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“Our company recently spent a day working with John on dialogue effectiveness. Each of us had worked on the ‘crucial conversations’ system in the past but found John’s model less complex and more effective because of its logical flow. Everyone, to the person, was impacted by the insights that John shared. His knowledge and delivery keep you captivated and leave you understanding why it is critical to pay attention to and improve your dialogue skills. Our time together was a homerun!!” President and CEO - Provision Networks
“Rather than buzz words and fading fads showcased in a book, John's REAL Talk pulls us to understand systems thinking and the mental models we use in communicating, relative to personal awareness, accountability, perceptions, attitudes, information, and the messages we send -- intentionally or unintentionally -- every day. John is gifted in sharing stories and humor to convert the complex to simple, actionable elements. The learning heightens our personal awareness about conscious choice versus autopilot default, in all our verbal and non-verbal communications. John challenges us to deliver ROI through "win-win" outcomes based on constructive interaction and effective decision making for individuals, leaders, and organizations.” Founder and Principal Consultant - JEMSource Solutions LLC
SPHR ODCP, Corporate Trainer - Crawford & Company
“DialogueWORKS’s communication courses are like 'Crucial Conversations' on steroids. The course helped me cut through the “static” that surrounded some of my most important relationships and helped me see how I was my own biggest obstacle in becoming a better listener and communicator. The REAL Talk training has had a huge impact on my results. I highly respect the work that John is doing and I appreciate his communication skills, expertise, and coaching.” Senior Project Manager – FamilySearch
John’s sessions have enabled our teams to speak the same language, become better listeners, understand self-defeating barriers and to have far more productive and constructive conversations throughout all levels of the organization. This in turn has had a tremendous impact on our customer service, employee engagement and ability to accomplish great work in a rapidly changing environment." Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement, OD Enthusiast
"John is a tremendous asset to the work we've done within the organization. His ability to tie leading research to practical recommendations and then to teach others to use new skills and achieve better results has fueled a variety of initiatives within the organizations for which I've worked.
"I recommend his work without hesitation and am grateful to count him as a colleague and collaborator." Experienced talent management, HR executive
"John is intelligent, charismatic and passionate about the products he creates. I’ve had the privilege of attending his courses as well as becoming certified in some of his content. Before I attended my first “Dialogue Works” session, I was told by a colleague that on a light level I would find the course to be a quality communications-based training class…but…. if I were up for it…. the course could change my life. “Dialogue Works” has helped me become far more intentional about the results I choose to create though the qualities of conversation I now have with others. Yes, the class has changed my life and from a business perspective, it has helped me lead teams that expand capacity while focusing on innovation and bottom line results." Strategic Thinker, Passion for Collaborative Results, Inspired by Authenticity
"I met John about 15 years ago when I needed help with improving the trust, communication and effectiveness of a management team. That first dialogue workshop led to a long and highly valued relationship that helped change the culture of an organization and improve its effectiveness. An outstanding coach, John is an expert at asking the right questions to get to the root of the issues that are impacting results. A gifted teacher and storyteller, John guides learners to be better communicators and more effective team members by combining humorous and highly relevant stories from his experience as a lawyer, business educator and whitewater guide with practical, relevant business tools. I have become a better leader through my association with John." Experienced Human Resources Leader, Problem Solver and People Developer
“I highly recommend John Stoker as a partner to provide high impact communications training. I have worked with John for a number of years and the quality of his program, REAL Talk, is outstanding.” Founder - Lead for Good
“John is a tremendous asset to the work we’ve done within the organization. His ability to tie leading research to practical recommendations and then to teach others to use new skills and achieve better results has fueled a variety of initiatives within the organizations for which I’ve worked.
“I recommend his work without hesitation and am grateful to count him as a colleague and collaborator.” Director, Talent Management & Development - Lennox International
“John is an engaging professional, and when I worked for Cox Communications, he was key in helping to shape a new corporate culture. We were transitioning from a single product model to a multi-layered product model, and John's work in Dialogue Skills helped leaders at all levels, and across multiple organization to become open to new paradigms and new methods to optimize our diverse perspectives so that we could effectively introduce new organizational goals and outcomes. He helped to mature the leadership team, and in doing so, helped the business to drive extraordinary results. In addition, John is such a delightful person to work with -- he has great humor, a warm and engaging personality and is a master at telling the truth. I'd encourage you to hire John -- especially if you're looking for something who can help you to shape or reshape your organization's culture. President - The Learning Exchange |
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“REAL Talk was a fun and interactive way in which to learn the best practices to collaborate with my coworkers for the best possible results. The class also helped me understand my weaknesses and ways to improve my communication skills to get better results in the company and in life. Participant - Autotrader.com
“REAL Talk offered me tools that I could use immediately. If everyone had this training, the workplace would run much more smoothly!” Participant - Autotrader.com
“The REAL Talk course content is easily applied to work situation as well as real life. The training was engaging and a good mix of individual and group work. After the first day, I started using the skills I learned in class.” Participant - Autotrader.com
“REAL Talk is practical and powerful and provides an endless amount of tools to use. This course should be required for all employees!” Participant - Autotrader.com
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“REAL Talk is the first course I’ve taken that has given me the tools I need as a leader to really handle the difficult situations.” Course Participant - Banner Health
“Over the years, I’ve certified to facilitate a number of different communications courses. REAL Talk is logical, easily applied, and drives deeper in helping participants to understand and immediately use simple tools. REAL Talk is one of the best courses I’ve ever taken and instructed.” Trainer/Facilitator - Banner Health
“REAL Talk is the first course I’ve taken that has given me the tools I need as a leader to really handle the difficult situations.” Course Participant - Banner Health |
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“I have had the pleasure to work with John on several projects all utilizing his program 'Collaborating for Results.' He is extremely knowledgeable regarding the topic of collaborative and productive conversations and very focused on the valued outcome that when conversation is collaborative, the organization wins through better results. Our company continues to provide his workshop to our employees, and I've promoted the workshop for all my team members as well as any leadership program we offer. While I've moved on from corporate training, I am aware that it is one of the most demanded and most valued by the employees who take it. My personal experience with the class is that it has made me a better manager, a better friend, a better colleague and a better wife. The lessons learned in John's class are not limited to the corporate environment and I think that is it is received so well and the demand is so high. He has created something that is useful in all situations and environments.” Manager, Restaurant Training - Chick-Fil-A |
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“REAL Talk has provided us with the leadership training we needed to be successful in this ever-changing marketplace. They have enabled our employees to be their very best at meeting customer needs.” Director, Organizational Development - Comcast Cable, Inc
“We’ve seen leaders transitioning from needing to control everything to a leadership style of mutual understanding and agreement. The results are clearly evident with employees—higher levels of commitment and performance. REAL Talk helps to achieve that!” Manager of Learning Development - Comcast Cable, Inc.
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“We selected DialogueWORKS to help us build a customized communication and management skills training program for our first level managers. John Stoker was easy to work with and provided us with practical skills and tools to set goals and conduct effective performance feedback conversations. The sessions were highly interactive and entertaining. John integrates well researched concepts, real-life stories and a touch of good humor that make the concepts relatable and applicable to the types of human interactions leaders face every day.
“The DialogueWORKS approach is flexible and easy to apply to the many conversations that managers and team members have with one another in the pursuit of their shared goals. REAL Talk skills and tools have proven to be particularly effective in holding difficult conversations. I highly recommend DialogueWORKS for your communication and management training initiatives.” Senior Vice President, Human Resources - Cotiviti Corporation
“An illuminating and insightful session raising self-awareness of personal traits and style….and finding the right approach to improve effectiveness of difficult conversations!!
“John’s interactive program of REAL Talk is well-structured to promote awareness through experiential and situational context which helps internalize and apply basic constructs of communication. He is a very engaging facilitator who uses humor, dramatics and his extensive experience to engage the group and drive concepts to reality.
“During the working session, small teams were encouraged to apply REAL Talk concepts in situations of their choice. John solicited permission of willing participants to challenge their response or behavior to provide real-time coaching which proved very useful.
“Overall, a productive day for the team at the end of which everyone left enlightened, encouraged and optimistic of driving difficult conversations with a structure to deliver effective outcomes.” Director, PMO - Cotiviti Healthcare
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“Few learning opportunities have the power to reach people at a personal and professional level. REAL Talk is one such experience. Often impact, such as this, is remembered as being a highpoint in one’s learning, but is not acted upon. The awareness and skill practices in this course do not allow for such nonchalance. The intention to experience personal enrichment was a strong attraction for me to enroll, and a reason for my recommendation to others.
“One of the strongest themes in REAL Talk was that of personal choice in the realm of conversation. In the past, I was cognizant of perceptual filters and other forms of noise that impede my own dialogue. With REAL Talk, I was awakened to the difficulties caused when I allow mental models to rule my communication. This course not only helps the learner identify such impediments, but also allows for rigorous practice at changing these habits.
“The content of this course is well-researched, practical, and captivating in its approach. Provided one enters the experience with a desire to learn and humility about one’s own dialogue proficiency, the results will be remarkable. The course content and an artful facilitator guide one towards personal commitments to collaborate for results.
“Not only is this a workshop for individual growth, but also for team strengthening. In my experience, there have been few interactions that actually bring perceptions and conclusions out so vividly as those within the DialogueWORKS course. The respectful tone and premises of the workshop bring about an atmosphere of trust. This goes a long way towards opening doors that have otherwise been shut, perhaps unknowingly, by team members. I strongly endorse REAL Talk as a powerful tool for conflict resolution within teams.” Former Director, National Talent Development Team - Cox Communications, Inc.
“REAL Talk helped to open the doors of respect and trust on our team. This product is a powerful tool for conflict resolution within any team.” Team Leader - Cox Communications, Inc.
“I sat down and went over some of the things we had talked about in class with my teenage daughter. We set some discussion ground rules, particularly not interrupting and asking questions rather than getting into a downward spiral. We had one of the most productive talks we have ever had, and we set a goal to have this kind of conversation at least once a week.” Course Participant - Cox Communications, Inc.
“Recently, I was about to lose my temper with one of my employees for his obstinance in front of our customer. Instead of flying off the handle, I took the time to understand his perspective. My training helped me to diffuse this situation and turn it into a productive encounter.” System General Manager - Cox Communications, Inc.
“Since our program was spaced out over a four-day period, I decided to practice with the stuff we learned in the first two half-days, over the weekend. I set an expectation to really listen and resist the urge to go to fight mode. I used the SOS model, and it really worked! The person I was working with changed their tone, and we got to a solution together that would typically not have happened.” Risk Management Team Member - Cox Communications, Inc.
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“REAL Talk was exactly what our leadership in Brazil needed. The sessions illuminated the assumptions and behaviors that were interfering with individuals’ ability to work together and achieve results.
“DialogueWORKS demonstrated a willingness to adjust and flex the content of their workshops to our exact needs--scoring direct hits on our company’s challenges.
“In twenty years in organizational development, I’ve never experienced a course that has the personal impact and the power to change behavior that REAL Talk does.” Director, Human Resources - Eastman Kodak
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“The MentalWORKS Class was a great class because it forced me to think about my thinking. I learned how sometimes my inaccurate thinking contributes to inaccurate emotions that then color my interactions with others. Being able to challenge my thinking and my emotions has allowed me to set my thinking and feeling aside and ask more focused questions in gathering evidence about the issues that we are talking about. I loved this class.” HOS Growth Director - Honeywell Aerospace, Honeywell, Inc.
“The DialogueWORKS training has helped me and my team to improve our results and the way we interact with our clients more than any other training we have ever experienced. It was spot on!” Director - Honeywell, Inc.
“In the nine years that I have worked for Honeywell, this class has made the greatest impact. It is the first class that I learned skills that I could take and use immediately back at work. The MentalWORKS learning skills have help my team to look at the challenges we face with different eyes which has allowed us to more creatively solve some of the problems which we face. I would highly recommend this class to anyone interested in improving how they solve problems.” Director of Engineering - Honeywell, Inc.
“I took the REAL Talk course because I have been avoiding some difficult conversations with my boss. The course taught me how to adequately prepare to hold a conversation that I have been avoiding for over two years. Not only did the interaction go as I had planned, but my boss told me he appreciated me bringing up some of the issues that I did. It couldn’t have gone better.” Chief Engineer - Honeywell, Inc.
“I have taken other communication courses in my time at Honeywell. However, the REAL Talk course is the easiest and simplest to use. The course provides a model for preparing any difficult conversation. The beauty of the model is that you know how to prepare, how to start the conversation, where you are at any time during the conversation, and when you are finished. The REAL Talk model takes the guesswork out of holding a conversation. I have prepared and held many conversations at work and at home with this model. I would highly recommend this class to anyone at Honeywell.” Supplier Development Project Manager - Honeywell, Inc.
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“Over the years, I have told and retold John’s stories to my colleagues and friends, with amazing clarity. Of course, I don’t come close to the engaging and humorous style John conveys. This is a testament to his impact, his relevancy and his creative speaking ability. Be sure to ask him about what makes ‘ya hu-u-u-u-ungry’!” Organization Consultant - Humana Healthcare
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“I have known and worked with John for many years. During that time he has consistently demonstrated an exceptionally keen business sense balanced with a deep commitment to the people whom he supports. His courses are excellent, and he is flexible enough to take advice and make them even better.” Change Management and Communications - Lockheed Martin
“In the past fifteen years I have been exposed to the best training talent and course materials. Having attended countless instructions and training courses, I have become somewhat hard to impress. DialogueWORKS created and customized a train-the-trainer dialogue program which not only impressed me, it energized me.
“Our goal was to ignite leadership and prepare a pool of people to become exceptional trainers to lead a culture change initiative. DialogueWORKS’ excellent facilitators coupled with their diverse business experience made that happen!
“The REAL Talk train-the-trainer course enjoyed the highest ratings, for both content and instruction at all levels of the organization.” Project Manager of Leadership Development - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
“The DialogueWORKS people designed two customized courses to help us hold difficult conversations and manage change more effectively. They also created a coaching program that helped our leaders to develop their people while empowering them to make their own decision and solve their own problems. These courses were highly interactive and provided core leadership principles that every manager needs. The content and facilitation were excellent and met our every expectation.” Director, IST - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
“I used the dialogue skills to give the feedback to a vendor that wasn’t giving us what we needed. He actually thanked me. I credit the REAL Talk training for my success.” Participant - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
“REAL Talk is absolutely the best course I’ve experienced in my 20 years with the company.” Participant - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
“The REAL Talk training is the communications program of choice for developing our people and our leaders. The skills in this program help achieve success in any communication interaction.” Manager, Leadership Development - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
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“REAL Talk is the most impactful communications training program we have ever offered to our employees. The skills and principles are assisting our leaders to achieve their goals.” Manager, Organizational Learning - Manheim Auto Sales
“DialogueWORKS was instrumental in helping to diagnose our learning needs and creating and adapting training materials to meet our needs.” Director of Human Resources – Manheim Auto Sales
“It has been four years since I went through the REAL Talk training. I still remember how we interpret events and how our brain function doesn’t do us any favors—and leads to defensiveness or emotional reaction. I remember what I learned and can stop myself before I lose my temper.” Participant - Manheim Auto Sales
“I use some of the dialogue skills with my son to talk about our relationship. I was cognizant about understanding and learning rather than forcing my views. I haven’t had that effective of a conversation in a long, long time.” Participant - Manheim Auto Sales |
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“Maxum Petroleum retained the services of DialogueWORKS to provide training to our regional management team. The program, “Managing Performance for Results,” focused on the effectiveness model for conversations and the “framework recipe” for holding “difficult” conversations. Not only did John Stoker retain the interest and engagement of our managers (a mixed group with varying tenures representing operations, sales, and finance) through his humorous approach, he also impressed the participants with his expertise and examples based on deep experience working with teams. As the HR leader, I appreciated how John took the time to give specific constructive feedback to managers during the role playing sessions so they could more effectively use the frameworks in “real life” situations back in the workplace. Also, I valued John’s flexibility and willingness to tailor his facilitation to better fit the needs of the audience. I continue to use John’s recipes for conversations and encourage our managers to leverage the resources on the DialogueWORKS web site and conveyed through his emails. I recommend REAL Talk and look forward to working with John again.” Director of Human Resources - Maxum Petroleum
“A gifted teacher and storyteller, John guides learners to be better communicators and more effective team members by combining humorous and highly relevant stories from his experience as a lawyer, business educator, and whitewater guide with practical, relevant business tools. I have become a better leader through my association with John. “ Sr. Vice President of Human Resources - Maxum Petroleum
“John Stoker’s course Managing Performance for Results was particularly helpful to my management team. We had become too informal and too complacent about our performance expectations for our many long-term employees. The course was especially tailored to our needs to help reinforce basic communication skills and to move us out of our comfort zone. We needed a refresher on how to interact and to push each other in an acceptable way to get better results. I believe this will also help us in setting clear expectations for new team members. It will also give us new tools to quickly integrate new members. John is a skilled facilitator and has good quality materials (both audio/visual and written) which help keep the training on track. He has a special skill to both entertain and to teach at the same time and relates well to members from diverse backgrounds. Our team members appreciated the training!” Regional President - Maxum Petroleum East
“Managing Performance for Results was offered to those holding key management positions within the company. Although we have experienced similar training in the past, this training offered a unique approach in applying theory and practicing the conversations that our leaders need to hold. The training was delivered with passion and enthusiasm that fully engaged each audience, eliciting voluntary participation from all. The content and delivery was well recognized and received by everyone.” Human Resources Manager - Maxum Petroleum East
“This training offered a unique approach in applying theory and practicing the conversation. It was delivered with passion and enthusiasm that fully engaged each audience, eliciting voluntary participation from all. The content and delivery were well received by everyone.” Human Resources Manager - Maxum Petroleum East |
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“John facilitated a REAL Talk class to our High Potential employee group last year. The class was titled Collaborating for Results. It was such a success—we rolled it out to all managers and to our Executive Team.
“The program has been very successful and has quickly seeped into the culture of our organization. The tools provided in the seminar allowed our Management Team to have a format to follow when having critical conversations AND the understanding behind why the conversations often derail or perhaps never get started in the first place. It was the key we needed to unlock and unleash the change and progress we all desired.
“John is energetic and fun and keeps his training relevant to the participants. He is professional and comes prepared and was truly worth the resources we committed. I can’t say enough about John, and I am certain he would bring the same level of expertise and real world practicality to any event you may sponsor.” Director, Human Resources - Nebraska Furniture Mart
“John Stoker’s support and guidance implementing Collaborating for Results was a huge plus for our organization. The program helped us all focus on our effectiveness as leaders and team members and improve our bottom line results.” Human Resources Director - Nebraska Furniture Mart
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“I attended the REAL Talk training with the expectation of being able to communicate more effectively because I tend to remain quiet and avoid talking about tough issues. I learned how to plan and hold a difficult conversation as well as receive needed feedback. I also enjoyed learning how to improve my listening skills. The course content is very valuable and can be used in the workplace as well as at home.” Assurance Program Manager - Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC (Contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy)
“How to identify conflicting emotions that hinder me from effective communication. Recognizing Fight or Flight (& Freeze) and how to overcome the impulses. More confidence in talking to others. If you can attend, make sure you get the 2 day course.
“I was excited to take the REAL Talk course because I have realized for a long time that I need to become more effective and managing my conflicting emotions. I was able to recognize my fight, flight, or freeze tendencies in certain situations. I have gained more confidence in talking to others with whom I had been challenged with in the past. Great class for improving communication skills.” Process Equipment Engineer - Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC (Contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy)
“I have avoided holding difficult conversations for years, simply hoping that my problems would just go away. Unfortunately, the problems did not go away. I have improved my REAL Talk skills with both my peers and managers at work.
“My wife recently said that she likes the new me because I am more patient and have been better at listening. I also had a long overdue difficult conversation with a coworker that went much better than I could have imagined. Hopefully I can continue in this positive path.
“I would highly recommend the REAL Talk course. The presentation was excellent, and the concepts are applicable at home, in social settings, and at work. I really enjoyed the positive interaction of the participants and the encouragement for trying and applying the skills in class. This gave us the courage to apply what we learned in a useful way.” Sr Security Analyst - Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC (Contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy)
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“I believe that there is no greater skill needed in organizations today than the mastery of dialogue. Dialogue supports new thinking and new possibilities between people, which, in turn, generates vital organizations and exciting possibilities for innovation.
“REAL Talk also teaches you how to listen in a way that suspends judgment, opening the door to new perspectives and creating readiness for change. Teams and organizations gain a spirit of inquiry allowing for courageous conversations and the kind of openness and patience with groups which helps to create unity and shared purpose.
“There is no better facilitator of dialogue skills than John Stoker. Mr. Stoker is extremely self-aware and lives the principles he teaches. He listens to what people are saying and not saying and understands what needs to be said in holding courageous conversations. I would encourage you to bring DialogueWORKS into your organization.” Former Senior Manager, Education - Pay Pal, Inc., an eBay company
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“REAL Talk had an immediate impact on our organization both personally and professionally. After each session employees would call or email on how they were able to implement the REAL Talk conversational model into any difficult conversation (both personal and professional) and how they were able to make an impact by turning the conversation into a positive exchange.
“The REAL Talk sessions have enabled our teams to speak the same language, become better listeners, understand self-defeating barriers and have far more productive and constructive conversations throughout all levels of the organization. This in turn has had a tremendous impact on our customer service, employee engagement, and ability to accomplish great work in a rapidly changing environment.” Vice President, Human Resources – PayFlex
“John’s sessions have enabled our teams to speak the same language, become better listeners, understand self-defeating barriers and to have far more productive and constructive conversations throughout all levels of the organization. This in turn has had a tremendous impact on our customer service, employee engagement, and ability to accomplish great work in a rapidly-changing environment.” VP Workforce Solutions, Member Experience - Payflex-Aetna
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“If we are to be truly successful working together in a constantly changing world, we must relearn how to communicate with one another. Through REAL Talk, I have learned the value and the power of suspending my own assumptions long enough to see reality through a new lens. As a result, I have learned a great deal about how I make decision and act on them.
“REAL Talk is a unique learning experience that allows an individual to suspend what they think they know long enough to perceive new possibilities. Through the dialogue learning process, you disconnect your personal autopilot just long enough to illuminate the mental mindsets that you use to navigate life. From this new awareness you gain insight into how you perceive the world, make decisions, interact with others, solve problems, and develop others.” Manager of Human Resources - PerkinElmer, Inc.
“REAL Talk not only helped me remember how to more effectively communicate with my team, my boss, and my peers, but it helped me see how I could be more effective communicating with my family. For the first time, I actually can ‘hear’ my daughter. Two days of REAL Talk have literally changed my life.” Participant - PerkinElmer, Inc.
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“I had the pleasure to work with John several times in my management career at USSTC. I was a participant in three (3) of John's training programs that were sponsored by our Corporate Training Dept, and I also brought John in to work with our regional teams on several different occasions.
“John’s research and training programs blend just the right amount of theory with real world application. I saw firsthand the benefits his programs had on individuals within the regional and the bottom line performance increases to productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction. After the Dialogue Works training our departments also experienced lower turnover and higher job satisfaction scores. In terms of my personal management experience, no other training had a greater impact on me than John's work on Dialogue, Mental Models and "Leadership." These programs were not just seminars with a binder, the training was actionable and used to create positive, sustainable change and organizational momentum. John also was excellent at post training follow-up and coaching. “I highly recommend John and his training programs to any results-oriented company that is truly interested and committed in working with a principled professional who delivers a positive road map to change and organizational improvement.” Sr. Vice President, Sales & Marketing - Swisher International
“Our organization has gone through tremendous change over the past couple of years. Those changes included breaking down conventional thinking and required a new level of trust and respect in how our teams work together in executing our go-to-market plans. When our leadership team met with John Stoker and went through the Overcoming Fake Talk workshop, we found an approach that developed our skills to effectively communicate with each other and get the desired results. While we have benefited as an organization from the skills and strategies learned from John, there has been countless testimonials from team members on how they have applied the learnings in their personal lives improving relationships through real conversations. John's straight forward approach is unique and highly effective in creating a respectful dialogue in all situations.” VP, Sales Operations & Customer Service - Swisher International
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“John’s research and training programs blend just the right amount of theory with real world application. I saw firsthand the benefits his programs had on individuals within the region and the bottom-line performance increases to productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction. After the REAL Talk Training, our departments also experienced lower turnover and higher job satisfaction scores.
“In terms of my personal management experience, no other training had a greater impact on me than John’s work on REAL Talk, Mental Models, and Leadership. These programs were not just seminars with a binder, the training was actionable and used to create positive, sustainable change and organizational momentum. “I highly recommend John and his training programs to any results-oriented company that is truly interested and committed in working with a principled professional who delivers a positive road map to change and organizational improvement.” Executive Vice President – USSTC
“During my thirty years of leading and managing, there have been only a few unforgettable programs that have fundamentally changed my overall effectiveness in thinking and communicating. REAL Talk is one of them.
“REAL Talk opened my mind and taught me specific skills that allow me to better understand other people’s experiences, perspectives, and idea. By doing this more consistently, quality relationships are established., better thinking occurs, and more information flows. This leads to better solutions and strong commitment to shared goals.” Vice-President of Strategic Planning and Organizational Development - UST, Inc.
“DialogueWORKS designed and facilitated a program that produced immediate results for my team. The Collaborating for Results and Expanding Leadership Capacity programs were significant factors in achieving our organizational goals, while creating a very positive work environment. The training provided helped us analyze our business situations, assess our individual and team contributions, and make the changes necessary for superior performance.” Vice-President of Sales - UST, Inc.
“John is one of the most creative and effective consultants I have ever retained. Whether it was building teams for customer service, sales, marketing, IT and senior management, or creating customized training programs to deal with the unique issues facing a highly regulated industry, John's grasp of the issues and his extensive experience carried the day. In particular, John's creation of a training program for our Code of Corporate Responsibility (which he assisted in drafting) resulted in our Company being rated in the top 2% of all public companies' governance scores. John was also particularly helpful in developing a "managing change” program as we implemented a 250 million dollar cost reduction program. John was so well received throughout the Company that he was often asked to coach executives through their issues. John always had the Company's interest foremost in his mind.” Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, Secretary - UST, Inc.
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“REAL Talk: Collaborating for Results has been one of the highest-rated courses that we offer our employees. It teaches fundamentals for effective conversation, translating the social and cultural theory of Peter Senge, Ed Schein, and Chris Argyris into practical application. This course truly resonates with our employees, who believe their learning has contributed to their increased capability and value-added performance.” Manager OD & Training - Unified Grocers
“I have worked with John Stoker for over 20 years and used the REAL Talk program with amazing results. At Unified Grocers we have used REAL Talk for both training workshops as well as functional and cross-functional workgroups. The results have always been improved employee relations, improved employee performance, and increased department morale and respect.” Director OD & Training - Unified Grocers
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“This morning I was summoned to one of my work centers because one of my section supervisors had a difficult encounter with one of his employees. The junior employee became verbally combative towards the section supervisor and refused to heed my repeated requests to calm down and to stop pounding his fists on the table. In order to stop the downward spiraling of the conversation, I asked the section supervisor to exit the room.
“Once alone with the employee, I then initiated the conversation. I gained his permission to proceed with an ‘Attention Check’ and then began the conversation. I asked a couple of ‘self-reflective’ learning type questions. In relatively short order, I was able to get the employee to share with me his real issue (medical related). We exchanged each of our ‘wants’ and ended the conversation with a plan and apologies.
“And yes, I did address the employee's unprofessional conduct.
“In hindsight, I only wish I could have had a few minutes to review the REAL Talk process from our workbook and confirm the steps before being ambushed with this conversation.
“Regardless, the skills I learned really WORKED!!!” Supervisor - United States Air Force
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“The most important part of this class was learning to recognize what is happening with others before they become emotional. I hope to become an effective and inspirational leader who is capable to work with and manage anyone. I believe the emotional intelligence skills I learned is a positive step in helping me to achieve my goals.” Project Manager - Xactware Inc.
“This class helped me to understand and defuse the emotional reactions of the managers that I serve. It is easy for me to get drawn into the emotional “drama” that others display. The EASE model in particular has been a great model that is easy to use to help me understand others while defusing a potentially explosive situation.” HR - Xactware Inc.
“REAL EQ has helped me to identify my personal triggers, those situations which trigger my feelings. I have found that this concept has helped me manage my team members and my interactions with customers more effectively.” Account Manager - Xactware, Inc.
“I would absolutely recommend REAL EQ. I learned what values of mine are often triggered by the words and actions of others. This has helped me understand and know how to control my emotions more effectively. This is a much-needed class if you want to improve your team’s effectiveness.” Account Manager - Xactware, Inc.
“I think REAL EQ should be mandatory for all managers and then made available to the rest of our employees. The course content helps participants learn how to manage emotional situations before they escalate and get out of hand. I learned how important it is for me to ask more questions rather than assuming that I always know everything.” Team Lead - Xactware, Inc.
“The REAL EQ course has really made an impact on the language I use. I have found that the way I talk about situations often escalates my emotions and the emotions of those who are listening to me. If I am personally aware of my language and take the time to describe a situation more positively, it positively impacts everyone. Doing the “Switch” exercise at work and at home has made a real difference for me.” Project Manager - Xactware, Inc.
“I would highly recommend this class for anyone who likes a lot of class interaction and who learns by applying what they are learning. I have greatly appreciated the skill that teaches us to listen for the positive values that are hidden behind the negativity of others. This has helped me in the way that I interact with my team.” Account Manager - Xactware, Inc.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the REAL EQ Managing Emotion to Improve Results training conducted by John Stoker at our company. I can hardly find a situation when dealing with people where the information we explored would not be relevant. The training and associated workbook and other media was particularly well organized. So much so, that you automatically come away from the course with customized action items. I highly recommend it to anyone who deals with people. My only complaint is that some of those with whom I work were not there.” Participant - Xactware, Inc.
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