The People: A Small But Mighty Team
Paul Smith knows how to keep a cool head under pressure. As the Regional Program Manager and Interim Chapter Program Director of the American Red Cross in Okinawa, Japan, he manages people, programs, finances, supplies, offices, classrooms, and facilities. He also handles hiring, Human Resources, and managing international disaster relief supplies and services.
“When people hear about the American Red Cross, they probably think about blood drives and disaster relief,” Paul explained. “But we do all that and more. We run mental health, resiliency, and hospital programs. We also provide First Aid and CPR certification for active duty service members, their families, and civilians, Emergency Leave services, and many other services.”
Before his current position, he was an entrepreneur, consultant, and author. He worked in the health and wellness field, served with the USA Peace Corps in Cambodia, and worked with various other organizations.
He also attended the #1-ranked Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona, and completed his master’s degree in Global Affairs and Management. That’s where he was introduced to TTI Success Insights. However, TTI’s tools would have their greatest impact on him further down the road on his professional journey.
It takes a lot of manpower to get the American Red Cross’s job done. Paul Smith co-manages an incredibly agile team of 4 full-time employees. These employees coordinate the 300-plus volunteers who give their time to the American Red Cross mission.
The Problem: The Weight of Logistics and Responsibility
“We have to consider a lot of variables,” Paul told us. “We provide services and manage supplies in various partnerships with military commanders and organizations on many different US military bases. It’s a lot of work.” Despite frequent team-building and a real passion for what they do, Paul and his team were struggling with stress and burnout.
“Our team is hybrid and distributed throughout the island at various classes, events, meetings, and bases, working virtually together,” Paul said. “We were struggling to synchronize despite truly doing the best work we could, especially with the environment we’re in and the state of the world. We needed more help.”
Luckily, Paul knew where to turn. “I contacted Kefei in the fall of 2025 because we’ve known each other for years, and after attending her workshops in the past, I knew she was the right person to help us.”
“I was so excited for the opportunity to work with Paul again,” Kefei told us. “His work is incredible, and I knew I could help his team get to where they want to be.”
Traveling from Phoenix, Arizona, to Okinawa, Japan, Kefei prepared a workshop for Paul’s team using TTI’s Talent Insights assessment. This multi-science assessment reveals insights into behavior and motivation. The workshop focused on understanding and improving the team dynamic.
“We really focused on understanding the team’s values,” said Kefei. “I chose Talent Insights as our workshop assessment because it gives robust data for review. It reveals unspoken tension and helps people relate to each other better, which is crucial for a team under such high stress.”
The Solution: Increased Clarity, Improved Confidence
The assessments revealed that the team is deeply people-oriented. It also uncovered a significant source of tension: the team’s natural desire to help others and complete tasks was straining their bandwidth. Additionally, the team also had different motivational styles. “That’s one of the reasons using multiple assessments is so valuable,” Kefei explained. “Even if a team shares similar behavioral styles, differences can come out when under stress. Those differences often relate back to motivation.”
The assessments also revealed that Paul’s motivations were more focused on managing competing priorities and using resources wisely. By using the assessment results, he was able to better understand his team. In turn, the team was able to see where he was coming from as well.
“When a team has opposite drivers, it can be an incredible strength instead of a detractor,” Kefei said. “They’re able to balance each other through different perspectives and processes. It was very rewarding to see the team connect the dots and have ‘aha’ moments as they learned more about each other.”
By embracing the assessment results, Paul’s small but mighty team became more mindful, self-aware, and confident. They improved in their decision-making and resource allocation.
“Since we have so many moving parts to manage and things to communicate about, awareness is key,” Paul shared. “The workshop validated that our team is highly relationship-oriented. It strengthened our ability to support one another, listen actively, and maintain a positive team environment. It also helped us recognize potential blind spots, such as avoiding conflict or being overly accommodating, which improved how we address challenges proactively.”
The Outcome: International Recognition
Paul’s team became much closer after the workshops and really found their stride working together. “Our collaboration is more intentional and strengths-based,” he explained. “Our team members are actively leveraging each other’s natural tendencies toward cooperation, empathy, and support. There is stronger alignment around shared goals. The team now operates with a clearer understanding of how to maintain balance.”
They aren’t the only ones to notice a difference; the group has been praised for its exceptional work at several international conferences. At the April 2026 American Red Cross Japan Region Annual Conference, all Red Cross employees in Japan gathered in Okinawa for a week. Paul’s team received very affirming feedback.
“Coworkers at our level and even directors at higher levels wanted to know how we do what we do,” Paul shared. “They say, ‘You seem like you’re always having a good time while you’re working hard and hitting KPIs.’ And the answer is, we are. Our team’s reputation carries through Japan and the entire organization of the American Red Cross at our overseas locations. We’re extremely grateful for the help from TTI, and I’m extremely proud of my team and everything we accomplish together.”