"My personal experience is that this session was the single most important strategic step our company has taken forward in seven years. This from a guy (me) who used to be a Bain & Company strategy consultant who was paid to develop strategy for Fortune 500 firms – Verne showed me how to get it right for mid sized firms. More importantly, the structure of the session, in which I brought my entire senior team to co-create our strategic document and process, was instrumental to the "stickiness" of behavioral change. Nearly two years ago we attended Verne's session…and our commitment to the behaviors of strategic success is stronger today than ever.
We simply haven't made an investment in two years that has had a higher ROI. Now, whenever we bring a new member into our leadership team, they attend Verne's session – there's no better way we know to bring someone up to speed rapidly."
Michael G. Dougherty, Chairman & CEO
Kindermusik International Inc.
"Ammex has seen huge results since implementing the Rockefeller Habits over the last four years. Sales have increased from $6.7 million to $20 million, profits have increased over 400%, and we've opened up two new warehouses, added a dozen new Asian suppliers and opened our first overseas office in China.
We've implemented a one-to-one marketing program through our CRM tool to manage and enhance the relationships with our 13,000+ clients. We hold daily huddles, [determine] quarterly themes and maintain a monthly and quarterly off-site program for team leaders and members. The creation of these rhythms has produced positive results. Ammex has aggressively implemented a Topgrading program for existing and new team members. Despite a significant increase in revenues, the team has only doubled to a mere 37 team members. More importantly, with sales poised to grow to $30 million in 2004, we are projecting adding only a few extra team members. Lastly, by implementing open-book management, financial awareness has increased among the team and allowed us to become even more competitive in an ultra-competitive market. It's safe to say that had Ammex not made the Rockefeller Habits part of our corporate DNA, we would not be where we are today."
Fred Crosetto, CEO
Ammex
"I wanted to take the time to thank you for your 2 day course that you gave in Montreal. I have been a very active YPO member for close to 10 years, including being part of the YPO executive in Quebec and participation in many educational programs such as YPO/Harvard seminar. In all of that time, I had primarily invested in myself, while omitting my team. I was on "one page", and the team was clearly not aligned. Your course opened their eyes to possibilities and the joy of continuous life long improvement. The next day (Friday), one of my managers came into my office and was emotional about the reasons why he loved CBCI…THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERYDAY. There is a general feeling of what we can accomplish if we work together and align our organization according.......mediocrity is no longer an option.
Jeff Speak, CEO
CBCI Telecom
"Having participated in a dozen executive programs in various organizations over the last 20 years, I will tell you that your Rockefeller Habits Workshop is far and away the most useful and relevant I have attended. Yours is the first program that provides practical, implementable techniques that we've taken back to the office to change the way we operate.
When we first looked at the program schedule, I recall thinking how difficult it would be to get our principals together for two days out of the office, particularly in our fast-growing company. I now realize that those two days will have a considerably greater impact on our continued success—for many years to come—than anything else we might have accomplished during that time in the office. Thanks so much for the experience and for your outstanding efforts."
Douglas C. Greenlaw
Vice President for Business Development
Virtual Technology Corporation
"We blew away our goal and added 20 people last quarter. Not only that, but Rich and Doug attended the TopGrading seminar at the start of the quarter, and as a result we are really excited about the quality of the people we added.
Our #1 priority for Q1-04 is to add $6M in qualified bid opportunities to our new business pipeline.. To that end, we rolled out a "Six Million Dollar Man" theme. We had video clips, music, and the Business Development VP even dressed up in a red sweat suit and red sneakers and came jogging into the room in slow motion while we had bionic sounds playing in the background. We tied in the intro to the show about being "Better, Stronger, Faster." It was awesome."
Jack Harrington, CEO
Virtual Technology Corporation
"I would like to send you "A Thousand Thank-Yous"...
The last two days have been transformational for my team. A whole new world of possibilities has been opened up for them.
We left last night with our One-Page Strategic Plan virtually complete—and loaded with "stretch goals" (accompanied by the drive to "make it so").
I could not have communicated the ideas and practices to my team the way you and your team did for me. Our number one goal has now been reached...now for the next ones."
Dan Lionello, CEO.
Padtech Industries Ltd.
"We feel that it was a home-run decision for us to attend the Rockefeller Habits Workshop and especially to have brought all our supervisory staff along as well. We immediately incorporated the ten -minute dailies. We have it at 10:10AM. We refer to them as our "ten at ten ten" to keep it simple. These have been quick, to the point, non-threatening, refreshingly transparent, team building and always productive.
Additionally, with your help we have finally nailed down six Core Values. To kick off our company's consciousness about these six, we will give an award that consists of hotel, airfare, and spending money to the employee that best exemplifies them. The employees anonymously vote for a fellow coworker...as I write this, the votes are coming in to me and the competition is thick. Results of the vote will be revealed at our annual Christmas party on the 13th. Exit polls thus far are telling me that everyone is psyched and focused on these values!
Furthermore, we launched two thematic campaigns rather simultaneously. First, we decided to reward each employee with a buck for every net customer we gained. We have consistently gained more customers each month since. The first three months' bonus check was approximately $1200, and the next three months' check (to be distributed in the first pay period in January) will be from $1500 to $1800 —per employee. They are understandably motivated. All they have to do is stay focused on serving the customer (which is one of our core values anyway). The second campaign will interest you. If you recall, while we were there we had given the example of wanting to reach 2000 new customers before this December. Well, we threw that out as a debatable possibility. We reached it in October— the very first month we began it. Believe me, that was supposed to be a long shot!!
It is safe to say that most, if not all, of this positive activity was a result of your insightful seminar. We'll be back to others. Thanks."
Irving Rivera, COO
AmeriMex Communications
"Having first gotten a taste of Verne's tools at MIT, I was already familiar with some of the "Rockefeller Habits." Then I read Verne's book, which helped answer some more questions. But it was only after attending the two-day workshop with my entire exec team that the entire "system" clicked into place.
After the class, we made several immediate changes:
1. We focused our Standard, Smart and Critical numbers and reworked them into our daily number review.
2. I went to Home Depot, bought three 4x8 white boards and put them up in our conference room. We literally used sheet rock screws and a cordless drill. We renamed the conference room the "bullpen."
3. We put our BHAG, Key Brand Promise and Strategic Anchors up in red ink. We created graphs for our Smart and critical numbers, and now track those every day during our "9:55am" huddle.
4. We had our first "monthly" —four-hour meeting the Tuesday following the workshop. and worked in our first ever formal financial review. Boy, did I feel naked sharing all the nitty gritty with the entire team. But, everyone was synched up and aligned on what needed to be done to increase financial performance.
5. Our internal communications now include everyone involved in a process or issue. No one who touches an issue gets left out only to "hear it through the grapevine." When an issue comes up, we quickly huddle everyone involved in the bullpen, focus on brand promise and our strategic anchors, speak frankly and openly, and then move on. We're taking care of more issues more quickly than ever before.
6. We posted the company Top 5s and individual Top 5s in all workstations.
7. We realigned our mission around our strategic anchors and brand promise. In fact, the second day of the workshop, I decided to divest an entire division as it didn't meet our brand promise or newly revised mission. Within one week, I had a LOI to sell that division, and am generating more than enough cash from that sale to eliminate our need for a bank line of credit.
In short, it's incredible how hooked up and aligned both the exec team and entire company have become in a very short time. We all have an unbelievable amount of focused energy. We're "high" all the time. I had been looking for a "system" that made sense to me. But now I have a whole set of habits that work for our entire team."
Roger Scheumann, President
Quartermaine Coffee Roasters
At the same time, you’ll reclaim literally hundreds of hours annually to focus on the ideas and initiatives that inspire you.
