“Erik helped me master candid conversations which drove business growth in both our US and UK teams. All our team members brought outstanding talents and behaviors that decreased individual and team performance. His work with my direct reports expanded their performance through self-awareness, leadership maturity, and coaching of top directs. Erik helped release tremendous opportunities. The bonus surprise was that the skills we learned were remarkably helpful in our personal lives.”
Arleen R. Thomas, Senior Vice President
American Institute of CPAs, London
“Erik’s thought-provoking sessions guided our senior 
management team back to the proper focus — raising our own level of leadership and challenging our teams to grow. He helped us overcome the pitfalls of weak accountability and the resulting team dysfunctions. I would recommend Erik’s leadership sessions to any CEO interested in challenging old mores and raising the bar for their organization.”
Chris Rutledge, President / CEO
Gulf Winds Credit Union, Pensacola, FL
“Our growth trajectory has been aggressive and successful over the last few years and Erik has been instrumental in our success. During this time, Erik has worked with our senior team to develop a culture of accountability, self-awareness, and flexibility in a challenging business environment. He also helped us recruit and retain a highly skilled and motivated management team. His sessions uniquely blend practical leadership skills with invaluable coaching on live leadership challenges that arise within our surgery centers. The skills Erik fosters are applicable to everyone, and strengthen one’s family life as well.”
Shannon Blakeley, Chief Operating Officer
Sutter Surgery Center Division, Sacramento, CA
“I do not think I could have achieved my recent promotion without participating in Erik’s leadership development program. In both group and one-on-one sessions with Erik, I learned to manage myself, manage reactivity, maintain emotional and intellectual objectivity, and relinquish attachment to a particular outcome. I learned to truly see how I was getting in my own way. I learned to foster higher functioning, open and enfranchised teams. The result was much better outcomes for our business.”
Elizabeth Forman, Associate Director
American Institute of CPA’s, Ewing, NJ
“Effective leadership wasn’t something that came naturally to me when I met Erik almost two years ago. The misconceptions I had about influencing and encouraging others were holding me back from establishing the professional culture that my manufacturing company so desperately needed. Erik’s insightful coaching gave me the tools I needed to develop a management style that was accountable and supportive without losing the ability to hold others to account. Erik taught me that a leader has the responsibility to minimize the effect of emotional immaturity on an organization. This is the guiding principle that I am now working to instill at every level throughout our company.”
John Thrailkill, Founder and CEO
Advanced Illumination, Rochester, VT
“Erik is one of a kind. It’s rare to find someone who is able to truly connect and is able to provide insights that are actionable and lead to smarter decisions and healthier teams. Erik helped us prevent some trouble, make our business stronger, and strengthened the future of our family bonds.
Working with Erik was a win-win-win!”
Pomerleau Real Estate, Burlington, VT
“Working in a family owned business can be very challenging. Erik’s coaching gave me a clear picture of myself and how I needed to change. I gained insight, knowledge, and strategies of great value, which I use on a daily basis. Erik has helped me to function as a true leader in my company.”
Cheryl Fowler, Chief Financial Officer
Monroe Ambulance, Rochester, NY
“Erik is a student of human systems and understands how these systems affect each of us. He helps leaders learn to hold staff accountable in a supportive way, facilitate their own problem-solving rather than solving problems for them, and define success criteria in terms of what is in the best interest of the entire organization. I hope you have a chance to work with Erik, he has a gift.”
Nordahl L. Brue, Founder
Brueggers Enterprises, Burlington, VT
“At our first meeting I didn’t know what to think of Erik. He asked lots of great questions but didn’t give any answers. A curious tack to take in selling ones services. The questions engaged me and made me think about our business like never before. He intrigued me enough to hire him to ask us all the really hard questions, to push us out of our comfort zone, to challenge us in ways we’ve never been challenged. Erik has helped us forge our culture and hone our leadership both in our offices and our homes. With his help, we are ready for the challenges ahead. I highly recommend Erik, but only if you are up for the challenge. It ain’t easy, but it’s worth every penny, minute, and tear. I wonder if you’re ready?”
Christopher Cordaro, Owner
RegentAtlantic Capital, Morristown, NJ
“Erik provides a laser focus on relationship leadership and management of self. He takes into consideration the role we play in different scenarios, understands our challenges, and offers tools you can use anywhere in your life. He has helped me step outside the battle, and view the situation from the strategic hill. I can think calmly, quietly, and clearly about the business goals. Erik customizes his knowledge to what we need. Thanks to Erik, our team has been able to strengthen both external and internal relationships. The atmosphere of patience and accountability that we have created enabled us to become less defensive, less reactive, and more confident. Our relationships grew into trusting productive partnerships. As an executive, Erik is worthy of your trust. If you let him in, he becomes the trusted advisor who is always going to tell it like it is, with your best interests in mind. You may not always like what he says, but you will value it immensely.”
Michael Decker, Vice President of Examinations
American Institute of CPA’s, Ewing, NJ
“With the coaching of Mr. Thompson over the past two years, I have developed into a more mature individual. Through his coaching, I have become more adept at explaining myself to others and clearly presenting my expectations. I now have the opportunity to take the principles of Leadership Training into a new organization. It is very clear to me that the principles taught by Erik have helped as I take on a new leadership role.
Richard Pence, Chief Operating Officer
Solis Women’s Health, Dallas, TX
“Erik is not interested in cosmetic fixes. He engages his clients in a style that demands greater maturity from them. This comes through helping them take an honest look at themselves and how they are affecting others. His coaching is derived from a solid scientific model of human systems. He works best with clients who have the capacity for self-reflection, and a hunger for personal and professional growth. His gift is challenging his clients in a manner that they hear and respect. Engagements are not necessarily comfortable, but the benefits can be life-changing.”
John Cammack, Managing Partner
Kingcedar Holdings, Baltimore, MD
“I benefited greatly from my work with Erik during a complex organizational challenge involving staff at many levels and full of triangles. Erik always challenged me to bring my A-Game. Through his thoughtful questioning, Erik helped me see my leadership challenges from multiple perspectives which led to better outcomes. Erik’s persistence and reflection on my thinking helped me find solutions that I believe were positive for all involved. He employed a range of strategies during our work together, including dialogue, role-playing, asking probing questions, discussing analogies, bringing research into the analysis of the issues, and sometimes just listening as I worked through an item. I have very high regard for Erik’s intelligence, skillful strategic thinking, professionalism, and integrity.”
Craig Mills, Ed. D. Senior Vice-President for Professional Services
National Board of Medical Examiners, Philadelphia, PA
“Erik is funny, unassuming, and upbeat, so before you 
know it, you find yourself talking and thinking and stretching into new learning spaces. Gifted, he understands people on many different levels, while at the same time challenging untested beliefs, and even suggesting alternative views on your current situation. Those once great difficulties no longer seem so capable of inducing stress. There is little to defend. Your time is up, he walks away, and you find yourself clearer about where you stand. How does he do that, you wonder, and when can we meet again?”
Andrea Schara, Founder,
Leaders for Tomorrow, Darien, CT and
Faculty, The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family, Washington, DC
“The biggest challenges in my leadership career were rarely about “the business”. They were about behavior and relationships between teammates. A laser focus on executive relationship leadership skills is the differentiating feature of the “Leading by Managing Self” course. If you show up and allow yourself to be vulnerable, you can learn precious capacities here, including how to grow teams and overcome high stake relationship challenges. In addition, the family leadership dimension of this course makes it stick for a lifetime.”
Patty Sheridan, Senior Vice President,
Real World Data & Market Development, Ciox Health
“As I reflect back on the past
years, I think about how much Erik’s course helped guide me into who I am today. I know he won’t take all the credit, but thanks to Erik, I can reflect and focus on what is in my control and how to better handle critical situations. I am very thankful to have Erik as a listening ear that gives me the honest feedback that I NEED to hear, even if it’s not always what I WANT to hear.”
Stacey Holt, Branch Manager,
Gulf Winds Credit Union