people say…

Emotional Intelligence and Lawyers

Thank you for the wonderful workshop for our group of IBM lawyers. It was very informative, and now that I have had the time to review the materials more closely, I personally feel the EQ assessment is a valuable tool for me to build on, especially for a customer-facing lawyer/negotiator like myself. I am truly amazed about how spot on my personal assessment is, as it matches feedback I have gotten in the past and characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses that I had sensed about myself. The EQ assessment distills all of that information, and highlights my strengths and weaknesses and areas/strategies for improvement in such a way that I can really use such information in my professional and personal life going forward. As an ESTJ I appreciated the organized information that I can take action on. I wish I had something like your class in law school, or earlier on in my legal career. I really think you are on to something and I would urge your students to really use and understand their EQ assessment, especially for anyone who plans to go into corporate/business law or litigation.

Philip R. Lauderdale | Attorney, IBM Global Process Services

Fierce and Kind

Jeannie Forrest is one of the most remarkable women I’ve ever met. She is fiercely intelligent, and yet plain-spoken and down to earth.  She is clear-eyed and savvy, yet warm and kind.  She is trusted by everyone in her sphere.  She knows more about the world’s problems than most, and yet she retains her idealism and sense of decency.  She radiates power and humility at the same time. Whenever I think how she manages to be all of these things, I return to the same phrase: “Jeannie magic.”

Administrator | Elite Law School

Authenticity and Joy

I am so grateful for having met Jeannie when I did. She swept in to guide me through a major organizational transition by listening, storytelling, and asking questions that helped me better understand the patterns I need to break to improve my daily practices and relationships. Jeannie’s embodiment of authenticity and joy is a constant reminder to stay true to oneself. If you’re looking for a fiercely honest coach (with an excellent sense of humor!) who will help you identify what you need to change in order to thrive, go see Jeannie!

J. K. | Non-profit Arts Organization

Motivated and Clear

Jeannie is a compassionate listener and skillful guide who offered me gentle encouragement towards defining my goals and creating a plan to achieve them. I always walked away from our meetings feeling motivated and with more clarity. I am extremely grateful to have worked with Jeannie. She has my highest recommendation and I honestly cannot express how much I have valued her guidance.

Dr. Shubhada Dhage | NYU Langone, Surgical Oncology

Reflect on my own goals and intentions

Jeannie has been a mentor and coach for over a decade, and has always been a kind listener, a thoughtful advisor, and an inspiring role model. Whenever faced with major transitions, or tough decisions, Jeannie has helped me reflect on my own goals and intentions. She brings her entire, authentic self to every interaction — discussions with Jeannie are always the highlight of my day, leaving me with more energy and clarity than before. At times, this has forced me to slow down to think and feel more carefully through a situation. And at others, this has spurred me to summon the courage to be decisive. But every conversation makes me cherish our relationship and I’m grateful to have Jeannie as a friend.

Vinay Patel | CEO & Co-Founder, One Financial Holdings

Unlock my power

Jeannie is a genuinely wonderful person, and I’m profoundly grateful I got the chance to benefit from her experience and generosity. In the time we worked together, she did something so special for me: Jeannie helped me unlock my power and my spirit at a time in my life where I needed a champion and someone to model what a strong and happy woman could look like as she grew up into the world. She did this in a million ways– most centrally, she embraced my faults as warmly as she did my strengths, and helped me laugh every day we worked together– and making me laugh is the signature of all essential people in my life. Jeannie taught me the difference between having no judgment, and having good judgment, and helped me discover how to put “fun” in my work. The experience of working with Jeannie was the assurance that nothing would be too difficult to take on, that all of life could be managed and with a hell of a sense of humor. I’ve taken the spirit of that with me to my great benefit, and passed it on now many times to others in my life, to their deep appreciation. My life has been deeply changed for good because of everything I learned in partnership with Jeannie.

M. de Mel. | Foundation Director, Austin TX

Deeply challenged

The work I have done with Jeannie has been incredibly beneficial to my life and my understanding of myself.  One of the most important and insightful conversations I have had in my adult life was with Jeannie and it truly was a conversation!  I felt so heard and validated, but at the same time her questions deeply challenged me.  Thank you, Jeannie, thank you.

A. P. | Social Worker, New York

Be a voice for myself

Thanks to our work together last year, I began to shed activities that were not energizing, did not really interest me, and were primarily about external acceptance. I am learning to privilege my needs above others even when it is difficult and also when I am wa-a-a-ay late in noticing that I am giving away energy, talent, and power needlessly. I believe that I understand better how much healthy living is a process of mindfulness, practice, and self-love.

I have also managed to lose 16 pounds and am exercising consistently. I am always seeking opportunities for meaningful personal expression. One of those opportunities led me to establish a global awareness dialogue project as a faculty development tool on campus. The purpose of the project is to provide a forum for our faculty to discuss contemporary global issues, and in the process develop an awareness of the regions our students come from, improve their cultural competency, and consider opportunities for enhancing pedagogy and classroom management as a result of these dialogues. It has been wonderfully successful and thoroughly satisfying personally.

A few notes from our coaching sessions that primarily serve as guiding principles for me:

Consider what it means to be a voice for myself and how that benefits others.

Detach myself from previous measures of success and self-worth.

Consider whether my goals support a better “me” or a better resume.

Preserve myself (still working really hard on this one).

Slow down!

You cannot know and I cannot adequately express the impact that you had on my life in such a brief period of time. Thank you!!!!

Paula Smith. | Faculty Librarian, Philadelphia