Join-Up Corporate Course: Select dates in May 2009 Imagine if every conversation in your organization resulted in an immediate improvement in performance… where people wanted to change and they felt valued in the process. At the heart of Monty's methods is a belief that with trust you will gain cooperation, with listening you will spark motivation, and with understanding you will know how to coach people to perform at their best. That’s what the Join-Up Corporate Course is all about. Contact us for more information and click here to download our corporate course flyer. Marsha St, Claire speaks about her experience at Flag Is Up Farms

A Join-Up Story: Excerpt from Clive Warrilow's speech to the 1998 graduating class of the Business School of Oakland University.

"I became acquainted with Monty Roberts shortly after coming to Volkswagen of America in 1994, and was truly inspired by the techniques he used—kindness and respect for the horses he trained rather than the traditional method of breaking an animal’s spirit.

His basic philosophy was that the teacher must create an environment in which the student can learn—which is simple, direct and honest. A true life learning. “You can’t push information into an unwilling brain,” says Monty, “There’s no such thing as teaching, only learning.”

The experience was so powerful to me . . . It fits perfectly with the style of leadership that I had been experimenting with since the early eighties.

After our [Volkswagen’s] reorganization, I took our remaining executives back to Santa Barbara so they could experience Monty’s techniques and philosophy first hand. As we all walked single file around the training corral, I remember haring more than a few remarks and some mumbling under the breath about “What are we doing here?” and “Where are the cocktails?”

And then, people began to experience what Monty Roberts could achieve with a horse that had never before had a bridle, saddle and rider. This was not just about a horse. It was a metaphor for a style of management that says people will be better employees if you treat them with dignity, respect and honesty. Trust goes a lot further toward winning people over than ordering them around.”

- Clive Warrilow, CEO Volkswagen