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"You are a magnetic speaker, and have a wonderful presence with a group."
Mark LeBlanc
President, National Speakers Association
"After speaking with the other IBM partners, we reached a consensus. You made an enormous difference on this project! You carefully worked with us to sharpen and refine our presentation content and delivery and allowed our IBM executives and technical SME’s to really shine in front of our potential customer. Even the feedback from the customer has been great. I look forward to getting you plugged into other areas within IBM so you can continue to make a huge difference. Thanks again."
Adam Jelic <download Adam's entire letter of recommendation>
Associate Partner, Human Capital Management Services, IBM
"Mark throws a punch far above his weight! His ability to motivate and energize people is outstanding and will certainly benefit my staff dealing with the financial community."
Thordur Jonasson
Managing Director, Icelandic National Debt Management Agency
"Using your amazing gift of photography to underscore the presentation skills class was ingenious. You quickly captured the attention of our executives, managers, supervisors and senior level employees and left a lasting impression of the course content. One major comment from the students was their enhanced ability to develop a leadership focus for their presentations by keeping the message simple and increasing their ability to resonate with their audience. As you know, we play a key role in providing critical information to key decision makers at the Congressional Level, and your presentation afforded them the opportunity to be creative and sharpen their own leadership skills. Your motivation and energy is infectious making the audience open to the material and realizing the importance of effective leadership."
Brian M. Simmons <download Brian's entire letter of recommendation>
Director, U.S. Army Evaluation Center
“I just wanted to thank you for the webinar this morning. There were two of us from Wellness/Employee Assistance who attended and we look forward to having a conversation about what we learned and how we're going to apply some great tips. I spend lots of time of gathering knowledge and had a big 'ah ha' that it's a smaller part than I realized. Thanks so much!"
Veronica 'Ronnie' Costa
EAP/Wellness Coordinator, City of Phoenix, Arizona
"Your mastery in blending your creative photographs and unique accomplishments as a professional photographer, your travel experiences throughout the world and your insights into the critical behaviors associated with leadership success and maintaining a work/life balance, made for a very educational, interesting and entertaining event.
Following your presentations I heard several participants mention how much they enjoyed your seminar. They totally concurred with the need for leadership to demonstrate passion in the workplace, support risk taking, treat people with respect and for the importance of self-reflection. The participants also spoke about their desire to refocus their own lives, in order to create a better balance between their work and their personal lives."
Garry Monjo <download Garry's entire letter of recommendation>
Chair, South Carolina State Government Improvement Network
“Thank you for your speech to the Lockheed Martin TSS conference. Based on the many comments I got after the program, it was extremely well received. The theme of creativity was especially apt for this audience. Creativity isn't just a nice to have for this group; it's a requirement!”
Jon Dehn <download John's entire letter of recommendation>
Senior Fellow, Lockheed Martin
“I liked your spirit, quotes and the pictures from your program. It was refreshing, stimulating and much relevant to life and work."
Alvaro DeMoya
Business Development Specialist, Montgomery Co. Economic Development
“I wanted to let you know how very successful last night’s Kick-off session was with Mark. He did a great job and really gave everyone a lot to think about. The group was very responsive – we let an exercise slide form the second half of the program as discussion was so lively and everyone wanted to share their thoughts!"
Joanna Hoffschneider
Director of Business Development, Hickok Cole Architects
"Thank you for your support, analysis and feedback. Your efforts will help improve our organization. I would like to continue to use your services during our next briefings."
Colonel Roderick Burke, Sr.
Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Evaluation Center
“Wonderful, wonderful presentation. Thanks also for the tips and the suggested reference material (you sent after the program). I know that the information will be very useful in helping me to improve the quality of my presentations."
Kathy G. King
Senior EEO Specialist, Internal Revenue Service
"Your Leadership Lens program was an eye-opener for me. Just last week I met with my supervisor and asked how I could regain the respect of my employees. I think you hit the nail right on the head. Thank you."
Penny Walker
University of Maryland, UMDPS
"Thank you very much for all the feedback and coaching you have offered so far. I learnt a great deal about how to make good presentations from you. Especially last Friday's feedback to speak conversationally was a real eye opener. It feels more natural to me and I tend to enjoy it more. Today we had a practice session in K Street. I incorporated your suggestion to make the chess analogy longer and also slowed down a lot. I think it finally felt good to me. I even got two minutes more as those before me took less time. That just helped me relax a lot more. Once again thank you for all the effort you have put in all these observations and feedbacks. Thanks to all your coaching, I have begun to notice that my overall presentation skills even while making smaller demos at BLS has improved a great deal."
Sameer Wadkar
Bureau of Labor Statistics
"I liked the practical exercise - practice and many helpful tips. Mark's flexibility with the schedule helped ease some participants' stress. His personal stories were enjoyable."
Normal Lancaster
Support Services Supervisor
U.S. Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
"Outlined lecture material with stories, journaling and inspirational space. Wonderful presentation. I loved the personal stories."
Jean Griffith
Realty Executives
"Thank you so very much for all of your help. The
program was fantastic and your presentation added so much . As we were
sitting around the hotel late one night talking, we decided to pass a
baseball cap around for signatures... a financial insurance policy for
us here at partners when one of these kids makes it big. Anyway, one
of the young men was clearly struggling at signing his own name and
another of the young men noticed and commented on it. The struggling
young man, somewhat offended retorted, "I am not a student, I am a baseball player." He then looked sheepishly up at Matt and me and
said, "Well, I guess I need to work on that. I need a more balanced
life." I hope you realize the great difference you have made in the
lives of these participants. Thank you so very much."
Adam Stubits
Partners of the Americas
"Excellent Seminar. Very helpful ideas that may be utilized immediately."
Carolyn Kidwell
HR Manager, Advancis Pharmaceutical Corp.
"Excellent program - my time was well spent. Good material I can use for reference."
Kathy Callahan
Manager, U.S. Army Evaluation Center
"Great speaker. Focusing on creativity. Allowing the space and time to be creative and the importance of using a journal. Made me interested into getting back to using the camera in a creative way."
Barbara Waas
Owner, Essence of Touch
"Very useful information that I can really use. Thank you so much."
Regina Drzewiecki
Deputy City Manager - Human Resources, City of Upper Arlington
"I am an attorney for 20 years in the Washington, DC area, representing clients with civil rights issues including mental health consumers. This morning's presentation addressed all the major points on balance. I left your session with valuable information for myself and my clients all who face this issue. Thank you."
Dee Mukherjee
Attorney
"The program is a wake up call to evaluate my life and direction. The entire program was very beneficial."
Randy Sink
Kelly Insurance
“I thoroughly enjoyed your class... was especially
surprised to hear your remarks on neti neti ... so few
people know about 'the negative way' of not this, not
that. (I like to think about how we really boil it down
to this after kissing many frogs, we eventually get an
idea of who prince/ess charming might actually be!) It
was the same approach that brought me to my particular
faith path. Your class inspired me and I'm eager to apply your
ideas (and somehow know that you have given me the
nudge that was needed to move me along on certain
goals). Good luck with everything and maybe I'll see
you again in one of the other courses you offer
(particularly with photography which I have done a
fair bit of, just not the digital kind but rather the b&w film type!). Thank you so much."
Susan M Nagy
Cohen Milstein Hausfeld & Toll, PLLC
“Excellent personal stories. Loved the dialogue with the body (that I wrote in my journal)."
- Carla Grantham, Lt. Cmdr., United States Coast Guard
“Group interaction was great. Writing goals and dreams on paper will be the first idea I use. Great suggestions and very practical. "
Sue Duke
“Good review of the components of leadership. You reminded me that it's important to establish a company vision. Good overall program, well paced and structured. Very motivating. Thanks."
Tom Buckley, President, Data Driven Decisions, LLC
"After the class, I feel free! I can do & write whatever I want. Better yet, I don't always have to write only, cut and paste permitted! It was really enjoyable. Thank you."
Christy Thompson, Smith & Wollensky
"Great format - concise, powerful & easy to digest. I'll use the 'do one thing every day' idea first."
Jody Ashley
“I was very impressed at the way he delivered his presentation. He used a great deal of personal stories, pertinent examples and exercies. I highly recommend Mark to present his programs to companies, associations, government agencies and other organizations. I have seen that having an effective balance between work and one's personal life leads to increased passion, happier employees, and increased profitability. Your participants willl leave with an action plan for how to achieve immediate balance!”
Joan Marshall <download Joan's entire letter of recommendation>
President, MC-SHRM (Montgomery County, MD, Society of Human Resource Managers)
"Mark is exceptional at teambuilding and presentation skills."
Jim Snitker
President, EBW Group
“Mark did an outstanding job. The feedback has been great from the secretaries.”
Geneva Hunter
HR Manager, Skadden Arps (Law Firm)
"Quick pace. Excellent tips. Although I am a seasoned presenter, I was able to take away several tips, WIIFT (what's in it for them), engage the audience every 8 minutes, more personal stories and have smooth transitions."
Bill Taris
U.S. Army Evaluation Center
“The double exercise really worked for me. Though I hated it the first time around, seeing the difference was really compelling. I liked the photographic angle and the examples of different ways of doing journals.”
Mary Cooper, Participant, First Class, Inc.
“Wowee! You wowed the crowd! Thanks ever so much! I really appreciate your wonderful work.”
Debra Leopold
President, First Class, Inc.
“I enjoyed his presentation. It is very polished and professional. I admire what Mark is doing and how he chooses to share with others.”
Tammi Jennings
Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP
“Developing a preliminary plan to begin achieving balance is one of the best parts of the program. I see reviewing and reading this on a periodic basis to stay balanced.”
Toni McConnor
Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
“Thanks for everything. I'm giving it a go and it is getting a bit easier each day. I look forward to it bringing positive changes into my life on all dynamics.
I looked up Journal and discovered a nice little circle that does lead to Journey, so they are related - quite nicely. Thought you might enjoy seeing the connection.”
Lori Puente
ME/CEEE, University of Maryland
“Outstanding Seminar.”
Bill Gloyd
Senior Branch Manager, Fidelity Investments
“You came to Fidelity eight months ago to present, 'How to Achieve More Balance.' I have now simplified and focused my life with swimming, reading and walking. All are priorities and everything else has fallen into place. Thank you.”
Pamela Darney
Fidelity Investments
“I
enjoyed hearing you speak … you expounded and articulated upon some
ideas that hit home with me. It is crucial to live your beliefs and carry
out your dreams. You truly seem to do so. Hearing your ideas unleashed
some memories that I haven’t reflected upon in years. It was somehow
both soothing and thought-provoking.”
Nancy Hickman
Bethesda, MD
“You
have an important and timely message for many people to be successful
and content in their careers today. Your story will give many the courage.”
Karen Garth
Manager,
Nextel Communications
Comments
from Canyon Ranch:
“I
liked your practical suggestions about keeping a journal and how to find
inspiration.”
“Mark is very inspiring and is truly a great human being. The in-class
exercises really get you going. He is a great teacher.”
“I enjoyed the gentle charm of this speaker. I really liked plunging
in and writing in the exercises.”
“His honesty and ideas were most helpful. The variety of expression
and our involvement was useful and inspiring.”
“His poems and examples tangents to our lives. I also liked his sincerity
and care. He encouraged me to be more expressive.”
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