"Donna Karlin has been a wonderful executive coach and has truly customized her coaching skills to fit my needs. She has provided terrific guidance and has helped me through a number of hurdles. She is an awesome lady with a great deal of experience. I have benefited tremendously from her work with me!" Nancy Quattrocchi, Chief Administrative Officer, Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
"Donna has, in 3 days, changed my life. The suggestions and observations Donna made were provided by a credible, caring and well-informed person, witnessing the environment and dynamics in my workplace and then providing commentary which could be debated and discussed from a shared experience. The experience blew my mind and has moved me to a new plateau. Working with Donna has resulted in me having more confidence in myself as a leader - her discretion, tact, expert advice, friendly and energetic vibe and her commitment and professionalism and keen observations have brought me to a new level at work.” - Natasha Alimohamed: Director, Cabinet, Portfolio & US Relations; Strategy & Coordination Branch; Canada Border Services Agency
“I hired Donna as a coach few years ago on a recommendation from one of my staff. I really did not know what I was getting into. I was afraid that she would just rehash typical managerial theories on staff relation and time management. Oh was I in for a surprise!! Donna's approach was refreshing, challenging and totally adapted to my style and strengths. Donna comes in your environment with no preconceived views or opinions. She observes and adapts her vast knowledge to you and your workplace. She grasps rapidly the managerial culture and helps you with immediately applicable advices and techniques. In a word, she gives you what you need to better yourself. One word of a humble advice: do not hesitate to call upon her. From that moment on, your only way will be up. Thank you Donna!” - Jean-Claude Brien; Director, EMC Analysis and Consultation: Spectrum Engineering Branch; Industry Canada.
"The idea of working with a coach was not initially mine, however my experiences with Donna have clearly shown me the usefulness and advantage of her Shadow Coaching. I honestly believe that the eight months we have worked togther has brought me to at least 2 years worth of experience ahead of where I would have been had I not worked with her. Thank you Donna!" - Denis Kingsley, Vice-President, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Canadian International Development Agency and newly appointed Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica.
"Donna helped me see myself as others see me. We are not always aware of what we project to others, particularly our body language. She also pointed out assumptions that I was making (unwittingly) in communicating with others. Donna helped me and my team to communicate better, to understand each other on different levels, both of which contributed to the dynamics of our interactions and to our collective productivity.
I have improved my relationships with each of my direct reports as a result of 2 team- building sessions that Donna facilitated. We all feel an increased ability to speak openly about work issues that need resolution and we have greater respect and understanding for varying points of view. People are less dismissive, more open, more collaborative and more willing to 'own' their issues.
The impact that Donna makes is amazing. She has such presence, such a positive outlook and energy, you can't help but be drawn to her. When you combine that with her deep knowledge of behaviour and keen observational skills, her impact is life changing." - Jennifer Benimadhu; Vice President, Canadian Partnership Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
“Donna is the real deal, a one in 500,000 person who has the empathetic ability, self awareness, and domain knowledge to inspire and offer deep insight to leaders at all levels. She focuses attention on the real-world that surrounds others, without making it all about theory, or all about herself -- bad habits that hold back some practitioners in this field. I recommend Donna to anyone who honestly wishes to develop as a leader and a person in a professional environment.” – Bruce Wilson; Owner Wilson Strategies
“Donna Karlin is one the brightest most talented people I have had the pleasure of meeting in business and in life. Her incredible insight and talent serves all that are fortunate to work with her. I would highly recommend Donna as a coach, mentor and business consultant.” – Steve Harper; The Ripple Effect
"Donna Karlin is a living example of the attraction program she promotes. She leads by example. She is open, engaging, supportive, transparent yet discrete. She looks for the positive in people and helps them determine how to build on it. She taught me that responding rather than reacting is always more effective. She also caused me to reflect on what was sub-consciously motivating my behaviour that could be called sub-optimal.
I am more confident about the things I am doing well and I know where I need to improve. I think I view people differently. I consciously try to think of their strengths and we can collaborate using their strengths so we succeed together. The program re-enforced that there is no substitute for really caring about the people you work with and believing in what you do. I am more confident, upbeat, positive and open to new suggestions.” - Anne La Salle - Director General, Information Management and Corporate Reporting, IMTB, Canadian International Development Agency.
"Donna not only works with the individual, but with the individual's context --- as she helps improve the environment (the whole team). Thus her influence can be quite widespread. Donna cares a lot about the people she works with. Her caring and hard work encourages us to do our best too." - Alex Volkoff; Chief Information Officer: Canadian International Development Agency
"Donna has shifted the way the coaching profession 'sees' what is possible for them, to broaden and deepen the impact of coaching to politicians and political bodies of the very highest order. Talk about striking at the heart of where change means most. As Donna leads the way for others, I'm sure we will see a sea change at the identity level in (1) these organizations and (2) in coaches hearts and minds. If you're a politician without a shadow coach like Donna, get one. Now. And if you are a coach looking for a niche...get a hold of Donna… Yesterday." -Andrea J. Lee; Author, entrepreneur, mentor, coach and consultant to business owners on five continents, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
"Donna shows personal integrity in her innovative Shadow Coaching. Some people do not really want honesty. These people will not last long with Donna. She is willing to risk rejection to wake a person up to their own self-sabotage. Until you get out of your own way, no coaching will create significant changes and, of course, results." - James Roswell Quinn; Trainer, Author and Speaker - Sleepy Hollow, Illinois, USA
"Donna shares her insights and strategies for success in a manner which is easily assimilated. Her ability to transform thought energy into reality rivals that of great philosophers and teachers. She has amalgamated conventional wisdom and her insightful agility to create a powerful benefit to mankind." - John Pistorius; Author, webmaster and advocate for persons with disabilities - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
"In this fast-paced world where the time to think and reflect has become a luxury, Shadow Coaching offers a tremendous benefit. It, in effect, out-sources the process of reflection until it can become second-nature enough for the executive to do on their own without disturbing the flow of the day. Its power to create an executive who approaches their world in a conscious, not reflexive, manner is critical to improving life both within the world of work and outside it. It is especially gratifying to see Donna establishing a school to "clone" her talents so that the benefits of this unique and important art isn't limited to the executives that Donna can coach directly. Bravo!" - L. Braun; Phi Beta Kappa scholar, Intel America, Inc. - East Windsor, NJ
"Donna is an amazing person - bright, intelligent, funny and human - but above all FAST. She can get to the heart of an issue in the blink of an eye. Her energy and humor are infectious to everyone around her. She's accomplished amazing things and has enabled her clients to do the same." - John Satta; Founder and Principal of JohnSatta.com and CoachingTechnology.com - Blairstown, New Jersey
"This program helped me learn how to alleviate the weight of the day, making my work more enjoyable. I no longer react to problems. I now facilitate solutions." - Réjean Poitras – Acting Director; Operations and Re-engineering Operations Branch; Systems; Social Development Canada.
"Donna is a very dangerous person. She has forced us to take a hard look at ourselves and pro-actively take action to overcome our own often self imposed constraints to more completely realizing our potential. We have participated in other programs and engaged other consultants to try to support change but none have be anywhere nearly as effective.
We have seen significant positive changes in the performance of all staff in this office and Branch as direct result of Donna's efforts. Even in cases of employees that had become marginalized we have seen major turn-arounds." Adrian Poplawski; Director, Strategic Planning Division, Information Management Technology Branch; Canadian International Development Agency.
"Donna is an amazing woman who is changing the world for the better, one person at a time. The beauty of Donna's approach is that the people she's impacting and changing are people that directly impact us all and the direction of society." - Kimberly Sobie; Tax Attorney - Seattle, Washington
"Donna found a way to mirror what was inside of me so I could see how good I really was, boosting my self-confidence immeasurably." - François Montour - Director General Information Management and Corporate Reporting; Canadian International Development Agency.
"I think the concept and the program is first class. Instead of simply preaching some well known principles, it works with the client to effect the changes required to get a new start. I have already begun to speak enthusiastically about this program and the coach to colleagues and workers." - Francis LeBlanc; Chief of Staff: Office of the Minister of International Trade; Hon. Pierre S. Pettigrew
"Donna has a wonderful gift of showing how 'weakness' can be worked on for improvement without making you feel 'not good enough' for having the weakness in the first place. She has encouraged me to face things I have ignored because I was uncomfortable about them -- and to realise that they can only improve if I pay attention to them." - Joy Scharf - Acting Director Strategic Planning / Chief Architect; Information Management Technology Branch; Canadian International Development Agency.
"The immediate feedback is most useful --- The hints along the way of things to try and how the results might turn out if the new action was applied helped take some of the anxiety out of " trying the new practice on." I can't wait to apply all this new material out. Thank you for energizing me --- more!" Barbara Cretzman - Director of Operations and Re-engineering; Human Resources Development Canada.
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