Clients testimonials

• Vzajemna First prize
• Values, visions, goals, and action plans, Henning Kruse - Copenhagen Stock Exchange
• Testimonial Management seminar & Teambuilding in Slovenia, Jan Verhoek - JYSK (HR Director)
• KD Group Teambuilding for top management, Samo Logar - KD Group (Director of human resources)
• Values – a process which every leader should take into consideration, Samo Logar - KD Group (Director of human resources)
• René la Cour Sell, VP Marketing BG Bank
• Top Performance after just five days with Ole Bloch, Svein Gilbu - Berlingske Lokalaviser (Managing Director)
• Henrik Wagn, Creative Manager
• Anders Rendtorff - VP Public Relations L.M. Ericsson (previously employed with BG Bank)
• Johan Rudén - Director OMX Baltic Markets
• Lars Schmidt - Østerbro Avis
• Communication and Management Development Workshop for TELMORE Denmark

Vzajemna First prize

The health insurance company Vzajemna won the first prize for most innovative HRD project of the year. This was in tough competition with all the largest companies in Slovenia. I initiated and planned a detailed organizational development process for Vzajemna that ran over 1 year. The assignment was to get motivation back in the organization after some serious political changes and at the same time help create the basis for the company to handle the increased future competition. The process was a combination of management development, teambuilding and coaching. Many of the workshops were held as outdoor workshops here in Slovenia. A crucial part of the process was to involve all 300 employees in bringing forth the 6 new values for Vzajemna. This was among other things the reason for the first prize. No other company had ever done something like this before. We from the steering committee went to Denmark to visit General Manager Søren Kaare-Andersen from BG Bank. Søren told about how he manages a modern and successful financial corporation. We also visited The Copenhagen Stock Exchange where General Manager Jan Ovesen told about the importance of Corporate Governance in running a modern organization. A visible result of our work is the establishment of The Vzajemna Academy where once a year all employees attend and get updated on the latest within the company and within the industry. Employees are actively involved in all changes and through their participation all have influence and a responsibility for the future of the company.

Director Samo Logar (right) from Vzajemna & Ole Bloch from IMCI
with the prize for most innovative HRD project of the year

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Values, visions, goals, and action plans

Enclosed you’ll find a copy of an e-mail sent by one of the participants in a three-day workshop held by the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. (The arrangement included a total of four identical workshops). This e-mail was sent to the management and all the employees of the Copenhagen Stock Exchange and to IMCI. We have been allowed to reproduce the e-mail in full.

 I SAW THE LIGHT!

Hello

I have just participated in a fabulous three-day employee workshop by Ole Bloch in which people did not only get to know each other better but life was also put into perspective by his insight and faculty for making people see the light in the form of visions and goals – not only for the individual but also for the Copenhagen Stock exchange in general.
 
Yesterday evening I was overwhelmed by a euphoric mood and the wish, with my colleagues, to strive for new heights as for the Copenhagen Stock Exchange, and, in one body, to attempt to make the Stock Exchange become the heart of the future international financial centre. To think not only as individuals and to think of solidarity and of the Stock Exchange as The Place for Danish Securities will bring us all to a leading position. This was what Ole Bloch, by means of team exercises and instruction, succeeded in imparting.
To possess the necessary drive – to be able to think in such a positive way – to be able to eliminate the negative spiral that might be – these are all factors that I, and my colleagues, will do our utmost to achieve in our striving to create the best workplace what so ever. 
I’m brimming over with energy so I felt I had to write this e-mail – and, in future, as one of the “building blocks” that are essential to the rise of an empire, I shall do my best to make the other “building blocks” in the house feel comfortable as well, in order to make the foundation form a strong and secure basis for the empire.
The good qualities of Ole Bloch and his faculty for engaging everybody and making everybody fight, not against each other but with each other, are making me confident as to the future.
By virtue of my former position as a manager of Samson stockbrokerage company (Samson Børsmæglerselskab) and my new position in trading, I would, if possible, also like to participate in one of Ole Bloch’s coming out-door workshops for managers, as I would like to contribute my knowledge and to be one of the cornerstones of a future Copenhagen Stock Exchange. I am ready to contribute to the payment of the course out of my own pocket in the order of DKK 15,000, as I am very enthusiastic for it. The Copenhagen Stock Exchange and Ole Bloch have given me so much, and now I would like to return some of it.
 
Hoping that my prayers will be answered, I would like to express my gratitude for the participation in the three-day workshop.
 
Kind regards
Henning Kruse
Manager
Copenhagen Stock Exchange

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Testimonial Management seminar & Teambuilding in Slovenia

Jan Verhoek at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it wrote:

Regarding our 2 day conference with teambuilding in Bohinj, Slovenia
Hi Ole & Marjana,

Thanks for your great support on our 2 days management seminar in Pod Voglom, near stunning Bohinj, Slovenia!

Testimonial:
JYSK has conducted a 2 days international retail seminar with 92 managers participating from 11 countries, including JYSK top management. The purpose of the seminar was to enhance focus on customer service and sales management.
Ole & Marjana Bloch were responsible for the teambuilding sessions and the organization of the conference. Ole’s input on change management combined with his hard core coaching experience was a perfect mix with the running agenda and Marjana’s planning and organizing skills made the seminar run perfectly and smoothly on all aspects.
The feedback from the participants after the seminar has been very positive, and we will definitely use Ole & Marjana Bloch again.
The quality and the content, the experience of the trainer, and the way it’s brought to the participants combined with a relaxed atmosphere and a stunning nature, should make everyone consider using Ole & Marjana Bloch for such sessions.
Best regards,

Jan Verhoek
HR Director
JYSK
Sødalsparken 18
DK- 8220 Brabrand

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KD Group Teambuilding for top management, Bohinj, Slovenia

I have known Ole Bloch for years. And again and again he surprises me with his energetic, relaxed, and goal targeted workshops for top management. The way that you walk with him through three concise education days with follow-up time is again and again more than just a pinch of fine taste for the soul and body. And I mean this literally - the brain starts to work as a newly oiled machine after repairs, and the body accumulates new and fresh power during the workshop, which is full of exercises held in the nature and outdoor.
Ole Blochs workshops are unique, not only because of the environment chosen for the workshop, but due to his approach to the work of the participants. Ole is able to bring out, in his own way, the best in each individual and encourage the individual to positively distinguish himself/herself from the other. Ole can boost individual's confidence and determination, and at the same time he can in a seamless way connect these newly discovered properties with other team members. This has undoubtedly happened in the identification of qualities and creation of our team.
The objective of the workshop, we had in Bohinj, was building a top-level management team of the KD, which will establish a clear vision of the organization and priorities of strategic goals. I found it interesting that Ole addressed this challenge in a new way -  he got all the participants into small boats - canoes, with instructions and a folder for the search of hidden treasure. The unexpected but interesting task created in me and other members of the team a strong desire for the common achievement of set targets. With all the fervor we had to deal with finding a hidden treasure, and during the process got to know each other, the way we work, think, respond to the situation, especially as we learnt about a variety of different methods of communication, which may be an advantage or an obstacle to the functioning of the team. Anyway, creativity and innovation woke us up, and that result was successfully performed task. Followed by a joint analysis of events in which we had a lot of fun, and several other also laughed to tears, while Ole skilfully led us up to the point where we have already taken over new assignments. We started with the coordination of thoughts regarding the vision and strategic priorities. Unforgettable was the system of a cascade model through we thought about and draw our vision, and at the end came up with a single visual image of our vision. The vision we draw then is still before our eyes today. This is a drawing of a vision that tells us more than  a whole bunch of words. The same process was followed for strategic priorities. 
Every moment that the top management team spent at the workshop has certainly repaid several times, as the consistent and clearly defined vision for the defined strategic priorities are the basis of our contemporary and future success. Ole demonstrated us at the workshop the importance of coordinated functioning team with clear vision and objective, and even more importantly, he showed us how to create and maintain such a team.

Samo Logar
Director of human resources
KD Group d.d.
Celovška 206,
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia

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Values – a process which every leader should take into consideration

When I was thinking about how to connect all employees and to strengthen the organizational culture in a rapidly growing company, which has grown from an entrepreneurial environment with a few employees and developed into a group of companies, which now offers financial services, insurance, banking, stock brokering and funds in South-Eastern Europe, I invited to Ole Bloch to participate. This decision was undoubtedly correct. Why?
We created the project, which aimed to mobilize staff and encourage them to proactively act in the environment for change, integration and cooperation, recognizing and respecting the diversity of activity in the international environment and ultimately the achievement of common objectives. Together with Ole Bloch, we defined the implementation plan of the project, which key objective was to involve each employee and to identify the values of KD. We, at KD Group, became aware that the values are the guidelines in our daily work, the basis for daily decisions and the power to meet the most demanding tasks. As mentioned above, the activity of the project was aimed to involve every individual in the KD group. The fact that the project was conducted in an international environment of nearly 30 companies, filled me  with respect and utmost caution, but at the same time it represented a major challenge to me. Many years of Ole Blochs experience and his suggestions for successful implementation have been especially important. This was reflected even more when we were approaching the end of the project.
In the project we had four workshops with three groups that were different in size. The first group had 12 people, the second 60 and third of about 70 employees. Ole created an unforgettable atmosphere in the workshops. With his charismatic and dynamic appearance in conducting and directing the groups and his exceptional skill of open communication, he  transferred the knowledge to the participants and motivated them to work independently and in different groups. Ole has a simply amazing feeling for the people. He can attract and combine the various characters of people and can encourage participants to think and answers to the most difficult issues.
In a short period of time he created a relaxed, genuine and a "homey" contact with all participants, who then followed the set program and enthusiastically participated in the workshop. The aim of the workshop was for people to regenerate their power, coming out of the positive communication (Appreciative Inquiry), which was taught by Ole. The method of Appreciative inquiry was the key of our project and Ole showed us another dimension of communication from what we knew by then. The power of being positive and proactive, which was given to us by Ole, was getting into us. To us it was a good call into our personalities, that reminded us to our commitment for better understanding and cooperation in the work environment. All this created a strong positive energy in the project, which led the participants at their work in the workshops, and also in their work environment. Ole helped us discover a new way of functioning in the workplace and in the private environment. He awakened us to reflect on the meaning of "small" things that bring people together and help them create a major change, with emphasis on the identification of common values.
Identifying the values on the basis of Appreciative inquiry was done with all partners in the Group KD. The results are visible today, and we are confident that they will be visible even more in the future. Ole taught us that the way how we behave, the way of genuine, open and positive communication, and a choice of words in a dialogue are the key to positive change in the organization. And that it is also crucial to invite and include everyone in the organization on the path to the realization of the vision and strategies. Ole shed light on a different, special way of the power of being positive, a way that is unique for him.
At the end I can only say - "Thank you Ole for exceptional moments! Learning at your workshops is always an unforgettable experience full of positive feelings, personal growth and development of necessary skills for successful work in the future. The value project workshop for Kd Group only confirmed this."

Samo Logar
Director of human resources
KD Group d.d.
Celovška 206,
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia

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René la Cour Sell

VP Marketing
BG Bank

Dear Ole

To use your body for something else than carrying your head — and at the same time make your head work — and get it all right — at home and at work — that is the result.
You can attend many exciting and rewarding management workshops. Often you bring something home with you. I have never brought so much with me home as when I was with IMCI in Slovenia.
You can sit at a training facility and think of the types of stress to which you are exposed, or think of which goals to set in the short term and the long term.
A completely different way to work with negative stress is to follow a compass route in beautiful and natural surroundings, climb 150 metres up an almost vertical rock to reach the entrance of a cave, in which you for the next 3 hours walk, climb, and crawl and then you reach a small deep lake far into the mountain. You settle here, light a small candle, allow the silence and the mountain to take control and then meditate for 2 hours on which negative stress factors you are exposed to and how to deal with them.
The next day you are on the top of a mountain with the sunlight in your face and with a view of the Alps. You set your short term and long term goals, both in your private and professional life.
Thoughts which emerge after physical efforts in natural surroundings like these are somehow very essential, and at the same time your goals and your way to them are clearly defined because they are enhanced by the magnificent and whole experience.
When the workshop is over, you have used your body, you feel sore, immensely healthy, alive, and full of positive energy. It is hard to remember when you have had so many laughs, so much exercise and fresh air.
When you are home again, you are a new and better person, and there is only one way and that is to pursue healthiness, the goals and the positive energy.

Best regards
René la Cour Sell

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Top Performance after just five days with Ole Bloch

As the managing director of Berlingske Lokalaviser, a newspaper publishing company with 175 employees, I am happy to confirm the truth of the above statement. I was at a morning meeting at the Dansk Management Centre, where I heard Ole Bloch explain his ideas on team-building that I was first attracted to his approach. I think it is particularly interesting that Ole Bloch begins by focusing on employees'
personal problems and personal goals.Thereafter, they are in top mental condition to make a positive corporate contribution, working with a 50-year vision and five-year, one-year, six-month and one-month objectives. When I see the turbo effect that is already evident in the organisation, it makes me cross that we have not done this before in the company.
Before I let Ole Bloch loose on the management group of around 35 people I wanted to see how it would work for just one of our 12 newspapers. We chose the paper with the most problems - at the beginning of February 1992. It has 18 employees and there were major cooperation problems between the various groups.
We had tried repeatedly to solve these problems, but without success.
To day, there is a completely new atmosphere at the newspaper. People are enthusiastic and the various project groups which were established in February 1992 have produced a succession of profitable ideas. The results are now clearly to be seen on the bottom line. But the thing which gives me the most pleasure is that several of the employees have
become new people, both at work and in their private lives. Until then, I had never believed in quantum leaps in personal development, but I now have lots of evidence that this is possible.
In March 1993, our management group went through the same exercise - and again it was a great experience. Many of the managers who were suffering from stress learned to plan their time better.Interesting project  groups have been established to put the company at the very front of the industry.

I am in no doubt. Berlingske Lokalaviser is going to be one of the winners in the local newspaper sector in the new melenium.

Svein Gilbu Managing Director

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Henrik Wagn

Creative Manager
Elsass, Wagn & O A/S

Dear Ole

As you know, it changed my life radically when I last attended your workshop. You convinced me that I should believe in the good idea of starting my own advertising agency.
It has been 2 years, and therefore it is quite funny that my advertising agency could celebrate its 2 years birthday while I, for the second time, was attending one of your workshops (With nature as backdrop) in Slovenia.
This is actually why I am writing to you. I had more than just a good second Ole Bloch-workshop. Once again you knew how to put my visions in perspective and to help me determine — and even determine the date — for my goals and to strengthen the belief that everything is possible.
Working with advertising you know I often tend to use big words. Had I been from Jutland, however, I would still have written: It was fantastic, Ole!
One of the other reasons why I will never forget this workshop is the set that nature provided. Should you ever need an ambassador, please pass on my phone number...
Thank for a great week, Ole. I am looking forward to seeing you on our first coaching day. How about the 4 September at 9.00 a.m.?

Best wishes

Henrik Wagn
Creative Manager

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Anders Rendtorff

VP Public Relations
L.M. Ericsson (previously employed with BG Bank)

Slovenia

Forget all about management development in the traditional sense. Forget all about big lunches in luxurious training facilities. Forget all about non-committing trendy Americanised management theories.
With your body and your brain as the only partners, Ole Bloch gives you through a unique and fantastic nature experience the opportunity to see deep inside yourself. With a few and simple mental exercises you are able to rediscover some original thoughts and visions. Methods for putting you and your ideas in the middle.
It is striking how the dramatic natural surroundings and experiences become a shortcut to your own self. You could have settled with the nature and the more physical sides of the workshop. For unfit office slaves, it is a blessing to be outside from dusk till dawn in complex and original natural surroundings. A blessing to sleep peacefully and be tired. A blessing to rediscover the happiness of using your whole body as a whole person.
It is the combination of exiting and physically and mentally demanding tests, which makes this workshop so unique. And do not worry – you will have no problems remembering this workshop. It is just getting better and better as time goes by...

Anders Rendtorff
Public Relations Manager
L.M. Ericsson

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Teambuilding & Coaching workshop I Slovenien

Johan Rudén at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it wrote: Regarding our 3 day outdoor workshop in Slovenia on Teambuilding and Communication:

Hi Ole & Marjana,

I believe that we all have grown as persons and - according to my view the most important learning - got some perspective to our life’s ("We got connected"). Thanks for coaching us to this experience/feeling. Also that we decided to have the event in Slovenia was the right one for several reasons. Definitely Slovenia has been put on the map as one of the most beautiful places on earth and is for sure a prime candidate for all of us to bring our families to experience it again.
"If you want to have fun, learn new things, yourself and your colleagues, plus get perspective to both work and life as a whole I truly recommend the three days outdoor teambuilding event. Especially if it will take place in beautiful Slovenia. During these three days we meet people we though we knew in a new way, i.e. our colleagues! The balance between theory, mental training, personal reflection and outdoor physical activities just makes you feel great. We all came home with a smile and a lot of new energy, plus most important, with a stronger team".

Johan Rudén
Director OMX Baltic Markets
Tullvaktsvägen 15 SE-105 78 Stockholm, Sweden
www.nasdaqomx.com

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Lars Schmidt - Østerbro Avis

Dear Ole

Thank you for the biggest kick in my behind that I have ever received.

The workshop, "With nature as backdrop", in Slovenia has undoubtedly been the greatest experience in my life, both physically and mentally. First of all, the workshop has provided me with some tools to be used in the future. The workshop has given me the courage to embark on projects that might at first seem intimidating. Now I have reached the first big goal that I have set for my self at the time of the workshop, and I am convinced that I shall also reach my next goal.
The insecurity and lack of confidence that I displayed in Slovenia has gone. Since I got back from the workshop, I have become more self-confident and sure of myself. I simply feel so good.
During the workshop in Slovenia I learned that nothing is what you expect it to be. I learned that you could do whatever you want to do, if you just want it enough. All the limitations that you have set for yourself and your own capability are to narrow. All those limitations can be overcome simply because you feel better about yourself by doing it. It is as simple as that. Further, I learned that you must say no if you feel that it is the right thing to do.
Physically, I learned to know my own strength in Slovenia. I learned that I am much stronger and tough than I had ever imagined.
Being with 5 complete strangers and an open and enthusiastic leader of the workshop might have given me the final push forward.
Being together without any true obligations led to an almost extreme frankness. Many of the things said hurt, and when it hurts you should be aware of where it hurts. Then there might be some truth in what is said. I would not have learned the same from this workshop if there had not been the possibility and time for coaching and sparring.
It was the many talks, which cut to the bone. It was the many talks, which gave me something concrete to work on, and it was the physical efforts in the magnificent nature scenery that provided me with the belief that it does help to work with the things you need to do something about.
It may sound melodramatically, but I simply feel that nothing can put me out of balance.
Since I got home I have been filled with adrenaline. I cannot get enough of exercise. Each night I spend at least one hour on my roller-skates, on my bike or running. And I feel good afterwards, thanks to the workshop in Slovenia.

I thank you for that: Thank you for giving me that kick.

Yours sincerely
Lars Schmidt
Responsible Editor
Østerbro Avis

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Communication and Management Development Workshop for TELMORE Denmark

Dear Ole,
Thank you for 4 tremendous days in Slovenia.

We were 20 top managers and key persons from TELMORE that left for Slovenia with the aim of being challenged as a team and as individuals. The overall theme of the workshop was “Communication and Management Development”.
The program days varied between outdoor exercises and reflections in teams and individually. In this way we got to know each other and also ourselves better. We learnt to apply tools for visualization and to define our visions and goals. Apart from that we also had a chance to test each other on the understanding of the agreed visions and goals through coaching exercises.
TELMORE’S vision also had to go through a critical review. Through an effective visual process we came from 20 individual visions and ideas to 5 concrete projects. These have now been integrated into our strategy process and are now an integral part of our daily lives. Ole Bloch, challenging us through all the processes, coached all workshop activities in a good and positive atmosphere.
The energy level and the motivation in the team grew through the 4 days.
Not only did we get a number of concrete tools but we now all have clear pictures of what we agreed upon. This makes it easy to recall the team spirit and the learning’s we got out of the workshop.
After the workshop I have only received positive feedback from all my colleagues; all agree on one thing: ”We want to do this again”.

Here are a few feed back expressions from the participants:

• I have learnt that when we work as a team we can put the individual ideas together into one strong vision.
• Use each other more in problem solving.
• I now focus more on setting clear goals.
• I now apply the taught coaching methods with my co-workers.
• Using imagery is vital for clear communication.
• I am applying my vision as a motivational factor on a daily basis.
• I will take more time to focus on my vision and the vision of the company.
• What you think becomes your reality.
• I have received tools that help me to structure my life better.

Again thanks for a great event. See you again later this year.

Best Regards

Ketty Guldberg Madsen, HR chef
TELMORE A/S
Carl Gustavs Gade 3
2630 Taastrup
Tlf.: 4332 7013
Mobil: 3025 2525
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.telsome.dk

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