Assessment
• 360-Degree Assessments
• Leadership Coaching Equips leaders with skills to navigate challenges, improve communication, create new habits, and stay competitive. Delivered as tailored coaching engagements by senior consultants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transformed cultures across industries through targeted interventions including succession planning, leadership development, organizational design, talent strategy, and process change
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm with a substantial leadership development and talent management practice alongside executive search and RPO. It overlaps with The Hayes Group's leadership coaching and talent management services but operates at significantly larger scale across a broader portfolio of offerings.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global leadership advisory firm offering executive search, leadership consulting, and culture shaping. It is a broad incumbent in the same enterprise leadership consulting category as The Hayes Group, with significantly larger scale and global footprint.
• GP Strategies: GP Strategies (which acquired BlessingWhite) is a large organizational performance consulting firm offering leadership development, engagement, and learning solutions. It is a broad incumbent in the same enterprise learning and leadership space as The Hayes Group, with deeper investment in technology-enabled delivery.

Direct peers

• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is a global leadership and organizational consulting firm best known for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and similar proprietary frameworks. It directly competes with The Hayes Group in enterprise leadership development, executive coaching, and culture change engagements, operating at a similar fee-for-service professional services model with a strong content/thought-leadership brand.
• DDI (Development Dimensions International): DDI is a leadership and talent development firm specializing in leadership assessment, selection, and development programs for enterprise clients. It is directly comparable to The Hayes Group given its focus on leadership development, behavioral assessments, and large-organization change programs.
• Center for Creative Leadership: CCL is a research-driven leadership development organization offering executive coaching, leadership programs, and team development. It is a direct peer in the leadership and organizational consulting space with a similar target market of large enterprise and government clients.
• BTS: BTS is a global professional services firm specializing in leadership development, sales coaching, and strategy execution simulations. It directly competes with The Hayes Group in executive coaching and team-based leadership engagements for enterprise clients.
• Marshall Goldsmith Group: Marshall Goldsmith Group is a leading executive coaching and leadership development firm known for stakeholder-centered coaching methodology and published thought leadership. It is directly comparable to The Hayes Group in executive coaching, leadership development, and branded content/IP.
• RHR International: RHR International is a boutique management consulting firm specializing in executive coaching, leadership development, and senior team effectiveness for global enterprises. It is directly comparable to The Hayes Group as a senior-practitioner-led boutique competing for similar enterprise leadership engagements.

Emerging players

• BetterUp: BetterUp is a tech-enabled coaching and leadership development platform that combines AI with a network of coaches. It represents an emerging, technology-led competitor in the same leadership development market as The Hayes Group, with broader scalability but less senior-practitioner depth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HayesGroupIntl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Hayes Group International