About Mac: "I’ve heard a lot of speakers. This guy is different! Unlike too many other presentations provided to the conventions and company training seminars I have attended, the knowledge that I gained from Mac did not disappear in a day or two. His sincerity is inspiring, his creativity entertaining. Mac made me think about holding my own feet to the fire. My regret is that I hadn't taken my employees to the conference to hear him - so I'll bring him to us”.
Marty Turpin, Managing Director
Contract Furnishings Marts
"Not only the attendees but even the vendors who were lining the walls commented how fortunate they felt to have heard you as the opening keynote speaker at the Hotel and Lodging Association's annual convention.Your presentation was deep, yet enlightening, introspective yet entertaining, the perfect balance to both touch us and to set the stage for the rest of the conference."
Jane Turlo, Manager
Group Health Cooperative
"The Interclub Luncheon keynote speaker was Mac Macdonald, a nationally recognized trainer and speaker, whose talk was entitled "Navigating the Seven C's of Mission, Vision, and Passion". He listed and humorously elaborated on the Seven "C's" as they relate to Kiwanis members: Courage (having the heart to take a risk), Change (working with it), Commitment (the Kamikaze pilot who flew 188 missions lacked commitment!), Complacency (that killer of businesses and marriages), Creativity (the desperate need for it in these unprecedented times), Communication (and trust), and the passion that leads to Conviction. Was his appearance what we needed? A resounding YES!" The impact on Kiwanis was palpable."
Gene Michel
Article in Kiwanis Intl. 2010
Just when we think we have heard it all, you wowed us during your all-day presentation. You were a pleasure to work with in all aspects of booking and interacting with you during our encounter. An added spark to gain more participation and membership in our association."
Jack Harrel, Executive Director,
Oklahoma Association of School Business Officials
What effective, powerful, and inspiring workshops, all 187 of them. Wonderful results - Excellent job”.
Robert Galvin, President, Motorola, Inc.
“Yours are the breakouts or keynotes I hope to experience when I attend these conferences, and mostly don’t.”
Scott Collins, Managing Partner,
Facility Services Partners
"We hired Mr. Macdonald in the nineties when I was with a different hotel chain. Fifteen years later, we hired him again to conduct a series of customer service and attitude seminars. For obtaining employee commitment to do one percent better at one thousand things? You can't do better".
Karl Ewald, Owner/CEO Hilton Homewood Suites
"I personally rate your program the best we have ever had. The conference evaluations were overwhelmingly enthusiastic, I couldn't recommend it more highly. Your training was respectful and participatory".
Sid Armstrong, President Idaho Assn. of School Business Officials
"You asked to see the evaluation scores, both positive and negative. There weren't any negative."
Melissa Combs, Conference Committee Chair, FDA
"The creative way you present your material, and the homework you did made every single individual connected with our company, and that includes the family members we let attend your various trainings, aware that they are significant, valued, and connected to a proud organization. As you stated we are all of us customer servants. The bottom line is, you help the bottom line. Period!"
John E. Porter, President
The Eureka Inns
"Dealing with change is something many of the Czech educators that you addressed are being forced to do. Your ability to present such an in-depth program in such a colorful understandable manner would benefit the staff, faculty, and students at any learning center fortunate enough to hear about you."
Carol Kyper, Director International School of Prague
"You made an all-important yet potentially dry subject like Succession Planning come alive for us at this year's APPA Boston convention."
Christopher Ahoy, Vice President Iowa State University, Author
"Mr. MacDonald completed his presentation on sales and customer service and was treated to a rousing standing ovation by our attendees. He was truly inspirational and I recommend him for use in other settings conducted by our company."
Internal memo William Dahl, Senior Vice President
Chrysler
"Your keynote address had a major influence on our conference. Our attendees found it to be thought-provoking inspiring and humorous, all at the same time. Because a major theme of our conference was 'change', your all-morning message helped create an atmosphere for our delegates that smoothed the path to major changes in our organization. In fact you were referenced for the rest of the three-day conference.
I would not hesitate to recommend you as a speaker to any group or organization."
Jeffery Porter President,
Intl. Assn. of Clerks, Recorders, Elected Officials and Treasurers
"I would not have believed it if I had not been there! Speaking to a group of displaced workers, many from the timber industry, I was witness to a transformation of spirit, a renewal of energy, and a heightened determination to create a new life. You have sparked these people to look up, in, and outwards for assistance. Your seminar has helped the out-of-work take the emotional and mental first step they might not have taken had we attempted to deliver the same message using our in-house staff. Great creativity!"
Chris Wallis, Director of Programs
Private Industry Council
“We mandate thirty hours of training classes per year. I have never had such a positive response to any training program in the past. I will attach one of the many written and verbal comments from managers thanking me for bringing in your seminars...
'Mr. Macdonald's creative training sessions go right along with the trend to make Motorola a team effort at all levels. This training makes it easier to face the challenges of our jobs because we were made to feel like an important part of the whole effort.'
You did a great job providing the skills and mental tools to keep us together as a proud unit. As a result, they are a happier, more productive, and more quality conscious team."
Larry Kost Director of Distribution
Motorola
"Your enjoyable message on trust and communication is extremely valuable in today's society - never more valuable in fact for an organization given the challenges we are facing. You were rated the highest ever in our satisfaction survey."
Thank-you again,
Julene Donnay Chair, Annual Conference
Certified Leadership Committee Epsilon Sigma Alpha
"Your keynote presentations were the highlight of our conference. As you were also on the air, our radio stations were flooded with calls thanking us for flying you in."
Ivan Braiker,President / Radio Ink, and Streaming Magazine
"Some examples of comments from the medical staffs in attendance were:
"Bring him back", "He helped us see things in a different light", "Tremendous speaker with powerful ideas for getting along better in our department", "Perfectly balanced humor for this sometimes skeptical group", and "He gave us a deeper meaning about why we are here and why we are doing what we do, something we forget".
These should tell you that your talents and homework paid off."
Perri Bernard, Conference Coordinator
Evergreen/Everwell
"It was fun to tag along as you helped us navigate your 'Seven "C's'. I was personally impressed with the variety of techniques you used to convey your timely messages, PowerPoint, movie clips, interactive participation, written self evaluations, etc. I especially enjoyed the melting of the witch and defrocking our negative wizards from your video clip of "The Wizard of Oz" video, and then listening to our employees' reactions afterwards regarding how we communicate within the department from your clip of "The Horse Whisperer". Mostly I enjoyed your 'life (lyfe!) enhancement' pointers; skills rarely taught in a university setting."
Sandra Madrid, Asst. Dean
University of WA Law School
"Your story about Robert Duvall while on the set of "Apocalypse Now" was amusing, self-effacing, and educational. Many discouraged conference attendees commented on their renewed sense of mission because of your talk."
Julie Bacon, Membership Director
Master Builders Association
"Regarding our twenty-first Stars meeting in Las Vegas...As you know, the directors were from all over the United States. It was by far the best workshop we have ever had. Thank-you so much for the great motivational seminar and all of the homework you did prior to your presentation."
Pat Rhodes, National Director
Stars, Inc.
To All AEOP State Offices,
Mr. Mac Macdonald spoke to our group in October 2005 for our 50th Anniversary. He did an amazing job! He was exceedingly well versed and informed about us. He did extensive research as to what has happened in the world during the last 50 years and related it all to where we were during those periods. He was passionate, energetic and very creative. Response was so positive about his program on camaraderie and team-think in 2004 that many of the 200 attendees asked to have him come back for another half-day presentation this year. The second program “ups the ante” on the first; you learn more each time you hear him.
Mac is very motivational and creates an in-depth program customized to suit the needs of your audience. He connected to our audience with wit and humor, as well as insight, and they appreciated that about him. As secretaries, office personnel, and school professionals we have a duty to our students, and that is the way he feels about his clients. He does an enormous amount of research and really connected with our group.
All of the conference evaluations were enthusiastic as well as positive.
I would not hesitate to recommend him as a speaker to any of your state EOP conferences. He was given a standing ovation at the end of his presentation. He will give you a sense of spirit and energy that your attendees will carry for quite some time. We researched his website www.lyfeco.com, and talked with other groups he has presented to and we were not disappointed.
Terri Cerna, CEOE
Conference Planning Chairman
Association of Educational Office Professionals
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE Southwest Region
Food and Drug Administration
August 12, 2008
Mac A. MacDonald
The Lyfe Enhancement Co.
1903 Fairmount Ave., SW
Seattle, WA 98126
Mr. MacDonald:
On behalf of the Conference Committee of the Denver District Office of the FDA, I would like to thank you for the excellent training that you provided to our staff at our recent District Conference.
Your talk was at once motivating, entertaining, and therapeutic. The exercises you put us through, and the video clips you used, were as insightful as they were self-elucidating. We needed the re-galvanization and you provided it.
What set your presentation apart from others was your prior research of the FDA structure and the current issues facing us at both the national and local levels. This insight, as well as the creative use of media, made the training much more relevant than the standard motivational sessions to which we have become accustomed. Thanks for doing all your prior homework.
The lessons we learned have continued to improve our communication skills as well as nourish our relationships. This is true not only in our professional life here at the FDA but in our personal lives. All agree yours was a commendable and recommendable training. Thanks for "lighting our fuse".
Sincerely,
Howard E. Manresa
Director, Compliance Branch
From a recent Atlanta District FDA Conference, (half day, an amalgamated response…)
Mr. Macdonald I just want to tell you that your program was very well received by all of the 120 Investigations and Compliance officials in attendance; in fact they talk about it every day. One benefit we all agree on is the door you gave us for confronting problem employees without confrontation.
As you studied, retention might loom as a large issue in this agency and you planted seeds that bonded new and old employees alike. Coupled with your training manual you gave us a wonderful blueprint for carrying on the work of our agency, and importantly for applying all you gave us to our personal lives as well. As you know this makes for a much more satisfied employee.
We haven't heard one negative comment, not one, which is at least a rarity when we conduct various trainings; and continue to hear nothing but good from everybody. We especially enjoyed the interactive experiences you provided to discuss matters out loud. You incorporated well researched information about current issues facing the agency, including the current peanut butter case, which also made us pay rapt attention. One half of a day seemed to disappear into self - and agency awareness, something we can and will build on. In a word outstanding.”
FDA's - Barbara Wood, Director Compliance Branch ATL, Mary Woleske, District Director ATL, Todd Cato, Imports Director - Dallas, Priscilla McDaniels, Director of Program Analysis.
And from Barbara Woods, Chair of the Conference Committee for the same,
"A heartfelt thanks!. Employees are always open to receiving information that will impact their lives, both personally and professionally. Your half day "Lighting Your Own Fuse" seminar was the motivation needed in the midst of a sea of consumer safety and health issues. The various topics you covered were timely, humorous, stimulating, reflective, well researched and well received. There is no doubt the conference would not have been the success that it was without your presence.
From the FDA - New Orleans District - Full day
"You nailed the roadmap for us as new hires.'
Lieutenant Katrina Mosley, U.S. Public Health Service
"You set it up perfectly for me to stem competition between our branches, and between some people. Great jump-start - truly reinvigorating."
Patt Schaeffer, Director Compliance
"It is a real art to weave such a message of counseling, people skills, organizational-behavioral skills, as well as inspiration. You did it to great satisfaction, and, with those movie clips and your humor, in an entertaining fashion. In fact I don't think I have ever seen such therapeutic behind-boosting delivered so entertainingly. Now it is up to us to act on your timely guidance."
Tyler Thornberg, New Orleans District Director
"Each and every FDA employee should sit in on your seminar. You show how to build trust and you help people handle change with less stress."
Andrew Saunders, Safety Officer
From the FDA - Southwest Import District October 2011
Dear Mr. MacDonald,
I hope you enjoyed your stay in the Dallas area as much as the response to your training is telling us that the attendees at your seminar enjoyed you. There has not been one person out of the 180 scientists, investigators, managers and front line personnel who has sent in a note of rejection. The closest thing to a criticism was a compliment. It stated, "Mac's unorthodox way of presenting his material should become the norm."
Your presentation was enlightening and entertaining and, given the pressures and change we have been experiencing, it was exactly what we needed. Comments we have heard are: "As you know some tempers were getting short and some burnout was beginning to creep in. How timely to nip this in the bud." "You pointed out so many underlying issues of life and in our workplace, I thought no one on this earth would ever understand it all and be able to address it." "You received the highest ratings any speaker has ever received." "Many of our employees that didn't were disappointed because they did not think to get an autograph in their book." "Couldn't have been better. What a jumpstart for the newer hires, it sure emotionally tied them into the FDA didn't it?"
It was an honor and a pleasure and it was great working with you. Keep in touch, I know our Director is currently recommending you to other Regions. .... Tujuana Walker, Administration
Hello Mac,
Your presentation was awesome! And ten days later I continue to hear nothing but outstanding comments from others on both your content and delivery. It was exactly what we needed. You inspired the new hires and reinvigorated the spark in the older hires. I am so glad to have been a part of this as it was so uplifting for me personally . I have been using your book as my second 'bible'. Again, thanks for everything!
Stacy M. Below
Director of Investigations Branch
PCAPPA 2009
Speaker Evaluation Summary
Association of Physical Plant Administrators - (University Chancellors, CFO’s and Facility Directors)
Track: Customer Service/Communication
Title: Building Trust at Work and at Home --"Horse Whispering On Steroids"
Speaker: Mac Macdonald, The LYFE Enhancement Company
Date: Friday, October 9th
Time: 1:00pm – 4:15pm 96% OVERALL RATING
"Mac, You made me open my eyes. Yours was wonderful information, timely and necessary for building trust. I hope to see you again at many other conferences". Respectfully, Steve Rojas Sr. Superintendent University of California Los Angeles
"Yours represents the how-to’s for building trust and camaraderie versus the why’s. This is nuts and bolts information. For me, personally, I thoroughly enjoyed and needed your seminar". Jack Hug, CSUN, former APPA President.
“Words can’t express how much I enjoyed your seminar, just stellar. It was perfect for us during this time of budget cuts to get people to want to do more with fewer resources”. Margaret Steiner, COO, CSUN
“This is the kind of breakout or keynote I hope to experience when I attend these conferences, and mostly don’t". Scott Collins, Co-Owner, Facility Services Partners
“Your comments on working with our Spanish speaking workers, as well as the tips you gave us for working well together were spot on, especially given the stress so many employees feel right now. Yours was a very entertaining yet deeply profound breakout track. This was worth having as an all-attendee session". Tom Harkenrider, COO, SOKA University of America
Other written comments: “Your trust-building exercise is as important at home as well as at work”
“Thanks Mac. I was a communications major and this was a unique take!! I will put it to use immediately on Monday. I appreciated your passion and commitment. Good example for me.”
“Great presentation”
“Great discussion"
"Not enough time. Wanted more time w. this trainer. Use of videos were great but too long”
“Right on point. Great”
“The best overall - all week”
“Enlightening ,entertaining and necessary”
“You hit the mark for us, excellent session”
“Excellent. Ask Mac back”
“Great, great, great!”
“Very interesting, inspiring, and rejuvenating”
“Mac is a beautiful person”
“Excellent session”
“This was very good, very good”
“Right on, bring Mac back to the conference next year”
“I wanted more”