Founded in 1984, WE ARE FOCUSED ON BRING SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE TOOLS TO IMPACT PEOPLE AND PERFORMANCE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION SINCE 1993.

Performance Management Company was founded in 1984 by Scott J. Simmerman, Ph.D., who is its Managing Partner. Through the years, the company’s base has evolved from consulting to creating and selling products supporting management and organizational development to organizations and individuals worldwide. PMC was dedicated to collaborating with a network of trainers and consultants to help create new ideas and applications for products. Since 2019, Scott transferred its operations to Joan Simmerman, working as PMC LLC with son Jeff.

Combining his work experience in business consulting and retail management with a doctoral degree in psychology and university teaching from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Scott initially created Performance Management as an organizational consulting business. However, the focus of the business changed to designing and selling resources because of a single cartoon called simply, “Square Wheels One” and the subsequent development of a team building exercise that same year.

From that beginning, Scott created the interactive Square Wheels® illustration series in 1993, consisting of over 300 cartoons now packaged in many different toolkits and in different versions. These are available as complete turnkey training packages focusing on engagement and innovation. We also develop Square Wheels-based team building exercises.

One of Scott’s premises is that if people enjoy a learning experience they will more readily retain key points.

Our flagship product remains the fun and fast-paced teambuilding exercise, “The Search for The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine.” It is soon to be released in a virtual form for team development with remote teams. PMC will continue to sell its board game version of the exercise, a worldwide success since 1993.

Dutchman was created to be a world-class organizational development tool, with clear links to strategy implementation, organizational alignment, inter-organizational collaboration and change management interventions. Serious learning points such as collaboration, communication and quality are entwined with participants having a good time. It has, hence, become one of the leading teambuilding experiential simulations in the world. Below is a short video from SimuRise, one of our colleagues:

The main websites www.SquareWheels.com and www.PerformanceManagementCompany.com are the training and development websites for Performance Management Company where Square Wheels toolkits and our teambuilding games are sold and various exercises and links to other products are shared.

Scott and Joan Simmerman operated PMC as a home-based business for over 35 years, which kept our costs low. With Scott trying to retire in Ecuador (and still working more than 2 years later!), the ownership of the business went to Joan and their son Jeff, operating as Performance Management Company LLC.

All products sold and presentations come with a satisfaction guarantee or monies are returned. PMC works enthusiastically with purchasers of its products to help support their success and satisfaction.

Users of PMC products include a global mix of Fortune 100 companies and multi-national organizations as well as small businesses, schools, universities and independent consultants. Clients include AlliedSignal, EDS, Hongkong Bank, Maybank, IBM, Michelin, Milliken, Lucent Technologies, BellSouth, First Union, Hughes, Duty Free Shoppes, Nokia, First Chicago, Chase Manhattan, Burlington Industries, MCI, University of Wisconsin, AT&T, Compaq, Torrington, Emerson Electric and hundreds of others. Please refer to our client list elsewhere on this website for a more detailed account.

Scott also is available to do speaking engagements and facilitations for keynotes, conferences, workshops and retreats. People remember his presentations because they are unique, interactive and engaging. This adds up to his consistently being a top-ranked and internationally recognized presenter. His topics include themes of Change, Team Building, Motivation, Productivity, Innovation and Communications, all within a general framework of leadership.

Since Scott began sharing Square Wheels and his other products, he’s delivered workshops, retreats and seminars in India, South Africa, Egypt, England, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, The Philippines, Saudi Arabia, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Mexico, Canada, Mauritius, New Zealand, Dubai, Japan, South Korea and all around the U.S — 47 countries in all thus far.

Dr. Scott Simmerman is a designer of team building games and organization improvement tools. Managing Partner of Performance Management Company since 1984, he is an experienced presenter and consultant who tried to retire two years ago!

You can reach Scott at scott@squarewheels.com

Note that we are soon to release our VIRTUAL version of Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine, one that plays with online teams and focuses on teamwork, communications and planning. Contact Jeff Simmerman for more details.