Testimonials

 
“Leonie helped us present our proposal to the Wellcome Trust with confidence and clarity, and I have no doubt that our preparatory sessions with Leonie contributed to our success in being awarded a £1.5 million grant. We also had enormous fun in the process and learned new skills that will continue to be useful in a wide variety of settings.”
— Professor Susan Golombok, Newnham College
 

“Leonie's approach, coaching process and style made an immediate impact on how I prepare and speak to my stakeholders. They noticed a difference and I continue to use Leonie's approach. I've also arranged for members of my team to benefit from Leonie's coaching, and it’s worked for them too.”

Brian Sullivan - Executive director IPIECA

“Leonie has been great at helping Bunzl in improving impact in all areas. I have no hesitation in recommending her to anybody who wants to improve their impact on others in the future.”

Frank van Zanten - CEO, Bunzl PLC

“My ability to get my messages over, and to stand tall and make an impact, were greatly enhanced by working with Leonie.”

Professor Dame Carol Black - University of Cambridge

“My team and I have worked with Leonie over many years. Her training programme equips us with additional skills and enables us to have more impact internally and externally including in our negotiations on behalf of the business.”

General Counsel of global FMCG company

“You give people tools that literally change their lives. Be so proud of that. You’re in my pocket anytime I go into a meeting and I don’t get it right all the time but I wouldn’t be in this role if it wasn’t for you. Seriously, I wouldn’t. You gave me the tools to succeed. Heartfelt thanks for your guidance and help and for making such a difference.” 

Anonymous client

“I wanted to say thank you for two inspirational days training. The time was concentrated entirely on our own personal situations and you gave us very practical personal advice without a word of ‘off the shelf’ text book speak to be heard. Quite refreshing. It was a pleasure to spend time with you. Thank you.”

CLARE DIMOND

“The time with Leonie allowed me to raise my expectations and performance to a degree I hadn’t thought possible. As a result I made an impact on my audience which is still talked about nine months later.”

DOMINIC BRUYNSEELS – MANAGING DIRECTOR AFRICA, BARCLAYS

“Through Leonie’s innovative and engaging ways of working through how I presented myself and addressed others, I was able to magnify more energy and engagement through talking to individuals and audiences – rather than just presenting to them. Raising my energy levels has really helped me in preparing and delivering pitches and offers to partners (customers and suppliers), as well as to staff and board colleagues alike. This life skill has enabled me to continue ‘raising my game’ in and outside of the workplace. I would have no hesitation in recommending Leonie or using her again.”

Neil Micklethwaite – CBS Outdoors

“Leonie made a world of difference to our team and the way we approached a series of global presentations. With her help we focused on getting the message across through interest, fascination and revelation rather than through pages of charts. The evaluation scores and comments from the delegates speak for themselves. Leonie has transformed the way we communicate and there is no going back!”

GLOBAL BRAND TEAM - JOHNNIE WALKER

“The 1:1 coaching with Leonie was fantastic. It has helped me to have the confidence in meetings and giving presentations… I am in the process of starting up a company and have had to pitch to investors. It looks like I've succeeded in presenting a compelling story - to such an extent that multiple people have told me I'm a natural! When they said that, my first thoughts were that Leonie would be proud!”

Dr Laura Itzhaki - Newnham College

“Leonie’s coaching on communication skills has been a complete ‘switch on’ moment in my journey of self improvement. It certainly enhanced my self awareness and consciousness. It provided me with a framework to organize my sometimes scattered thoughts. It has a global relevence and flexibility, highly useful especially if you are operating in a multi-cultural environment.”

Serhat Ünsal - CEO

“I just wanted to say a big thank you for sending us on the course with Leonie, I feel this has helped me a great deal - it is not what I expected at all but I thought it was fantastic. I am not a very confident person myself, but Leonie made me believe in myself which has never happened before, and that I can do something. So I just wanted to say again a massive thank you.”

Anonymous client

“Anybody preparing to present to a board, conference or team should stop writing their slides, pick up the phone and call Leonie. Her impact on you and your audience will be incredible. This isn’t about presentation skills. This is all about emotional engagement.”

JON POTTER - GUINNESS

“In my new position I desperately needed to overcome my fear of public speaking… My thanks go to Leonie for all the hard work and effort invested into such a short space of time to give me the confidence to go forward. I will have no hesitation in recommending this course to any colleagues and associates with similar concerns.”

BALFOUR BEATTY client

“During a very high profile and very contentious business issue, Leonie helped me to build the necessary skills in managing a hostile media situation. I received media relations training that was very clearly tailored to my own character and personality but also provided the critical skills and techniques that dramatically improved my confidence in handling the media. At the heart of what Leonie provides is a very strong sense of personal commitment to improving the performance of her clients and in my case I could not recommend her work more strongly.”

Jonathan Driver - Managing Director Private Clients, William Grant & Sons

“The two days spent with Leonie Mellinger were nothing short of amazing. It was immediately clear that my previous training was developed in the dark ages and largely obsolete… the method of instruction was excellent. Everything I was being told was both a revelation and common sense. This statement may seem like a contradiction but accurately describes how Leonie used her vast experience and perception to point out seemingly small and obvious things, which on application had a huge impact… I did not learn how to present, I learned how to communicate. I did not learn presentation skills, I learned life skills.”

Derek Porter - VP Group Security & Crisis Management, BP

“Working with Leonie as I began my career was an eye-opening experience. After the briefest of periods in her company I was able to understand the perception that I was projecting to others, and progress towards harnessing and managing this perception, so as to perform for the circumstances, and take control of my environment. Leonie’s sessions help give you clarity and focus, and every hour working with her continues to add value for years to come, in both professional and social spheres.” 

Will Gough - national grid

“The confidence to stand before key audiences and deliver engaging, high impact messaging is what Leonie’s work offers. Leonie has been of tremendous value to me and to our legal function, at all grades of seniority. Even individuals with substantial experience in communicating with large groups were able to achieve new levels of competence. Leonie’s preparation techniques have helped not only with delivery, but significantly with content as well. Surprisingly, the benefit can be with large groups or in small meetings, and even in critical one-to-one conversations. Don’t take it for granted. Impactful communication means having your ideas accepted and your teams inspired.”

Timothy D Proctor

“Leonie spent time on a one to one basis helping me learn skills to be more impactful and influential in a variety of situations. I found the time I spent with her to be so beneficial that I commissioned her to support a team of emerging leaders I look after. They were similarly impressed… This type of support is something I would recommend to all in business.”

Jodie King - KPMG Europ

“An informal and personal coaching style that has teeth and draws you out to explore new areas… gives you an appreciation of how your normal energy levels communicate your level of engagement and interest in interactions with others, and how this may undermine your effectiveness. The course introduces some really simple but compelling techniques which help you refine how you project yourself and improve the perception others have of you.” 

Julian Measey - diageo plc

“When you have presentation training with Leonie, she doesn’t just train you in the art of delivery. She puts a significant focus on simple spoken English, the audience, the content and most importantly, ensuring that you come across naturally and with confidence. As with so many things in life, it is the balance between technical knowledge and understanding the application of common sense that is so important. I have no hesitation in recommending Leonie.” 

JOHN BERRIMAN – PARTNER, HEAD OF OPERATIONS UK, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS