Testimonials

Edge Church -'...inspire us to reach to a higher level of life.'
TEC - An International Organisation of CEOs '...getting all the members to understand that the character of the people you work with is much more critical to success...'
Petrusma & Partners '...like putting the smelling salts under our noses.'
Just Cuts '...personal responsibility...'
Ray White Real Estate '...more than the smoke and mirrors that many speakers present.'
Compassion for India '...helpful, valuable, informative...'
Southside Youth Interns '...you can get instant take-home results'
Brighton High School Staff   '...not seen such positive staff feedback for any speaker in my 35 years of teaching'
The Home Ownership Company 'a brave topic'
TAFE SA Noarlunga Campus '...buzzing the next day'
Sunrise Christian School '...caught me totally off guard'
Stirling Family Church 'many felt provoked to think...'

John Partington
Senior Minister
Edge Church West

I have read your Issue 1 of Character Works magazine several times and wanted to thank you. The articles are very encouraging and inspire us to reach to a higher level of life. Not just for the people around us to notice and for promotion, but because it is the right thing to do.

Thank you again for encouraging my colleagues and myself.

Jim Landau (Landau Management Services Pty. Ltd)
Chairman TEC 46 & KEY 102

TEC
AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION OF CEOs

I wish to thank you for your excellent presentation for the TEC-46 Group.

The workshop was very effective in getting all the members to understand that the character of the people you work with is much more critical to success than their competencies or the measurement systems the organisation has in place to measure performance outcomes. You certainly demonstrated great professionalism in being able to recover so well from the failure of your computer equipment at the outset of the presentation.

I particularly liked the way you bring humour and "extreme" examples into your presentations.

Thank you again for helping to make the last day of our retreat a success.

Kevin Towns
Managing Director, Petrusma & Partners |Return to top

Just had to write to thank you for the Character Works seminar you share with our senior people in July 2005.

It was active and entertaining with the discussions and the chook house DVDs. It was easy to join in. There was a huge amount to think about. It just kept coming.

Our leadership team has emphasised values and high ethics for most of our lives but it was very refreshing to get all unpacked into a daily conversation style with those 24 Core Character Qualities. One of our partners said it had instant application to the Sales Team and couldn't wait to share it with them.

I think the best thing about the program is the way it levelled out how each us looked at our own 'stuff' as you put it. Everyone in the room realised that everyone else experiences set backs, pain and difficulty and it's like putting the smelling salts under our noses. We all owned up in a new way that we are all responsible for our own responses and reactions.

If any organisation wants to capitalise on the good nature and best intentions of its people, I'm confident if they follow the Character Works and The Fox-Proof Chook House program, they will not be disappointed with the outcomes.

Denis McFadden
Managing Director, Just Cuts|Return to top

It has a strong emphasis on developing character qualities, particularly responsibility and self control.

You’ll laugh a lot. You’ll think a lot more. You’ll find yourself and your team taking personal responsibility for your work, your organisation’s culture and your life in general.

Andrew Buckmaster
Ray White Real Estate|Return to top

Met and heard you at Business leaders launch on Tuesday.

What you had to say was timeless and timely. Your clear presentation of truth was most refreshing and a lot more than the smoke and mirrors that many speakers present.

Those I went with were also impressed and we had helpful dialogue that afternoon.

Jossy Chacko
Director, Compassion for India Inc |Return to top

Everyone found the training to be very helpful, valuable, informative, interesting (especially the chickens!) and challenging.

Thank you for your time and generosity, it was appreciated by all our staff.

Jason Gowland
Youth Pastor, Southside Youth Interns|Return to top

We ran the one day Character Works seminar on personal responsibility for 20 of our youth leadership interns aged between 17 and 26.

The Saturday experience opened their eyes wide. Most of them had not thought about the full ramifications of character on their leadership styles and the impact character will have on their future relationships with youth.

They learned to recognise and praise character behaviours in each other and in turn learned how important it is to recognise character in the young people for whom they are responsible.
The proof of the pudding came out within 24 hours when one of them had his car broken into and all his stereo equipment was stolen.

Whereas once he would have reacted in a rage, he impressed us and his fellow interns by telling them the story and relating how he recognised that the incident was typical of 'bad stuff' that happens all the time, from which none of us are immune.

He took responsibility for his reactions just as the seminar had outlined. It was living proof that you can get instant take-home results from this program

Olivia O'Neill
Principal, Brighton Secondary School |Return to top

Colin's work on character development underpins the values that our school wishes to develop in the whole school community. The staff were exposed to his 24 Character Qualities that he has synthesised from thousands of surveys of the Australian public. Interestingly, the most important character quality to Australians is honesty.

I have not seen such positive staff feedback for any speaker in my 35 years of teaching. The Brighton Secondary School staff are now interested in exploring whether the majority of student behaviour that is a barrier to teaching and learning arises from a deficit of character.

Colin struck a chord with the teaching and support staff through his expertise both as a highly credentialed public speaker and for his knowledge. The professional development day preceded a long weekend after which the staff were still energized and positively commenting on Colin's work as "the most relevant training day they had experienced".

Phil Lampril
General Manager of The Home Ownership Company|Return to topThanks again for your time today.

It is a brave topic but a much need subject which you covered. I enjoyed your thoughts and their application

Donna Eacott
Manager Client Services, TAFE SA Noarlunga Campus |Return to top

I would like to thank you for the motivating workshop you facilitated for the Onkaparinga Institute of TAFE's Client Services staff.

The day was most enjoyable and I know that I personally walked away from the day with a wealth of information and a lot of food for thought.

My own team were buzzing the next day from your workshop and they all approached me for a copy of your books that I purchased. That in itself is a huge compliment to you.

Lee Avery
Principal, Sunrise Christian School, Marion Campus |Return to top

You turned off my treadmill. The time I spent with you doing 'The Fox-Proof Chook House' caught me totally off guard.

I rocked up as a seasoned campaigner of "fix-you-up" seminars and was prepared to be cautiously involved; thinking that I might be able to drop in a few gems for the benefit of my fellow attendees. Instead I found myself totally absorbed-realising this was no game. This was life as I wanted it to be.

Hans Voortman
Lead Pastor, Stirling Family Church|Return to top

Your input was well received with good, positive feedback. Most people I think responded "introspectively" as this is what the material challenges - to look at yourself, your motivations, and your character. Hence many felt provoked to think more re their actions, yet perhaps didn't leave with feelings of elation/euphoria. Still that's what I wanted - for them to be challenged at a personal level.