DiSC Testimonials

CHRISTUS Health  has been speaking the language of DiSC since 2004.  DiSC allows us to link a common understanding of workplace behaviors to our learning and development opportunities for our workforce.  From senior leaders, to executives, to front line associates, the personal learning realized as a result of DiSC tools provides CHRISTUS and our Associates with the capability to communicate better and function more effectively as a team.

Lisa Reynolds, System Director of Organizational Effectiveness CHRISTUS Health

CHRISTUS Health has included DiSC as a component of our week-long CHRISTUS Center for Management Excellence leadership development program. The DiSC session in the afternoon of the first day continues to be a favorite portion of the course. Our managers appreciate the insight into their behavior as well as the behavior of others that they work with. Course participants love the team view of everyone’s classical profile and use the team view long after the course has ended. From an instructor's viewpoint, I find the DiSC facilitator's report an excellent summary of the makeup of the group. The detailed information in the report provides for great discussion about the group's culture.

Lisa Reynolds, Organizational Development Program Manager Christus Health

This was the first real opportunity we had to practice and use the Six Thinking Hats training.  And it worked! This is a good sign that we can make efforts to concentrate on a specific matter and stick to that matter.  We channeled our discussions in the same direction.  We found a lot of solutions in a very short period of time and it helped us concentrate and focus.  Created a common direction for all people involved and brought discipline to the group. Click here for the full story as it was presented at the First International Dr. Edward de Bono Thinking Skills Conference.

Simona Adelina Popovici, Associate Director of Organizational Development and Employee Communications CONNEX - a Trademark for MobiFon S.A.

Thank you for introducing Consolidated Management Company to a new approach to hiring and job assessment. Your enthusiastic and vivacious presentation was easy to understand. The group you spoke to represented various backgrounds and very little exposure to social behavior styles. Your use of specific examples made the new concept tangible for our staff.

Whitten Park Jones, Director of Marketing Consolidated Management Co.

99% of the managers and supervisors who responded to our survey reported using the DiSC model to do their jobs better.

Tom Brown, Manager, HRD Crown International, California

Over the course of the last twelve months, we have implemented the DiSC profile to 85% of our organization to capitalize on leadership skills and effective team communication techniques.  The DiSC profiles have provided each associate an opportunity to understand their behavioral style, as well as their teammates, to better communicate and accomplish common objectives.  In addition, understanding the DiSC model has helped associates identify the style of their customers so as to enhance communication and delivery, promoting greater understanding of behaviors in both professional and personal settings.  The Resources Unlimited Team has been very responsive to our needs and the EPIC system has been a great user-friendly administration tool.

Adam M. Herman, Instructional Design Specialist Crump Learning Center

"The instructor has a style of training that is second to none. It felt clear that our learning was her goal and that she genuinely cared about each of us. As a participant, I feel well-informed and equipped to use DiSC in a number of settings." "Careful planning was done on the part of the instructor to ensure everyone's application was addressed. Materials were more than expected!" "Materials were exceptional!" "Great, thoroughly enjoyable. Felt like I got all that I expected and more."

Comments from DiSC Certification Participants

I first met Barbara Stennes, Lifetime Certified de Bono Master Trainer, in 1992. She was a promising apprentice from the start and has since taught my thinking methods to thousands of individuals, helping to improve thinking in organizations around the world.  Barbara was also one of my first Master Trainers and is now one of only 3 Lifetime Certified de Bono Master Trainers worldwide.  I personally trained and certified Barbara in Six Thinking Hats, Lateral Thinking, and DATT; and I count on her as a key proponent of my work.

Dr. Edward de Bono

I have long been impressed with your thorough research of a topic before preparing a presentation. It's apparent to me that you are very knowledgeable in the topics you address in your training sessions.  Your knowledge also shows in the way you are able to relate current business trends and happenings. Barb, thanks for your contribution to the professionalism of our local ASTD chapter and for the mentoring you have done for so many trainers in our area.

Joan Manternach, Employee Training Coordinator Farm Bureau

The use of DiSC has become part of the culture at our company. We believe that DiSC has helped employees understand themselves and each other better - which brings about loyalty to [our company].

Beckie Hinze, Executive Director Foundation Management Services, Inc.

You packed a tremendous amount of information into our 3 days. Good ideas and tips to use with my work team.

General Electric

As a follow-up to the courses I recently attended, Six Thinking Hats and Lateral Thinking, I wanted to let you know that I am doing some things differently in my job and personal life as a result of these courses. I am confident that, in the long term, improved results will be a natural consequence.

Jenifer Marchesi, Manager, Ink Development Gillette

We hope you will remember the Business Process Reengineering Team from Honeywell because you certainly made an impression on us. Six Thinking Hats has become part of our team psyche and we take the work out into our organization. Using the Six Hats method we have worked through many emotion issues, and in conjuction with brainstorming techniques, have come to consensus on many issues thought to be unresolvable. We use the "Hat method" even when we're not discussing specifics. This training has made our task, which is very challenging, a little less overwhelming.

BCAS BPR Team Honeywell

I thought you did a terrific job at the Chapter Leaders program and we got excellent comments, including several in telephone calls the following week. The people who take the time to call after a program are the ones who really take the instruction to heart I think. As always, it was a pleasure working with you. You have an excellent grasp of the needs of our audiences and I really appreciate that.

Judy Corcoran, Director of Communications Iowa Credit Union League

This was my eighth annual conference and it was the best ever! We especially appreciate the time you spent preparing your presentation "Working Smarter, Not Harder." The results of your efforts were clearly evident.

Owen Osborne, Director, Engineering Extension Service Iowa State University Engineering Extension Services

I just wanted to drop you a quick note and thank you so very much for the hour plus that you spent on the telephone with me today. I can think of no other company that I have ever dealt with that would hold a teleconference for one person. This is a tremendous statement about the high value you place on your customers. I look forward to implementing several of the marketing strategies and web site improvements you suggested.  Thank you again for what was one of the most valuable hours I have spent in a long time!

John Cello, President John Cello Consulting

Once again, I would like to thank you for your informative and entertaining presentation at the Trainer's Institute. I was impressed with your knowledge and understanding of how to present a wonderful training session.

LuRae Crawford, Training Kirke-Van Orsdel

Six Thinking Hats is still continuing to have a positive impact on our department.  The Six Thinking Hats poster has been framed and is hanging, very prominently, in our department. I notice that the hat colors are continuously mentioned, which helps keep us all on the same track.

Mary Neville M&M Mars

I want to commend you on your presentation to the extended Labor-Management Committee. It is not easy to present an abstract subject to such a cross section of the workforce.   Your audience was comprised of individuals with high school equivalency to graduate education levels who occupy semi-skilled to professional positions witin the organization.  You established a good rapport with the individuals in your sessions and were able to communicate with them without talking down to them. Your delivery style made everyone feel comfortable even when sharing thoughts and feelings that I am sure many of them had never expressed before. Your knowledge of the subject matter established a credibility with the process which would normally not be present in this type of group.

Thomas C. Reiten, Personnel and Insurance Manager Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.

Your session was superior. The content was relevant and your presentation style was just the right mix of warmth and enthusiasm that our people appreciate.

Oregon Credit Union League

Your presentation was a "huge" success with the support staff. I heard many positive remarks after the meeting. Thank you for an excellent presentation.

Barb Blough, Support Staff Coordinator Our Primary Purpose

I am pleased I was able to participate in the "Six Thinking Hats" training last month. This process has already helped me in planning and conducting my Affirmative Action Committee meeting, even though other committee members have not had the training.  I know the six thinking hats process can be of great assistance in communicating with my 16-year-old if I just take time and discipline myself! I am going to try the process with two of my brothers at a family gathering later this week. It should be fun and interesting!

Mary Christianson, Employment Manager Outdoor Technologies Group

I have such trust in your competence. We always look forward to seeing you. Thanks again for your conscientious preparation.

Pella Corporation

In pockets of R&D, we are using the Six Thinking Hats methodology to structure group processes towards achieving meeting goals in less time. By using the Six Thinking Hats, we made it! It really does work. And, we'll keep on using it and building additional expertise. Thank you for the new tools!

Kenneth Newman, R&D Continuous Improvement Philip Morris

I have had the pleasure of observing you conduct numerous presentations on a variety of topics. My experience has been that you are always professional and well prepared. You have a great deal of experience which is projected by the ease with which you work with a variety of audiences. Your presentations have always been interesting and informative.

Marie Grabenbauer, Training Specialist Polk County - County Managers Office

On behalf of Qwest, I want to thank you for your participation in the All-Iowa Management Meeting. From the results of our follow-up survey, I feel the meeting was a great success and much of the credit goes to you and the fine seminar you presented.   The planning committee continues to hear positive comments about the meeting and particularly how beneficial the seminars were.

Lynn Gipple, Director-Public Relations Qwest

I want to thank you for all the help you've given me and the rest of the organization putting togehter comprehensive seminar programs for the Roto-Rooter Management Conferences we schedule around the country six time a year.   I think we presented you with a difficult task in that you had to train the trainers. Your presentations are always on track, with clear and concise explanations of the subject matter that are informative and professional in a casual and relaxed atmosphere.  You were well prepared with materials and visual aids tailored to our company's needs and your sense of humor, easy relaxed personality and experience as a facilitator kept us on track and focused.

Gary Burger, Vice President-Sales Roto Rooter Corporation

Thank you for your wonderful facilitation of the Six Thinking Hats for the Iowa Quality Leaders Quarterly. Even though it was my second time through the course, I still came away with new ideas on how to use the tools! I have been using the hat method before and after meetings with amazing results. This process helps me to take a 360 degree look at issues while remaining as neutral as humanly possible.

Linda Hurst, Department of Management State of Iowa

Great Class! Powerful. It can be used in virtually every aspect of my life and job!  Very stimulating. I am eager to use the tools.  Excellent facilitation and instruction.  A very good class that needs to be available at all levels of the organization.  Barbara was outstanding - one of the best trainers I have experienced!  It was amazing to see the many ideas that were developed as a result of the positive interaction among group members.

Comments from participants in Six Thinking Hats Texas Instruments

The Equitable found Barb, not only a trainer and facilitator, but a person who was genuinely concerned about our organization's success in developing this group and with each individual's growth personally.   The expansion of her business is an indication that Barb has this same genuine presentation style for all of her customers.

Kris Manning, FLMI, Division Manager The Equitable

I truly enjoyed the Virtual DiSC Train-the-Trainer Program.  Your knowledgeable trainer tailored the instruction to my needs, which was extremely helpful and important.  She gave me some great ideas that will make training very interactive for our audience of police officers. I look forward to working with you in the future.  It's not often anymore that when you need help, you have a friendly voice on the other end of the phone.  Tell Resources Unlimited not to stop this person-to-person contact.  We need more of it in the business world.

Deborah Flowers University of Arkansas, Criminal Justice Institute

All of the staff gave you the highest ratings on EVERY aspect of the workshop. They especially mentioned the practical, helpful information and your willingness to answer all their questions. You certainly made our day a success!

Marlys Dunphy, RN, Assistant Educational Coordinator University of Iowa Hospitals

It took quite a bit of creativity to put together the service quality training sessions you completed for us. I received many compliments about your lively upbeat presentation.  I am always impressed with your ability to engage an audience and obtain their participation no matter how diverse the group. It is always a pleasure to work with a professional who takes time to understand our needs and gain sufficient knowledge of the topic to be presented so as to make it interesting to the audience.

Cathy Rogers, Director of Market Development Wells Fargo