"I just had to write you and Connie a letter to let you know how much I really am enjoying your leadership development sessions. It should be noted that I have been putting into practice the concepts and ideas we have been studying in class and the rewards have been tremendous. For example, after breaking down the daily requirements for our poorest sales people and giving them realistic targets to shoot for, their sales increased a whopping 17% in the first month."

Jack Greenberg, Vice President
Ajax Adhesives Industries, Inc., Dallas, Texas
 

"I just wanted to drop you a line to express my sincere appreciation for your continued support of my staff during their leadership development. Your personal one-on-one counseling has been extremely beneficial to my staff in addition to me personally. The leadership sessions are always informative, and we continue to utilize many of the approaches and techniques learned in the classes. Keep up the good work."

M. Diane Higdon, Vice President, Policy Filing & Licensing
American Health & Life Insurance, Fort Worth, Texas

"I look forward to attending the Leadership-The Bottom Line sessions on at least a couple of levels. First of all, as an alumni going back through the series again, it's very helpful to be able to pick up fresh new pointers regarding the topics of the month.  We also get very practical processes that help us with many different aspects of Leadership.  Beyond that though, I appreciate the monthly "up" that

I get from each of the sessions.  No matter how optimistic one is about their own, their employees' and their company's future, one leaves each of all the monthly sessions even higher. That's a great feeling to leave with and it's great to know you can count on it happening each month. Thanks for your leadership and the new mind set you consistently reinforce.  I really appreciate it."

Mike Koppen, Vice President
American Health & Life Insurance, Fort Worth, Texas

"In today's fast-paced business environment it's very important that you receive a good return on your investment. That's exactly what we did when we got our management team involved in LEADERSHIP 2000. We are already seeing impressive results, especially in working relationships and in our manager's ability to get the best results from their people.

In addition, we have been putting our sales organization through SALES-THE BOTTOM LINE and the results have been impressive. The program worked for us because you tailored it to the specific needs of our people and related it to the goals of our company which was not an easy task.

I have to say that the basics seem new and our sales force is excited about the fresh approaches to selling that have proven so successful. Keep up the good work.

Phil Samak, General Sales Manager
American Mail-Well Envelope, Dallas, Texas

"Thank you for your recent session on 'How to Condition Your Team for Change.' Your presentation was timely, informative and educational for all who attended. I would highly recommend your training to anyone in my industry."

Philip E. Apgar, CPA., Vice President, Treasurer, CFO.
American Indemnity Group, Galveston, Texas

"The most valuable benefit I experienced was being able to walk away with a much greater awareness of the fact that as a key leader in our organization I'm always 'on stage' and I need to continually be aware of my actions and the impact of the messages I communicate both verbally and non-verbally, and in particular the fact that it's not always what you say but it's how you say it that will always make the big difference.

You can be assured that I and several other members of our team will be repeating many of the sessions in the future to reinforce what we learned the first time through and that we will also be enthusiastically recommending LEADERSHIP-THE BOTTOM LINE to others in our industry. Thanks to both you and Sharon for a job well done!"

Glenn A. Strother, Managing Partner
AUI Contractors, Inc, Fort Worth, Texas

"You have an exceptional leadership development program. During the time our department heads and lead people have been attending your sessions, I have definitely seen greater team cohesiveness and there has been significantly less defensiveness between team members in their interactions with each other and between departments. Working relationships are greatly improved.

I would very definitely recommend this program to any company that has a management team who is looking to improve relationships between employees, their sales team and their customers."

Charlene Masters, Purchasing & Safety Manager
Cabinet Specialists, Waxahachie, Texas

"I want to express my gratitude and say thanks for the Leadership-The Bottom Line series you conducted for our leadership team.  We had supervisors that gained a new confidence in themselves as the result of your process.

We effectively accomplished changing their attitudes from 'what's the problem now' to 'how can we elevate our employees today.' You should be proud of your abilities to help individuals grow and enhance their professional careers. I highly recommend your leadership training process. Thanks - keep making a difference."

Brett Schaffer, U.S. Manufacturing Manager

Core Laboratories, LLC - Owen Oil Tools Division

"Thanks to LEADERSHIP 2000, our managers are gaining great confidence in their ability to manage and properly motivate their staff. They truly are becoming much better leaders.

Your program has helped them understand themselves and also the people they manage on a much higher, and more productive level than anything we have offered in the past."

Lou Ann Talbot, Executive Vice President
Dallas Postal Credit Union, Dallas, Texas

"I would confidently recommend the complete LEADERSHIP-THE BOTTOM LINE process to any company that is really committed to developing a solid leadership foundation in their organization. It would be especially helpful for the new manager, but also extremely beneficial to the experienced leader/manager who is wanting to brush up on their existing skills while also developing a game plan for the development of other leaders in their organization."

Allan Barr, Vice President Operations
The Barr Company, Printers, Fort Worth, Texas

"What an excellent program! I have attended many, many seminars and workshops over the past years but none compare to your very effective presentations. Your workshop sessions have helped me increase the confidence and the respect of the people I lead and supervise.  After attending only a few sessions and implementing the processes I have learned from you, I am seeing significant results in the form of improved attitudes and increased performance on the part of my people.

One of the biggest benefits of my participation in the sessions is that we are now offering our clients much better customer service, and consequently, that is adding up to greater profits down the line. Thanks Jim to you and your staff for making this training so informative and valuable in the everyday workplace."

Pat Adkins, Warranty Manager
D.R. Horton Custom Homes, West Division, Fort Worth, Texas

"Leadership/Management training is sometimes viewed from a corporate level as an unnecessary expense or a luxury that is just not affordable or measurable.  I can very truthfully say that the LEADERSHIP 2000 program you just presented to our management team this past year has been worth every dollar invested.  Visible results are evident on a daily basis.  I would very highly recommend LEADERSHIP 2000 to any company who wants to improve communication and promote a climate that is conducive to enabling all employees to work up to their highest potential. The feedback from our employees and officers alike indicates that all the important areas of their lives are still benefiting from this program, and that includes their personal lives as well."

Jeffrey A. Peiper, President, C.E.O.
First American Savings, Bedford, Texas

"The enthusiasm and techniques of our facilitators, Jim and Connie, made participating and learning really enjoyable.  They were both very motivating and gave us 2000% at each session. I was very impressed with the materials provided throughout the program.  The creative hand-outs, class discussions, role-playing exercises, and interesting video presentations led to our very practical application and internalization of the concepts.  I now feel and know that I have taken ownership of the very valuable information learned in the sessions."

Laurie Reneau, Senior Accountant
First American Savings, Bedford, Texas

"You and Jim are excellent facilitators and I really appreciate your ability to put us at ease and your ability to create a desire on our part to want to participate and learn. While I have learned a great deal from the sessions, probably the greatest benefit of all is the growth I have experienced as a manager and as a person.

I would highly recommend LEADERSHIP 2000 to any company who wants to increase the effectiveness of their key managers."

Carolyn Hicks, Supervisor
First American Savings, Bedford, Texas

"The subject matter of each individual session was relevant and thought-provoking and presented in a very effective style that was often humorous.  If the universally true principles taught in your very unique series were embraced by top leaders in companies today, the results would be impressive.  Leaders would communicate the vision and goals of the company in such a way that employees would reach their maximum potential and companies would more effectively achieve their goals and objectives.  I will continue to recommend LEADERSHIP 2000 to other business leaders."

Judy Short, Vice President Finance
FirstCom Music, Dallas, Texas

"I wanted to tell you how pleased we have been with the training provided by The Leadership Institute.  Your training has been just exactly what our superintendents needed. They are still talking about and implementing your processes and ideas.  I personally attended the complete LEADERSHIP-THE BOTTOM LINE series in 2001 & 2002 and am still reaping the benefits.  One of the most valuable sessions for me was the 'Time Management' and the 'Selegation' segments. I continue to highly recommend your program to many of my associates in the industry and we will be sending more of our managers through your program in the future."

Scott Stoltz, Vice President, Operations
Hisaw & Associates General Contractors Carrollton, Texas

"I wanted to take this opportunity to express my genuine and heartfelt appreciation for the efforts that you and your team devoted to ITS for the past twelve months.  All the sessions have already paid for themselves.  Your customized presentation approach coupled with the application projects and the personal monthly follow-up and coaching that you and Connie provided enabled us to develop very important leadership skills which have proven very beneficial to our managers and also to the company.  I strongly recommend LEADERSHIP 2000 to any and all business leaders who are committed to maximizing their human resources."

Jerry E. Pressley, Jr.
ITS Environmental Laboratories, Dallas, Texas

"I would like to personally thank you for the great job you and Connie are doing with our management teams in Dallas and Seattle.  I am very pleased with both the professional and the personal growth I am seeing in our managers.  I believe you and Connie have been instrumental in the unification of the two management companies and have helped to break down many of the barriers between the two cultures."

Pat Holder, CPM, President
Lexford Properties, Las Colinas, Dallas, Texas

"Your leadership development program has made a major contribution to my management skills and has promoted confidence in the entire staff.  As General Managers, we sometimes feel we are beyond training but your program had shown me that involving our team members in our visions for the future and our strategic plans is much easier and certainly more effective using the correct approach. I can not say enough about the quality of instruction and the additional management skills I have achieved through your program."

Mike Beardmore, Vice President, General Manager
Liberty Carton Company, Fort Worth, Texas

"I enjoyed my sessions with you and Jim in the leadership development program, and I came away with more confidence as a manager and leader.  In fact, I was recently promoted to Human Resource Manager in this division.  I do know that The Leadership Institute played an important part in this accomplishment by helping me develop my abilities to move forward.  Again, I feel this was time well invested for both Liberty Carton Company and myself."

Deena Moseley, Human Resource Manager
Liberty Carton Company, Fort Worth, Texas

"I just wanted to let you know now that we have completed our first time through the leadership series and have become 'alumni', how truly beneficial the experience has been.  The whole process is put together very well and we have been able to gather and put to practical use a wealth of very valuable information. We intend to continue our involvement as alumni to be able to take further advantage of the wisdom and practical insight that is made available in the monthly sessions."

In addition, we will continue to involve our new hires as they come on board.  I would highly recommend LEADERSHIP-THE BOTTOM LINE to anyone wanting to significantly advance their organization.  Thank you for all of the 'one-on-one' time and for the time and interest you have invested in my people."

Jody M. O'Donnell, President
LMI Landscapes, Inc.  Carrollton, Texas

"Having attended my 12^th LEADERSHIP2000 workshop session, I wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed and benefited from the sessions. I am very impressed with the fact that your ideas are simple and practical, and yet profound.  Your presentations are always interesting, stimulating and most enjoyable.

As you know, several of our employees are still attending each of the monthly workshops.  We have made it a habit to meet after each of the workshop sessions to discuss what we learned and how we will implement the ideas and processes at Lokey Iron & Alloy. This has proved to be very beneficial in terms of creating a common frame of reference in our organization, especially in the area of practical follow-through and application.  Finally, I must thank you for all of the 'one-on-one' time you have invested with me between the monthly sessions.  Those individual sessions with you have been of great benefit to me in that you have helped me learn how to implement the ideas and processes using my own style and personality."

Chris Lokey, President, Co-Owner
Lokey Iron & Alloy, Fort Worth, Texas

"With two new staff members on our team, I will use the ‘Building a Great Place to Work’ exercise as a means of building relationships with them over the next 6 weeks (look at one step/question per week). Thanks for the good foundation to build on!

I appreciate your teaching and coaching this past year and look forward to implementing what I have learned and also regularly reviewing the materials to keep improving and growing in my leadership capacities."

Robyn Pratt, Marketing Manager
Neighborhood Credit Union, Dallas, Texas

 

"My deepest gratitude and sincere thanks for Jim Abbondante's participation in our recent three day Business Issues Seminar, Bus 479/480.  Without a doubt, Jim's presentations were among the highlights of the seminar.  Feedback from both students and faculty alike clearly reflected their appreciation and the value they attached to Jim's presentations.  On behalf of Edgar Madden, Vice President and Director, External Plan of Study, Northwood Institute; and John Castle, Dean of the Texas Campus, our sincerest thanks for a task well done!"

Charles J. Larkin, Director, External Degree Program
Northwood Institute, Cedar Hill, Texas

"We are very appreciative of all of the attention you have provided the management staff here at Professional Medical Services (PMS)The guidance, insight and the motivation is clearly helping them in navigating the difficulties in managing and motivating their staff. 

You have an extremely engaging and timely message that has helped PMS greatly from the first 12 monthly sessions you conducted in 2005, and now even more so with the additional sessions you are providing in 2008.  We look forward to measuring the results we at PMS will experience through staff retention,
production and morale.

I would gladly recommend The Leadership Institute to any organization who is interested in making these types of improvements and more within their organization.

James K. Dressman, Executive Director

Professional Medical Services, Fort Worth, Texas

"Now that we are half way through the leadership development program I want to tell you how much our managers and company have benefited.  Although our expectations were high, they have been far exceeded by the results we are seeing.  Cooperation, attitudes and yes, teamwork have been engendered. 

Borderline managers have become thinkers and problem solvers.  Reticent managers have become open and communicative; all to the betterment of Provident American Insurance Company and its employees."

Ann G. Russell, Vice President, Operations
Provident American Insurance Company

 

"WOW! The Leadership 2000 sessions have had a tremendous positive impact on our organization.  It's obvious to everyone that we have grown significantly as a team. I considered myself a good leader going into the leadership sessions, but your program content was so applicable to my individual circumstances in leading the Premiere Team that I know my leadership abilities were greatly expanded.  I am pleased to recommend LEADERSHIP 2000 to any organization wanting to enhance the leadership effectiveness of their team."

Jeff Kuhns, President
Premiere Management Company, Inc., Seattle, Washington

"Since your leadership sessions, there have been additional training sessions conducted at this plant on various other topics, however, your classes are still the standard against which all others are compared. The LEADERSHIP-THE BOTTOM LINE series provided my management team with the tools necessary to increase the rate at which we are able to develop all our people.  I have noticed a very definite paradigm shift from a purely technical focus on operations toward one of people development.  The most often piece of advice I now hear given to a management team member by one of his peers since your series is to 'practice your leadership skills'.  I believe that your unique program has contributed significantly to the overall improvement in both morale and productivity in this plant." "Thank you again for a job well done."

James Campbell, Assistant Plant Manager
Quemetco, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana

"LEADERSHIP 2000 has definitely made a positive impact on the operations of SCM Real Estate Services.  The information we received through written materials, lecture, and group involvement, has proven to be very valuable and a timely resource.  Thank you for making LEADERSHIP 2000 and a great value."

Gary Walker, President
SCM Real Estate Services, Arlington, Texas

"I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the effort you and Connie have put forth to make the leadership development program a success.  There are so many fine programs out there to choose from and I have attended several.

However, what separates this program from the others is not only the content and the manner in which you structure the training, but what you two have personally contributed.  I am impressed with your commitment to continually expanding your knowledge and improving your training skills so that you may enhance the quality of the programs you provide your clients.  You made it possible for us to learn a great deal in a much shorter period of time."

M. Debby Hein, Agent
State Farm Insurance, Hurst, Texas

"It has been several months since our management team completed your unique leadership development process and I continue to see concrete results from this valuable training.  The managers in our service department report that as they employ the techniques they learned, their associates are responding to them in ways they never imagined. Cooperation, teamwork and motivation are resulting in much higher customer service satisfaction levels.  Your content, organization, enthusiasm and genuine style of teaching has made this investment worth every penny."

Daniel J. Cohen, President
Star Uniforms, Dallas, Texas

"This letter is just a brief expression of my appreciation for what I've experienced in your leadership development program.  I discovered through my involvement in your program how much I can benefit from continuing to hone my leadership and management skills.  So often, as managers, we find ourselves very task oriented.  But real leadership is an art form which involves developing effective relationships with people.  Your classes have pointed out the areas in my personal management philosophy which hopefully, sharpened with experience, will keep me effective in the long run.  Unlike other so-called motivational courses I have attended, your program has provided for solid application of the leadership and management concepts in the real world."

Scott Fletcher, CLU, Agency Manager
State Farm Insurance Company, Dallas, Texas

I just wanted to take a minute to express my greatest appreciation for the excellent job your organization does. It is not an easy task trying to influence and steer people and their perspectives into a new way of thinking, especially when we all have so much going on around us. I appreciate your obvious preparation and the fact that you make the sessions fun and entertaining.

After our sessions I always leave so enlightened and eager to try new approaches to make my team the best that it can be. Your enthusiasm is a real inspiration to me. Not only are you helping me to think, see, and recognize how to be a better leader, but also a much better spouse for my husband. I am fortunate to work for a company that wants me to be the best I can be.

Ashley Boggs, Support Services Department
Union Standard Insurance Company, Las Colinas, Texas

 

"The continuous application of the principles and concepts that I have learned
from LEADERSHIP 2000 have greatly enhanced my relationships with employees, customers, and my family members. Being in the people business has never been better!"

Craig W. Sparks, CIC, President
Union Standard Insurance Company, Las Colinas, Texas

"The May session was especially helpful. It really helped me to take a step back and analyze my typical reactions to the daily stressors I encounter. It also provided me with a much better understanding of myself, and with some very practical options that will make it possible for me to deal now with stressful situations much faster and more efficiently. Thanks for a really great session.
 
Rita Beck, Litigation Specialist
Union Standard Insurance Company, Las Colinas, Texas
 

"I am participating in the LEADERSHIP 2000 sessions you are conducting for the United States Postal Service in Lubbock, Texas.  I hold an MA in management and have held many supervisory positions in the Postal Service for the last five years. I have also held supervisory positions with other organizations for over twenty years.  Your classes have been exceptionally valuable to me in several ways.

In my ten years with the Postal Service, I have never attended a course that held my attention and challenged my imagination to this extent.  LEADERSHIP 2000 requires me to stretch my capabilities, to re-invent my management style, and to realign my management practices with current realities."

Dale F. Lipsett, Supervisor Customer Services
United States Postal Service, San Angelo, Texas

"We are half way through our leadership development program. Results are very evident among our staff.  There is a greater awareness of effective people skills and the many lessons learned in the sessions are discussed openly between each of our sessions.  Your personal interest in our growth and success is evident and is part of what makes the program a success.  It is certainly well done and has already provided us with valuable tools with which we will continue to develop."

John M. Roberts, President and Publisher
The Victoria Advocate, Victoria, Texas

"The classes this past year have been fun and I am convinced that the experience was worth every penny.  What has been particularly helpful has been the 'one-on-one' personal coaching sessions with Jim and Connie in between all the monthly sessions.  I would highly recommend the leadership process to any company committed to moving their leadership team to the next level."

J. Phillip Weldon, President
Weldon Contractors, Arlington, Texas

"Before we attend our final leadership development session, I wanted to express my personal thanks to you and Connie for the sincere interest and professionalism displayed throughout every aspect of the program.  As the head of our training and development department, I leave each one of your sessions with many new ideas, as well as some old ones that I needed to be reminded of, that help me to further enhance the effectiveness of our employee development programs.  The results we have achieved from your program throughout our organization have been impressive.  Thank you for finding us."

Mike Hedlund, Vice President, Human Resources
Vought Heritage Federal Credit Union, Grand Prairie, Texas