Testimonials for Workshops & Lectures 

“In 25 years of CEO, EVP, Senior Executive, this was the best program I have ever attended and/ or hired to use for a company. (Best of breed versus Harvard, Leaders Lab, etc.). Fast, easy, delivered result; action oriented – not just info but action. Team everyone in yet made decisions.”

Kevin Browett, CEO, JRM

 

 “Very effective means in tackling many issues – interpersonal interactions amongst employees & tasks in front of the company. Like therapy! Accomplished quite a bit. Dealt with interpersonal & strategic planning in teams and as a group. Yagev was a great facilitator of the process yet maintaining a civilized process.”

Diana Howard, Dermalogica VP

 

“This program has an excellent structure; it is concrete, clear, focused on results and dynamic. It allows for a follow-up structure, creates continuity and does not end as merely another course.”

Alfonso Gonzalez Loeschen, Director of Coffee Business Unit, Nestle

 

“Very profound, thoughtful, sometimes painful process to discover the problems and set up an action plan. What is easy is not valued. This exercise is very valuable because it required a lot from ourselves, the best of each person to make it happen. Well structured, it made sense from beginning to end. It was a logical and easy way to follow and understand what we were looking for.”

Ricardo Sweet, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“Allowed us an insightful honest confession for all parties and participate in what are now the beginnings of many new challenging opportunities. Thank you for your guidance and expertise.”

Kim Raible, Regional Manager, Healthypet.

 

“A very open, very engaging, very compelling rhythm to our embrace of the corporate lifecycles philosophy, experience and support. I found this experience professionally and personally transformational. I’m a valued stakeholder.”

“It was a clear theoretical process that came alive in inviting relevant, purposeful, application opportunities to drive us to PRIME. I liked the combination of lecture, discussion, debate and group breakout. Yagev was a masterful, thoughtful, provocative facilitator with an amazing demeanor that draws out sometimes brutal honesty.”

Robert A. Sklar, VP, JRM

 

Very Strategic and timely. Excellent set-up and execution. The process gets to the heart of the problem. (10/10)

Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family

 

“I believe it was an excellent exercise, even though it can be emotionally taxing. The info was not necessarily new to me, but it gave us an opportunity for renewal.” “I liked that it brought about issues and concerns that needed to be aired in order to allow our organization to grow. It can be applied in many different aspects of life. Format and facilitator are great! The meeting was well organized and vital info was brought out from the team.”

Ronda Reid, VP, Dermalogica

 

“We can contribute in causing or solving our problems; we can fuel our energies by working jointly. I mean the sum of the energies is more powerful than each one separate. This was a very positive and useful exercise, I liked the interaction, the constructive discussions, integration of the people and of course the theme we went through.”

Carola Zelalia, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“Very cathartic, insightful, guiding, fosters hope for local improvements as well as general. Well organized.”

Bernard Centofanti, Veterinarian, Healthypet

 

“It seemed an impossible task to have or find our problem with the company. It was amazing what we accomplished in three days. I enjoyed every moment, no matter how difficult it was. It was amazing how problems surfaced, agreed upon with mutual respect. The guidance was exceptional.”

Deborah Schultz, Manager, JRM

 

“I feel that we came together more as a team. It was nice to have people other than management involved. It gives a much better perspective to everyone in the company about what we are all about. It opens the door for individuals to better understand how important each and every one of them is to the success of the company. I look forward to working together to achieve the common goal.”

Steve Studnicky, Manager, Creative Stage Lighting

 

Fantastic model ! The insights we have gained over the last two days will lead our organization into the future. (9/10)

Kent Kiefer, VP, Focus on the Family

 

“I wish everyone could go through this- not just the company. It will help me in so many aspects of my life. It gave us the tools to reach a level we never knew we could obtain by working intensely and sometimes being put on the spot. I was also impressed with your style of presentation – knowledgeable, firm, humorous.”

Rita Greiner, Manager, JRM

 

“It is a very insightful exercise that allows the participants to define the next steps on an improvement process. Very few companies would perform such an exercise after a very successful year, and they should.”

Marcelo Melchior, Director of Food & Nutrition, Nestlé,

“A great experience in every respect.  Presented a format that allowed us to express in a nondestructive way items / issues that can help build our professional / personal lives.

Relevant and easy to understand. A process that can help my professional and personal development.” “Content / format was very well thought out. Yagev was a perfect moderator…well done!" Ivor Gordon, Dermalogica VP

 

“It was a very interesting training, during the first 2 days I felt a little too dynamic but at the end of the session I found a very good result for our company.”

Laura Dominguez, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“This was a very informative and productive seminar. The experience was educational and cathartic. I think we have the information needed to focus, change, and work together in the future.”

Tanya Sloan, Chief of Staff, Healthypet clinic.

 

“Yagev was a fantastic facilitator. I learned so much. It was good to get everything on the table. I enjoyed the contemplation of Yagev’s explanations and the participatory nature of the process”

Gail Zimmerman, Manager, JRM

 

“This workshop, to me, was very informative and well laid out. Topics and time were strictly addressed. It was a very good experience and I would participate again without question.” Dave, Manager, CSL.

 

“A great experience that without a doubt will help us become a better company.”

Arturo Sánchez, VP Sales, Sare Construction.

 

“This has been a great experience that allows to better understand where we are and what needs to be done to reach the stage of Prime.”

Bruno Frrenegger, Director of Confectionary Business, Nestle

 

I was amazed with how much we were able to accomplish in 2 days (9/10)

Dan Mellema, VP, Focus on the Family

 

“Challenging experience that will push the company forward; kind of teambuilding that never really existed; surfaced issues that have never been addressed. Thanks, well done.” Pat Donohoe, Dermalogica VP

 

“Very good, very intensive 2.5 days. I liked the result, that at the end we are not just loving each other, we have specific tasks and efforts to work on.”

Hanna Dominguez, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“Very stimulating exercise in getting everyone to “put it out there”. Just when I thought we were done you made us reveal an even deeper feeling! Thank you!”

Lori Harmon, Practice Manager, Healthypet

 

“These processes are invaluable in helping me and my company move away from negative behavior and into a place where our respect and trust will grow. I liked the clear rules that enabled me to be honest. I liked the facilitator keeping the process on track and the light humor that helped me through some of the tougher moments.”

Kelli Johnson, Manager, JRM

 

“I feel that accumulating potential improvement points is a good idea since it created that “in your face” atmosphere. The problems are no longer swept under the rug and it makes people and /or their departments accountable for their own misgivings. I also felt that finding out where we were on the lifecycle was a wake-up call for all of us. It helped me to see that if we don’t take care of our business it could die and none of us wants that.”

Sue Van Derwerken, Manager, CSL.

 

 “An excellent exercise of deep analysis of the problems the company is facing, with a very structured and well implemented methodology.”

Andreas Olmos Suárez, VP, Sare Construction

 

“I believe in this methodology: Honest & Candid dialogue, everything on the table and is dealt with as a team.”

Homero Castillo, Finance Head, Nestle

 

Validated our collective intuition + got consensus for moving forward. Excellent. (10/10). Exceptionally healthy process.

Glenn Williams, VP, Focus on the Family

 

“Very well run, interesting, enlightening, scary but all very worthwhile. Not an easy process.” Debra Wurzel, Dermalogica VP

 

“This was an insightful and deeply healing process. We identified all our issues and left with a plan of attack. I know it will be implemented. Openness, systematic, brilliant framework and strategy and most importantly follow – through.”

Arya Badiyan Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“Excellent facilitator, great job keeping a group focused and energized. Successful surfacing of key problems.” Syndag Participant, Healthypet.

 

“Good to get to sensitive issues in such a non judgmental manner. People were heard. Respect was restored. Yagev was masterful at running us through the paces. Good stories and examples. I was apprehensive at first then hooked. Was very logical and easy to understand. Enjoyable to hear such honesty. Now we are a team"

Keri Guten Cohen, Manager, JRM

 

“I found this to be rather enlightening. The discussions that were initiated have created a plan to make us a better company. These discussions would never have been initialized in the previous seminars we have been exposed to. I enjoyed the fast pace and regularly scheduled breaks, it kept everyone attentive. Thank you.”

 Dave Middleson, Manager, CSL.

 

“As always a fantastic job of obtaining the real problems existing in the company in a very open audience. Excellent program to allow us to surface the problems of the company and provide answers to them. Especially today we looked at ways to create more energy in the different businesses with the help of the red part which will certainly give the necessary support at the best possible cost.”

Syndag Participant, VP, Nestle

 

You got us on the same page !! Now we can go forward. This has delivered more than I thought possible, faster than I could imagine. (9/10)

Stanley John, VP, Focus on the Family  

 

“Well put together. Exhausting but certainly clarified our issues + puts us on the track for work we need to focus on to move forward. Very challenging. Yagev was a phenomenal facilitator. Very good at leading us and creating a safe environment to air our issues.”

Janet Spiegel, Dermalogica VP

 

“A great personal learning experience for me about CPW organization. I was skeptical about the “value” of spending 2.5 days. It was worth it.

Mayank Patel, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“Facilitation inspired productive group exchange & transformed some negative perceptions to hopeful or positive.”

Lisa Urban, Practice Manager, Healthypet

 

This was a very good way to discuss critical issues being faced by our organization in an atmosphere that led to constructive ideas. The key was creating an atmosphere where the truth could be shared so that root issues could be surfaced. (10/10)

John McKeever, VP, Focus on the Family

 

“Excellent forum for increasing understanding of problems facing the different segments of a corporation.”

Elizabeth Pennell, Chief of Staff, Healthypet clinic

 

“It was empowering. We have been given the tools to own this company, make it work.”

Alan Hitsky, Manager, JRM

 

Awsome experience – truthful, honest, extremely productive and I look forward to the results. (9/10)

Kathy Vorce, VP, Focus on the Family

 

“Believe we made major progress to move our company forward as a direct result of these sessions. Enjoyed the theoretical aspect and application of our issues and ideas. Yagev was a terrific facilitator – fun, useful with applicable insights and tools.”

Ilana Greenberg, Manager, JRM

 

“What I liked was learning about decision making and structure, and why / how a structure is a good one. I especially enjoyed witnessing the contribution of some employees that actually made superb efforts in ways one would not expect.”

George Studnicky, President and General Manager, Creative Stage Lighting.

 

“A clear methodology that helps solve problems with the direction needed to make the company maintain sustainable growth. It provokes a lot of integration, at the objective level as well as the adequate transparency to facilitate the discussion of the problem.”

Moacyr Caligaris, Supply Chain Director, Nestle.

 

“I believe we established common ground with everyone, there’s lots of work ahead; we have different styles and we will commit to work better with one another with sincerity, Mutual Trust and Respect, great facilitation.” Glenn Poy, Dermalogica VP

 

“Hard week but amazingly useful to know where we are and where we want to go. It never was like this with us.”

Luisa Correa, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“Good process that really demands effort, time and honesty with yourself and the company.”

Alejandro Sanchez, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

I am amazed at the clarity of purpose and direction we received on such a short amount of time. (10/10)

Mark Buzzetta, CFO, Focus on the Family

 

"Excellent program that encourages participation. Will be a major benefit to the company. Excellent technique in getting all to participate. Needed more open discussion to brainstorm PIPs.”

Ken Aldrich, Manager, Healthypet

 

“It is nice to have all the issues out on the open – if not a relief. It will hopefully get us a new focus. Well done, now it’s up to us to take this one step further and act on what we’ve learnt.” (9/10)

Gary Raikin, CFO, SDI Future Health

 

“Very informative productive program. We needed this! Hope we will follow through on our pip list”. “Presenter was great!” (10/10)

Kristine Power, Director of HR, Westlake Village Inn

 

“As a group we were able to express openly our issues. I liked how we were able to identify and categorize the issues. Also, being able to attack how we, as a company, move forward. I liked how you were able to direct and guide us to where we need to be.”

Meg Lyczak, Manager, JRM

 

“I liked the way all the disjointed pips came together to form a pattern where there didn’t seem to be a pattern. The pattern formed was coherent and very meaningful to the group. I feel there is a larger commitment to each other and the company now."

Monte Mathews, Manager, CSL

 

“A good process to bring a team together. It takes time but you finally get people to open up and be honest and identify real issues.”

Matt Bennett, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

It was a great process identifying our potential improvement points. It was an incredible 2 days and at an impecable time in our history. (10/10)

Jeannie Binkley, VP, Focus on the Family

 

“Good focus on identifying problems and setting a positive methodology for resolution. Well organized, culture definer and builder, framework for communication.”

Rodney Poling, CMO, Healthypet

 

“I enjoyed the set-up of the seminar. I thought the facilitator was excellent. I liked the organization of the workshop, the honesty and the tools to move forward after attending the program.”

Carla Schwartz, Manager, JRM

 

 

“Good meeting, great exercise and it was great that we could do it for all the region. I liked that it integrated several levels of the organization & that it is a deep process that lets us acknowledge the problems we have as a company.”

Alejandra Vazquez, Country Manager, CPW Latin America

 

“Extremely timely information and facilitation for where our organization is today.

Diffused volatile issues very effectively. Did a fantastic job on keeping us on track. Great team building exercise.”

Angela M. Ivey, Chief of Staff, Healthypet clinic

 

“The forum allowed a safe, non-threatening opportunity for core issues to be shared and challenged or grievances to be aired. The investment is highly valued in the overall health of the organization! Thank you.”

Amy Commans, General Manager, Westlake Village Inn

 

“I think that the process is one that all companies should go through. I liked the fact that at the beginning of the program, everything was “my” problem or issue, but at the end things turned into our opportunity. I think that you are an excellent instructor, I would not change a thing.”

Pam Turner, Manager, JRM

“The comparisons to real life make it easy to understand the problems. Very good leadership of the whole day - incorporating the team opinions to create a common direction was brilliant. Gave me ideas how to tackle my own team” Ulrike Tegtweier, VP EMEA, Iomega

 

“The seminar did a great job of communicating that problems are good and we have enormous opportunities"

Rachel E. Wilde, Acquisitions Facilitator, Healthypet

 

“It was so helpful the way the training progressed, I was able to retain the ideas and feel I can bring these new ideas back to our company. Thorough, thoughtful and thought provoking.”

Michelle Sheridan, Manager, JRM

 

Tremendous insights, very valuable 2 days

Kevin Tupper, VP, Focus on the Family

 

I have attended many workshops, seminars and Roundtables in my career, and got something from most, but never have I spent a day such as the one we had this past Friday. I am a very hyper ADHD individual who has a limited attention span and get bored very easily. But not on Friday! The workshop, “Rapid Alignment” was stimulating, productive and interesting from beginning to end and it certainly had my wheels going all weekend. When I came into the office Monday morning, the rest of my management staff who attended the workshop each told me that the presentation, content, resources offered, and the participation that was encouraged had surprised them. From what I received from my managers today, I know we will be utilizing many of the theories and other aspects of the program in our strategic planning and growth of our company.

Please share my appreciation, as well as that of the entire management staff of SDI Future Heath, to the facilitators. They have proven to us that they are what they preach.

Thank you for the experience and for this new-found insight.

Todd Kaplan, President & CEO, SDI Future Health

 

“This was an awesome opportunity to gain more knowledge and information I thought could be possible. It will help us tremendously in dealing with daily issues.”

Steven Millheim, Chief of Staff, Healthypet clinic

 

I felt the exercises were helpful in bringing issues to the forefront and highlighting the positive influences in order to effectively identify where we are in the company lifecycle. Great presentation, humor and an organized agenda was well appreciated.

Tammie Fulmer, VP Corporate Partnerships, Medseek

 

“Was not brainwashing. Made process simple although things are complicated, they are common sense & simple. I liked the safety to be honest; simplicity of the material; seating arrangement, more hands on than lecturing.”

Michelle Reska, Manager, JRM

 

“Fantastic, Great experience. Long overdue for us.” (10/10)

James Boldizar, Corporate Sales Manager, Westlake Village Inn

 

“Very pleased with the hands-on practical approach utilized vs. Schick theory.

Yagev was attentive and pragmatic, enjoyed him very much.”

Wendy Wright, DVM, Healthypet

 

“I found the lifecycle to be very insightful and will be used in my future thought processes. I enjoyed the way Yagev brought people into the discussion by asking questions. His style was very conducive to being open and honest.” (9/10)  Robert Scott, VP, SDI Future Health

 

We were able to identify our roadblocks and create alignment with peers and honest communication while assimilating new organizational ideas / concepts. Very insightful program.  Tom Kompfer, VP, Iomega

 

“It was a critical turning point for the participants and the company as a whole to have a clear mission and executable plan.” “I liked that it was not all laid out up front and participants were able to focus on each step without thinking too much ahead.”

Deanna Luoma, Manager, JRM

 

The second half where we specifically discussed Medseek’s current stage and needs was particularly helpful. (10/10)

Ron Gans, Director of Technology, Medseek

 

“This was an amazing experience for me. I believe it will lay a strong foundation for building a stronger company. Very thoughtful, detailed process that gradually lead us to carry out the diagnosis and action plan.”

Irene Shotkin, Manager, JRM

 

Yagev’s presence immediately coalesced the attention of the group.  Continuing the analogy of the business lifecycle to an individual’s lifecycle with the use of relevant examples made the material become alive for the participants in a way that helped them look at their companies from a new perspective.  The outstanding feedback demonstrated how valuable this perspective was to the participants.

Camille Schuster, Arizona State University

 

“What I like about this system is that it got my coworkers to speak up and be heard. Showed us how to say what we mean and mean what we say. Very Important. Thanks."

Jeff Smith, Manager, CSL.

 

“I was able to understand the needs of our company and the road to follow. It was very instructive especially the interaction between the moderators and the attendees.” (10/10)                                                                                                                                Jorge Bedoya, Collections Manager, SDI Future Health

 

“Our company needed this more than we knew. Without this diagnosis we would never have been prepared to grow our business. Open, honest dialogue that focused on business issues not personalities. We are giving a corporate sigh of relief at getting the issues on the table and prioritizing them and creating an action plan.”

Suzanne Sherman, Manager, JRM

 

We came to a common understanding and feel that as a team we can take action using your tools. The program educated and prepared us to work together and define company direction and strategy much more effectively.

(9/10) Gale Wilson Steele, CEO, Medseek

 

Yagev Ben Itzhak simplifies the complexities of organizational change. His style is compelling, challenging and engaging. His lecture is a must-have partner for anyone who wants to be on the leading edge of entrepreneurship

Mary Lou Bessette, Director, Arizona State University

 

“Very valuable, upfront, brutal honesty in a controlled manner, I have never been a part of anything like this before. Being in the same room with the CEO, General Manager and speaking my mind.

Dean Dimitrieski, Manager, JRM