Dr. Jeff McGee

Dr. Jeff McGee had a good job as a director of operations at a good company, but he was driven to do more. So he took a risk and founded Cross-Cultural Dynamics (CCD), an organizational and leadership development consulting firm based in Mesa.

“The most important risk I took was leaving my 40-hour a week position to start CCD over five years ago,” McGee said. “In my position as director of operations at my previous employer, I felt stuck, and I felt like I was working to fulfill someone else's vision. While my previous employer did treat me right, I kept feeling like there was more out there for me to do. As this feeling wouldn't reside in me, I decided that I had to step out in faith and believe that I would be able to chase my own visions and dreams.”

CCD has experienced significant financial growth, doubling revenues annually since its inception, and is projected to continue this trend in 2023. To expand CCD's reach and impact, McGee launched the first satellite office in Long Beach, California, with a dedicated director of operations overseeing the office.

In February 2022, McGee further expanded CCD's offerings by acquiring a human resources consulting firm. The move resulted in the establishment of the company’s people and culture department, which provides diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging-focused consulting services to HR firms.

McGee has also ventured into the world of academia as a professor at a local college, sharing his knowledge and shaping the minds of future leaders. He also is writing his second book, which aims to provide leaders with a user-friendly model for shaping organizational culture and enhancing leadership capacities.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, McGee takes great pride in the positive impact CCD has on its employees. He envisions a workplace where every employee feels a sense of belonging and engagement, he said. CCD celebrates its employees in unique and meaningful ways, providing vacations, hosting dinners and supporting their personal and professional growth.

McGee's vision for CCD is to become the premier firm reshaping organizational cultures across the United States. In the next five years, CCD aims to establish satellite locations in 10 cities, while maintaining its headquarters in the Phoenix metro area. The company aims to generate more than $7 million in annual revenues.

“One of the most important attributes of successful leaders is learning,” McGee said. “Traditionally speaking, leaders showcase a persona as knowing everything and being strong. However, learning encompasses humility, meaning that a leader admits they don't know everything. This enables a leader to embrace a mindset that helps them grow in their leadership, which enables them to build an organizational culture that produces results.”