Testimonials

Academia

Personal Mastery has been one of the most profound and enlightening experiences of my life. During my prep and pre‐course training with my coach, it was clear to me I was at a crossroads in my life. The program has helped me in understanding my behaviors and thought processes. My future and my most important relationships in my life are going to be fruitful and so much more fulfilling.

– Graeme Kavanagh
Executive Vice President & Director of National Sales, Landmark Dividend

I am leaving the seminar excited about living more in the present while being intentional about the future.

– Milt Childress
VP Strategy & Development, EnPro Industries

The atmosphere created by the group attending Personal Mastery was one of the most amazing experiences I have had. I feel energized.

– Joe Breunig
EVP – Chemicals, Axiall Corporation

We have developed a common trust and openness that is far beyond what I have previously experienced at work.

– Ken Frank
COO, Hayward Lumber

Starting with myself, I have been able to empower my 60-person department to transform negative competition to collaborative partnership. The productivity gains have exceeded 100%; my staff became willing to go the extra mile.

– Carol Cain
Senior Vice President, Visa International

My experience has been fantastic! It has been the most impactful program I have attended in my 14‐year career at Boeing. I was able to uncover specific patterns in my behavior and their root causes. That was extremely enlightening for me. For example, I’m now aware that I’m often driven by my (previously unconscious) desire to be liked. In some cases, this driver can cause negative consequences if I’m not as direct with my team as needed or don’t set high enough expectations for those I lead. This is a consistent behavior that I’ve been working on and receiving feedback on through the regular Boeing performance management process as an area for improvement.

While I was aware of these counterproductive behaviors, I had not been able to make more than incremental progress in changing them despite making them a regular developmental priority, until I uncovered the unconscious driver. These seminars not only helped me recognize this specific pattern and others, and become acutely aware of the root cause behind these recurrent behaviors, but also provided me with tools to be able to consciously act to build a more honest and productive environment around me. Having the power to recognize my patterned behavior and make a choice about how to act has been extremely powerful.

The self‐awareness that I gained has greatly enhanced my leadership abilities. The experience energized me to more consciously begin creating the environment I want around me — one of engagement, learning, and growth (which used to be hampered by my unconscious reluctance to give constructive feedback or set firm expectations). Over the past couple of months I’ve put my learning into daily practice with improved delegation, more clarity in my communications and accountability. I have set clearer and higher expectations with my direct reports and entire program team and I’ve been more diligent about follow‐up to insure delegated tasks and projects are on track while still giving the individuals and teams the agency to “own” the task.

Thanks in particular to the Advanced Mastery seminar, I’ve applied some new strategies to email, meetings and prioritization. The awareness I gained about my own personal time management has resulted in my ability to be more in control of my time, while being productive and effective with much less stress. Of personal significance to me is my new ability to take feedback as a learning opportunity rather than a discouraging threat, using it for inspiration rather than focusing on my failure. I’ve received positive feedback from my team about their appreciation of the clear direction and have noticed a more communicative relationship with my executive leadership.

– Lynette McKinnon
Director of Integrated Services, The Boeing Company

The whole LaL experience has been a huge gift to me. It has helped me grow in areas I did not realize I had issues or weaknesses, including tackling my procrastination from the inside out, learning to truly inspire and develop others and asking others for help. It also opened my eyes to see how judgmental I was, allowing me to listen without judgment, which has made a huge difference in my relationships with my co-workers. My colleagues and I who’ve been through LaL have learned that when we have truly open, undefended dialogue, when we are willing to stand up and be vulnerable, it gives everyone else permission, too. It ignites empathy and then people can say what’s really on their mind without fear of judgment. We are getting to the real issues quicker. When the team states what they feel, we get more valuable input with which to make much better decisions.

– Scott Bednarcik
VP Finance, CPI, an EnPro Industries company

It is obvious the LaL team cares about the work they do and the professionals they work with. In Advanced Mastery, it’s so impactful that they’re leading by example, rather than just teaching a curriculum.

– Keith Drucker
Chief Operating Officer, Landmark Dividend

As our executive management team engaged in LaL’s one-year leadership development program, we developed a level of trust and communication unique to the LaL experience. During this time, even though we reorganized our entire business, we were able to retain key members of our team who were receiving competitive offers from Internet start-ups and to significantly increase our business revenue while the entire industry imploded around us. LaL’s involvement in these events (through seminars, in-house strategy sessions and coaching) was a very critical factor in our miraculous success.

One important observation regarding the investment of seminar time: we have experienced to conclusion that the best time to attend LaL is when you believe you can least afford to spend the time. Our return on investment in both time and money has been substantiated through the feedback of our employees, our vendor partners and our families.

– David Raab
Executive Vice President of Operations, Sarcom, Inc.

The best money I've ever spent on a training.  It was extremely valuable for our entire team to attend together.

– Tracy Trent
CEO, Stellcom

The experience of the one-year program seminar was profound and moving; leaving me uplifted and with a remarkable clarity about what is important in my life and work. It has enabled me to reach an understanding of what motivates me at the deepest levels, and have provided tools to enable achievement of my highest aspirations.

– Mike Rauth
Product Line Director, Fairchild Semiconductor

I’ve made real changes in my leadership and communication style. Staff members learned new ways to resolve key issues. We brought our multimillion dollar project in, on time, on budget, and projected a 700% return on investment!

– Autumn Wagner
Manager, Human Resources Information Management Systems, California State Automobile Association

I have worked with the team at Learning as Leadership for many years. They deliver high-impact, in-depth, developmental programs that fundamentally transform the way leaders lead and build relationships. They are one of the most impactful organizations in this space that I have ever worked with.

– Alison James
Executive Vice President of Human Resources, Encore Capital Group

The LaL training helped me thrive in the frequent discomfort of building my own company. It has been a catalyst in making my new company so successful.

–Ernie Weir
President, Hagafen Wine Cellar

The LaL ‘feedback collectors’ elicited open and honest feedback from my co-workers and wife that helped me realize that I had a lot of work to do (in a positive way). Having a coach support me through the feedback delivery helped me read between the lines and not avoid some things I would have otherwise avoided.

– George Judd
President and CEO, BlueLinx Corp

The personal revolution and growth I’ve experienced has had a major impact in both my personal and professional life. I am amazed at how much clearer my thoughts/processes have become and how that translates to growth. This is truly a remarkable life-altering program and one that I recommend highly.

– Peter Fritz
Manufacturing Manager, 3M

I learned more in nine days than I learned in two years reading leadership books. Personal Mastery was amazing and has positively impacted my life both personally and professionally. In the IT industry when a problem occurs you fix the problem then you look for the root cause. That is what Personal Mastery did for me: found the root cause.

– Felipe Walker
Director of Customer Operations, Lexis-Nexis

I was skeptical that LaL would have a meaningful impact on how I interact with people, but it has. I waste far less time and energy on frustration. It was surprising—through this program, making these changes was not as hard as I thought it was going to be.

– James Seymour
Senior Managing Director, Capital One Healthcare

By the time any manager has reached an executive level, he or she has spent hours, days, months in countless training programs, little of which create lasting change. The LaL work is groundbreaking; it builds an understanding of root causes, rather than focusing on symptoms.

– Jeffrey Stiefler
Former President, American Express

This program offers the most powerful set of conceptual and practical tools for business and life that I have yet encountered. My partners and I are using Learning as Leadership’s work as a centerpiece for defining and implementing our company’s mission in all aspects. It is profoundly impacting our firm and, in turn, our 15 portfolio companies. Not to be missed.

– George McCown
Co-founder and Managing Director, McCown De Leeuw & Co.; Chairman World Business Academy

I discovered the incredible power as a leader of being willing to drop the mask, be vulnerable and say “I don’t know.” I went to LaL for better self-understanding, and now I am continually challenging myself. I have to ask “am I doing this to satisfy my personal ego, or to support my team and my company?”

In attending LaL together with my team, we realized that until we were able to have non-ego-driven, open, honest and complete communication, we only stayed on the surface of the issues. LaL has helped me to learn how not to avoid conflicts, but to use them to address the real issues and save immeasurable time and energy.

– Ben Phillips
President and CEO, Pelican Companies

LaL has been incredibly helpful to me over the past few years as both a leader at work and with my family at home.

I have discovered that I was a person who avoided conflicts at all costs. This made it difficult for me to hold people accountable or for them to know where I really stood. I also realized how wedded I was to being right.

At our company, the top 20 leaders have gone through the executive program, we have cascaded the methodology down to another 100 or so. Since we’ve started this program, we’ve experienced significant results. As individuals, we have shifted from a space of needing to be right to finding the right answer, no matter who came up with it. We have open dialogues about what has hindered our ability to collaborate and how we can do things differently. Instead of viewing feedback as something that is dreaded and feared, we welcome it as a positive, learning opportunity. As a company, we have made incredible financial progress. Our revenues, cash flows and profits have more than doubled and our stock price, over the last year, outperformed our competitors and the S&P 500 by more than three times. Our work with LaL allowed us to focus on the things that mattered to grow our business profitably and not waste our time and efforts on turf warfare and interpersonal struggles.

My personal journey with LaL has helped me to clarify my personal and career goals. Had I not overcome my need to be right and my conflict avoidance, I know I could not be nearly as effective as I am today and the relationships I have with my colleagues and children would not be as productive and close.

– Paul Grinberg
EVP and CFO, Encore Capital Group

The Advanced Mastery seminar is what put it all together for me — it’s where the rubber meets the road. Now I am able to more effectively cover the big picture and all the bases, staying focused on the essential.

– John Blankensop
Softail Facility Quality Leader, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, York, PA Vehicle Operations

Advanced Mastery exceeded my every expectation and has positioned me to be more strategic and valuable to my organization.

– Joseph Stefko
President & CEO, CGR (Rochester, NY)

I had life-changing breakthroughs in Team Advanced Mastery that opened up the world for me ... and have had a big impact on the team.

– Bryan Ungard
Chief Operating Officer, The Decurion Corporation

We attended LaL as a family — 2 working parents, 3 teenage kids — facing the typical family dramas: communication breakdowns and the resulting arguments and isolation. We now talk honestly and openly about the real issues on topics ranging from the family budget to how we can support each other with our individual struggles. I don't even want to think where we would be otherwise… LaL is a chance of a lifetime.

– The Purvis Family
Dave, Karen, Maria (19), Neil (17), Richard (14)

Doing Advanced Mastery really helped me synthesize Personal Mastery more and pulled it all together more clearly with real application.

– Lynn Carbone
Mother

Have you ever asked your kids for a performance appraisal? Wonder what rating you would get? Would my son feel that my parenting skills and behavior offered him the support he needed as a young man to accept life’s challenges and be fulfilled with school, work and recreation? Having the opportunity to examine our lives together in the LaL Personal Mastery seminar was extraordinary! I am becoming aligned with and supportive of my teenager’s dreams, aspirations and priorities — and even more incredible is that he is open to receiving my support. The seminar was a great starting point that opened safe and non‐threatening communications for both my son and me.

– Kathy Johnson
Employee & Organizational Development Manager, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

a practicing obstetrician/ gynecologist with a good job, a very supportive and loving spouse and two small children, defining a path for my life is something that I had never really done consciously, in spite of all my so‐called personal and professional success. Somehow, careful scrutiny of my past experiences and behavioral patterns in the challenging, but safe and supportive environment provided by LaL, enabled me to feel transformed. My relationship to and communication with my patients and colleagues has dramatically improved.

My spouse and I have a depth of understanding that simply would not have been possible had we not attended the LaL seminars together. It has resulted in a much deeper level of commitment. I am clearer about what I really want for my children, have gained some measure of control over my finances and have become more involved with my community. I am better able to support those I care about.

This is the result of a total of two seminars and four months of coaching. I have regained my time & money investment many times over.

– Kim Li Spencer, MD
Department of OB/GYN, Kaiser Permanente – Fontana

As a dual‐career couple, it is all too easy for each of us to become absorbed in our own world, creating imbalance at work and within our family. Attending the LaL programs provided us with the opportunity and the framework to learn how to communicate genuinely with each other. We are working together to define our personal and professional goals and the support we need from one another to achieve them. Our commitment to our work, our family and each other has strengthened. The real joy was in rediscovering just how many goals we share together.

Renee & Raymond Tucker
Renee Tucker Human Resources Specialist & Raymond Tucker, Research & Development Group Leader, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

insight our family gained radically changed our ability to communicate with each other.

– The Holmes Family
Hal, Margaret, Elizabeth and Rachel

WeLead was life-changing.

– Mark Schallheim
Former EMS Dominance Chief Engineer, NAVAIR, former Avionics Department Chief Engineer, NAWCWD

Rhe feedback process is well thought out and comprehensive. The ‘feedback collectors’ ask great questions and gather very good raw information, and LaL’s coaches are outstanding at analyzing and understanding this information and presenting it to the individual.

– Douglas Arbuckle
Technical Advisor, Air Traffic Systems (ATS) Directorate, Pgm Mgmt Org (PMO), ATO

As the Employee and Organizational Development Manager, I have certainly had my fair share of experiences with training initiatives — LaL is definitely a cut above in terms of sustainable team building and leadership skills.

– Kathy Johnson
Employee and Organizational Development Manager, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

My experience of LaL’s year-long leadership training program has improved my daily experience of life at the most fundamental level. Conflicts that have been a source of agitation and struggle over decades have moved to resolution; I am more comfortable in my life, my relationships, and my various public and private roles than I ever imagined possible.

While my wife and I began LaL with a focus on strengthening our marriage, I also find my work relationships fundamentally changed for the better, and my ability to lead large organizations significantly enhanced. At 55, I am doing the best work I have ever done in my life.

– Lewis H. (Harry) Spence
Commissioner – Massachusetts Department of Social Services, Former Deputy Chancellor of Operations, New York City Board of Education

The management team of the Instrumentation and Controls Division has been actively searching for ways to enhance its performance for several years. Yet any improvements tended to be transitory. From our first LaL workshop, the effectiveness of our team improved dramatically — and still is. This ongoing, sustainable change stands in sharp contrast with our experiences with other leadership training methods. We have better agreement on our priorities and far more effective team collaboration.

– Richard L. Anderson
Chief Scientist, Instrumentation & Controls Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

It was helpful to hear in the feedback a narrative rather than bar charts and statistics. There were more nuances in what came out.

– Eric Lin
Chief, Materials Science and Engineering Division, U.S. Government Laboratory

I learned how much the need to protect my ego has played into my behaviors and decisions both personally and professionally. Having that awareness has allowed me to make clearer business decisions devoid of fear and do higher quality work that’s more focused on the goals of the company. I’ve turned my formerly unproductive behaviors into strengths. By getting my actions in line with my values and vision, I’ve become more comfortable in my own skin which has made me a better employee and leader. The philosophies, words and methodology that LaL uses translates very clearly to the non-profit community and its leaders.

Aron Sumii, MFT
Director of Talent Management, First Place for Youth

Very powerful discoveries were made in Shared Mastery that resulted in permanent improvements.”

Bill Moon
Controller, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation

The Personal Mastery workshop hit just the right place for me. I’ve been to a lot of workshops, and they usually tend toward one extreme or the other. Many are too touchy‐feely, while others promise to turn you into a robot‐like, efficient work‐machine. I often leave feeling like I didn’t get a whole lot from the experience. Personal Mastery is different. It gives you the opportunity to really look at yourself — to see who you are, how that determines what you do and how you can choose a different path. It’s been tremendously helpful for me. It delivers.

Woody McCutchen
Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation

n the last 16 months since I finished the program, my work with LaL has resulted in new national leadership opportunities and board service for me, my growing the fundraising capacity of my organization and board support for my work. LaL helped me open previously locked doors to take my career to the next level.

LaL also helped me transform my life. I was finally able to make the cognitive connection between my limiting behaviors and the outcomes I was seeing despite years of searching. It has set me on a journey to joy and fulfillment that continues to delight, startle and amaze me at once.

Laurel O’Sullivan
Vice President, Public Policy, Donors Forum

The program gave me the time and space to reflect on challenges that we’re facing as an organization today and how I could apply the tools to improve our approach. Upon returning I have already made some significant shifts in how I’m leading our non‐profit, in how I am delegating and empowering others to step up more in the organization. I feel a great sense of clarity and inspiration.

Jeff Bradach
Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Bridgespan

When things went wrong, I used to blame people. Doing it myself was easier. I now have a vision for my staff and am committed to their development. As a result, we have had our most successful year ever.

Diane Robinson
Vice President, Regional Operations, Teach for America

The seminar helped me uncover what fueled my sense of pressure and anxiety about too much to do and too little time. I left with greater clarity about my goals in a variety of aspects of my life, clear road maps for them and tools to create an abundance of time to do what is essential.

Jan Jaffe
Senior Director, Ford Foundation

This is a transformative experience.

Rosanne Haggerty
President and Founder, Community Solution

The results of our son’s participation in the 1-year program have been no less than astounding. He has taken charge of his life in a way that many far older people do not. He is clear on his goals and has become a more focused, more responsible and just plain happier person.

– The Lasater Family
Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., Physical Therapist, Co-Founder, Yoga Journal, Mother Of Kam, 20 Year-Old Sophomore, Carnegie Mellon University

I wanted to get away from the drugs and alcohol that were so pervasive at my boarding school. I had also begun to form poor habits with how I spent my time. I was mostly doing what I wanted, when I wanted — playing video games for hours at a time, watching movies or just getting drunk and playing pool. Life didn't excite me, and I hated my classes, but I thought I was having fun. At LaL I began to see that I really wasn't doing what I wanted with my life. I am now connecting with my real passions. I am realizing that what I do now creates my future. I have committed to no drugs for life and no alcohol for one year, and I am challenging myself to let go of all the ways I escape. I am committed to living a more constructive life and I am learning that may mean going against what I view as "fun." Interestingly, life has become far more exciting in the process.

– Doug Atkinson (17)
High School Senior

We can honestly say that our lives are fuller, richer and less impaired by tension and blame as a result of our ongoing involvement with LaL. Within our marriage we have been able to get less caught up and confused by old patterns of thinking and acting. Instead of being captives of discouragement and resentment, we are able to express our needs and aspirations more fully and honestly and to be more mutually supportive. Although there are new situations and challenges in every relationship, we are now better prepared to deal with them as a result of our LaL training. We feel we have been given a gift of renewed commitment to our marriage.

– Steve Black & Zezette Larsen
Steve Black, Photographer & Foreign Language Instructor, Boston Conservatory, Zezette Larsen, Social Worker & Senior Housing Consultant

Over the past two years I have exposed my entire management team and my wife and three children to LaL seminars and coaching. At work and at home, trust has increased, communication has improved and mutual support has become the common focus. There is no organizational or family unit that could not benefit from the LaL experience.

– Daniel McDonald
Director, Instrumentation & Controls Division, Chair, R&D Division Directors' Caucus, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

I am so grateful for the gift LaL has given our family. My husband Ernie and our 16-year‐old son Jonathan attended Personal Mastery and it was a huge turning point for us. Thanks to LaL, Jonathan is more connected to the ways in which he can sabotage himself. He realized that his behavior was driven by his fear of failure. He started the school year very well.

He studies for hours and even does his laundry once a week!

Jonathan’s relationship with his father, Ernie, is much better too. LaL helped them both see that because Ernie grew up in an environment of excellence, Jonathan felt that he wasn’t good enough. Jonathan has recently taken a job working with his father, which in the past never worked. It’s exciting to see them together in this new relationship.

– Irit Weir
Acupuncturist, Acupuncture Clinic of Napa

I was fortunate to be introduced to the LaL program. The very comprehensive 360º evaluation by my peers, co-workers, board members and friends, the week-long workshop and working with a wonderfully insightful executive coach gave me new insights into my own dynamics, strengths, areas I needed to work on as well as my leadership style. My ongoing coaching sessions have been invaluable to me, providing me with a safe space to explore life issues as well as interpersonal work issues. As a result, I have become more self-reflective and have grown in self confidence as a leader. I highly recommend the program to all who wish to live a full and meaningful life!

Paulette LoMonaco
Executive Director, Good Shepherd Services

LaL’s engaged, competent facilitators guided me to examine how I could live more fully, both personally and professionally. It was very helpful to do this with other non-profit and for-profit leaders, and the preparatory work of the 360º feedback and coaching truly set me up for success.

I do things differently today because of LaL — with more focus, intention and awareness. As an effective manager with a successful track record, I was a bit skeptical about the impact LaL would make. No more skepticism here — I highly recommend the LaL program.

Troy Plummer
Executive Director, Reconciling Ministries Network

I have never taken part in any other training, workshop or seminar that had such a powerful effect on me. I was initially skeptical, guarded and overall doubtful it would make a difference. I couldn’t have been more off in my initial judgment. The experience was incredibly valuable and I would recommend it without hesitation.

Bruce Trachtenberg
Executive Director, Communications Network

Through the 1-year graduate program I learned to move toward issues rather than running away when difficulties present themselves. I am having more direct, emotionally centered conversations with my peers, direct reports and board members, which ultimately leads to better teamwork.

– Beth Smith
Executive Director,
The Hyams Foundation, Inc.

Getting honest feedback coupled with patient, experienced coaching and being with my peers in the intensive yet relaxed setting of the LaL workshop were key to improving the person I bring into work. LAL’s work with our organization, especially our senior team, has been clearly effective. We brought to LaL a new and somewhat fractured team that was at the early stage of a set of important initiatives. We were able to explore our group and individual strengths and weaknesses in an honest and fearless way, and develop a plan of improvement.

LaL has transformed our culture, starting with a strong commitment from our management team. We’ve made it easy and safe to ask for and give honest, constructive feedback, and we’ve added the category of relationship behavior to our performance reviews because that has become a priority for us. It’s helped us get more done with less stress.

We’ve learned how to take the risk out of confrontation by bringing issues to the surface in a way that doesn’t make people wrong. We have difficult conversations without them being difficult anymore. Thanks to LaL, in the last five years, our organization has successfully expanded with a lot less drama than would have been the case without their great work.

Ralph Stefano
Vice President, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation

One of the best group of facilitators I have experienced.

Dr. Scott P. Foisy
Former Deputy Director for Operations, Threat/Target Systems Department, NAVAIR