Achieve your Results. . .
Comments on Consulting
"Thank you for the vital role you played in our planning process. Having you lead my team through the planning process was what I believe one of the most significant things we have accomplished in our young company. It caused the entire team to become very engaged and excited about working through the questions of: Who we are? What we’re doing? and How we do things? The results were incredible. We emerged from that process not only with a great plan but as a united team focused on our corporate future."
- Pete Nelson, President – Nelson Building & Development, Inc.
"I speak of Yvonne’s work frequently to others, especially when the topic of leadership development comes up. It makes so much sense having an outsider helping develop our people. It gives them greater confidence, assures them complete confidentiality, yet holds them accountable."
- Lynette Kluver, Organizational Development Manager, Alexandria Extrusion Company
"One word aptly summarizes Yvonne’s team facilitation skills: masterful. Because of how effectively she managed a retreat, nearly a year later, we are still moving forward with our action plan."
- Jim Boyle, St. Mary's Parish, Business Administrator
"We planned a retreat for the first time in decades, and some people came in with arms crossed and heels dug in. I didn’t want a workshop that got everyone pumped up and then we went back to our dysfunctional ways. I needed to see things change. Yvonne started by administering Winslow assessments to all retreat participants, and her individual meetings with each participant gave her an opportunity to build relationships beforehand — a very smart move given how much tension there was. As for the retreat itself, one word aptly summarizes Yvonne’s facilitation: masterful. She listens deeply which is so very important. She clarified responses, didn’t allow us to get sidetracked, and kept us moving the entire day. And when the retreat was over, she clearly identified our action plans, what worked well, what didn’t, and had the group form their response to difficult questions."
- Administrator, Large Non-Profit
"Yvonne facilitated a group coaching session for our management team and did a fabulous job. She administered assessments, and facilitated discussion without making anyone feel threatened or defensive, which increased everyone’s participation. My team has studied all sorts of tools — Stephen Covey, laws of leadership, you name it. This group is well-read and not afraid of putting someone on the spot. Yvonne did a nice job of planning as well as improvising. After the session, people had many powerful comments about how much they learned. Definitely worth our investment of time and $."
- Jodi LB Meade, Business Owner & Entrepreneur
Comments on Speaking
"Thank you again for presenting at our monthly chapter meeting for the Kaplan University Collegiate Entrepreneurs. This was my favorite presentation in two years!"
- Marty McDermott, Kaplan University Faculty Advisor
Collegiate Entrepreneur’s Organization
"Your presentation to our group of agency executives was right where it needed to be. You did a fabulous job of listening to the needs of our group prior to the presentation, and tailoring your message to the world we live in. Your ability to "connect" with the people you present to is a gift that allows your message to be heard, and causes us to reflect on things that we can do differently, with better results."
- Dick Chancellor, Agency Field Executive, State Farm
"After attending one of Yvonne's workshops on planning for our business, my business partner and I utilized our One Page Business Plan to obtain financing from a local bank. As new business owners we weren't sure what to expect. It was such a simple process compared to what we thought. Thank you for getting us on the right track!”
- Journey-In.com, Minnesota
"Yesterday you presented to our small firm business class at UST School of Law. I wanted to say, that I often don't find presentations like that very motivating, but yours was different - it was inspiring and I felt you had an energy about you that made every person in the room feel special. I run a small web based business currently, and have been very successful at it - mainly by chance. You made me realize that I need to take affirmative steps to ensure my future success as well. I plan on keeping this information from my future endeavors as well as my current business. Thanks for the wake up call."
- C. Dhaliwal
"I wanted to let you know what a wonderful presentation you gave last week. Your presentation was so well put together and flowed so nicely. I really enjoyed it and learned quite a bit about myself in the process. I enjoyed your mix of presentation, self exploration, group activity and audio/video. It was extremely well balanced and you kept the group focused and on task. It was time very well spent and I enjoyed it very much."
- Tam Bukowski, Safety and Security Officer, Alexandria Technical College
"The negotiation session at the State Convention was just what I was looking for, it moved, people participated and found it relevant! I had several people tell me your session is going to help them respond to a specific situation. Mission Accomplished!!! Thank you!”
- Anne Andreasen, A & A Services, BPW/Minnesota Past President
"I’ve heard so many fabulous things about a recent speaking engagement of Yvonne’s. Everybody that shared the experience talked about how genuine and touching it was. She got rave reviews."
- Lynette Kluver, Organizational Development Manager, Alexandria Extrusion Company
"Many thanks for your presentation to our staff. You presented exactly the type of information I was looking for. The feedback from the staff was very positive. They fully enjoyed the session and gained some insights as well. I will certainly keep you in mind for future presentations for myself and others."
- Sharon Clair, Anoka County Juvenile Center
"In Yvonne’s talks about everyday excellence, I like how she distills basic concepts and applies them. She projects an incredibly special and personal feeling to her listeners. She will say that what she speaks about isn’t rocket science, yet common sense isn’t all that common these days. People need reminding and showing and so they can recognize their own excellence. She delivers an important message."
- Jodi LB Meade, Business Owner & Entrepreneur
Comments On Coaching
"I just want you to know what an impact your leadership coaching has had on my development. As a result of our work together, I can now function effectively and be more resilient in difficult and unpleasant situations."
-Emerging Leader in International Company
"Yvonne was extremely calm, focused and organized. She is very uplifting and supportive. Her questions are thought provoking and generate new sight into issues at hand."
- Michelle Neumann, Owner, Classic Floors of Texas
"Yvonne helped me focus on time management, and how I was going to go about getting from point A to point B, making my contacts, giving me direction/focus, and helping me motivate myself."
- Nicole Stika, Associate, Greater Cleveland Partnership
"Looking back, the biggest reason I paid $ for coaching was because of the several 'ahas' I had. I couldn't believe I was 47 years old and didn't grasp things about myself that are so basic. Yvonne would ask such simple questions that would trigger obvious connections. Yvonne's tools, and her coaching, helped answer a lot of questions for me."
- Teona Wright, Owner, OptiReach Inc.
"Yvonne has a natural strength for communicating with people in general. She has a patient, yet pointed way of balancing listening and moving forward. She also has a nice style for addressing issues. Yvonne is also very organized, so she is able to build in the right level of planning into the sessions, as well as being mindful of the time being spent."
- Karen E. , Consultant, Watson Wyatt Worldwide
"I pursued coaching with Yvonne because she seemed like someone who’d be challenging. And if I was going to send others to be coached, it seemed like a good idea to have benefited from it personally as well. So I jumped in. The benefits were real subtle at first, then more intense. I’d gone into the coaching relationship thinking I was pretty satisfied. Then, when I was faced with a big decision, I realized how out of touch I was with my values. The activities Yvonne put me through helped me identify what I wanted to do and where I wanted to do it. Because of our work together, I realized much more clearly what was important to me, which, in turn made my big decision easier. And now, with subsequent decisions in my life, I’ve had much more clarity. Yvonne got me there through her very pointed questioning. Time and again, I said ‘hmmm…that never entered my mind.' She’s absolutely fabulous as a coach. It’s been a very positive experience for me."
- Lynette Kluver, Organizational Development Manager, Alexandria Extrusion Company
|
