Testimonials

Productive to the Max has received such a lot of positive feedback from clients that we have separated the selected testimonials into three main focus areas to make it easier to browse in the categories that interest you:

Due to the confidential nature of the Consulting and Coaching process, some clients have asked that their names not be used. Please contact us if you wish to be supplied with a referral to these clients.

Consulting and Coaching Testimonials

“I wanted to write and thank you for your assistance with some productivity and workload management challenges with which I struggled for quite some time before we met.  

Your help over the past several months has made a huge difference in the way I plan and manage my work on a day-to-day basis.  I can now deal much more efficiently with the high volume of information I receive and need to process and this, in turn, has had a positive impact on the work of the entire team.  

Thanks to your expert advice and guidance, I have also learned how – in my role as manager – being organized is very much about effective leadership.  A cohesive, focused and motivated team is indeed an essential ingredient to maximize efficiency and productivity, and to achieve excellence in the workplace.

Once again, my sincere appreciation for your help in getting me ‘Productive to the Max’!”

Rodrigue Hurtubise
Manager, Public Affairs
Canada Foundation for Innovation

“Productive to The Max really works!  Thank you for showing me how easy it really was to improve my productivity.  Your common sense approach and practical methodology has empowered me to take control of my agenda, my work space, and my time.  Thanks to you I’ve completed my pending projects, found those missing files, and found the time to get more done.  Improving my productivity has also improved the performance of my team.  I used to be hidden under a pile of paper work, "not anymore”.  Having more time means I’m more accessible to my greatest resources, the people around me.”

Bruce Hauser CHRP
Chief of Operations
Accu-Rate Corporation

“As a senior account manager, my goals are to maximize revenue from existing clients and to develop new customers to grow the business. My work is quite complex and I was spending most of my time on activities that got the job done but left little time to address those primary objectives."

Ann has helped me adjust my thinking to focus on success strategies that achieve my true goals, reduce my stress level and unclutter my very busy days.

I highly recommend Productive to The Max for any professional who needs to deliver measurable results but feels caught in a cycle of unproductive activities."

Roger Leroux
Account Manager, Duocom Canada Inc.

"She efficiently determined the administrative needs to enhance the workflow, as well as the communication flow between the assistant and myself. She has provided useful insights and suggestions to handle the daily administrative challenges.

Through our collaboration with Ann, we now have an organized, easy to maintain office and the working relationship between my assistant and myself has enhanced tenfold.”

Line Noreau
Director, Learning and Development,
Citizenship and Immigration Canada

“I wanted to commend you and your team for a superb job of helping our sector reorganize its paper and electronic documentation and the accompanying procedures. We have taken your recommendations to heart and have implemented many of them. The Sector is running more smoothly now that the clutter has been cleared and the processes improved. Our email processes have also improved as a direct result of the training your firm provided.

Your team was up to the challenge and conducted themselves in a thoroughly professional manner. Our people are still talking about how much better things are now that we are organized. We can certainly recommend your services to other organizations who are considering making improvements to their internal organization.”

Kathryn Lapensee
Executive Advisor to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Comptrollership and Administration Sector, Industry Canada

“I met Ann Max when I was the Director of Communications for a federal Crown corporation. It was not unlike my previous positions in the public and private sectors… all characterized by lots of work, limited resources and the increasing need for speed.

Ann brought simplicity, order, sanity, humour and humanity to my work planning. Most important, the tools and techniques I learned from Ann were easily implemented. Anyone looking to improve their work flow, productivity and time management, and reduce the stress from a large, constantly changing workload, will find tremendous value in her knowledge and counsel.”

“I have been benefiting from the coaching and time management expertise of Ann Max for the past twelve (12) months. During that time period, my professional life has been filled with challenges including a high staff turnover and many stressful projects to manage. I also have been promoted to a director from a manager’s position.

After 6 months in my new position, I feel I have a better control over my professional life. I’m surrounded by competent people and a team that supports and helps me achieve my corporate objectives. I also seem to have grown well into my new responsibilities.

There is no doubt in my mind that the professional help and support from Ann Max have been pivotal to my current level of achievement. Ann’s services varied from instilling new methods of time, project management and work processes, cleansing and reorganization of filing systems and human resource counsel and support, to name only a few.

I do not think that I would be the director I am without having benefited from the counsel and support of Ann Max. Hiring her has been one, if not the best professional decision I have made during this last challenging year. I would strongly recommend her professional services to whoever wants to become a better leader and a better person as a whole.”
 
 

Speeches and Workshops

“Ann Max presented at the IPM National Spring Conference at the Radisson Toronto East Hotel in Toronto on May 13, 2009. The 90-minute closing keynote was on Partner with Productivity-The Ongoing Challenge and Ann did an excellent job with it. She customized the material to meet the needs of our senior HR and administrative audience.

Feedback from participants was outstanding. Many have already communicated to us that they are implementing her strategies and processes with success and visible results.

Ann is truly a professional and a pleasure to work with. She is dynamic, engaging and knows her material inside out. I would not hesitate to recommend her to any organization looking for improving their skills. I personally look forward to working with her again next year.

Comments from participants included:

• great ideas, energetic speaker-helpful
• great speaker, good tips
• good speaker, interactive session
• good refresher on time mgmt & work/life balance
• high energy, helpful presentation
• passionate speaker
• upbeat session, great way to end the day
• learned much about my major weakness
• applies to certain personality types-not everyone
• engaging presentation-enjoyed humour”

Nathaly Pinchuk, RPR, CMP
Executive Director
IPM- Institute of Professional Management

“Ref: DGMPRA Annual General Meeting, 29 June 2009

On behalf of all those in attendance at our inaugural Annual General Meeting, I want to thank you for the outstanding presentation you gave to DGMPRA personnel on 29 June 2009. Your energetic and interactive delivery made it an engaging learning event that will be remembered by all. Your tips and strategies were clear, logical and easily applied in both our professional and personal lives. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us and helping us become "Productive to the Max".

You may be assured that your presentation was extremely well received by everyone in attendance and that it contributed to a highly successful event. Again, thank you and best wishes for continued success in your speaking engagements.”

Susan Truscott
Director General Military Personnel Research Analysis
DND

“We just had to write and thank you for being the key note speaker at the launch of our organizations Women's Network. We've received numerous enthusiastic responses to your presentation. The topic and delivery exceeded our expectations by far and your key messages certainly hit home with the audience. We're certain that your methods and strategies are being applied in both professional and personal lives as we speak. Thanks again!”

Lori Ciani, Deputy Ombudsman and Complaints Officer
Amex Bank of Canada

“Once again thanks for the productive morning. You wouldn’t believe how much I got done this afternoon. Your strategies are so easy to implement. Best money our company could spend.
Thanks again,”

Merle Michael, Manager
T. Moscone & Bros Grounds Maintenance Ltd.
CanWest Horticultural Show

“Feedback from the attendees was incredibly positive. It was clear that they enjoyed listening to and learning from your expert knowledge. I appreciate the considerable amount of time and effort you put forth to present a memorable session to our staff"

Roger Trudel
Interim Director
Knowledge Services, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency

“This lady is a walking university. I have attended her full day course and must say that I improved in many wonderful ways after that. I strongly recommend you to buy her valuable materials and assure you that you will feel the same way as I do.  This material is meant for everyone no matter how organized you are.”

Ravi Bedi, Salesperson
HomeLife Superstars R.E. Ltd.

“I would like to take this opportunity to once again express my sincere gratitude for your invaluable assistance. Thanks to your planning and creativity, our change management session was a tremendous success. As facilitator, your energy and enthusiasm were contagious and, despite a jam-packed agenda, you managed to keep a large group on-track and engaged.

Furthermore, I was particularly impressed with your flexibility and willingness to accommodate our meetings to thoroughly prepare for the session. It was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with you!”

“Your course was so great! At 3:30 p.m. my in-box is empty the next day reviewed and leave at 4:00 p.m. I had my clock in two days, my whiteboard up, my 15 slot file holder for each job and I love emptying each one (no pile stacked so I see and attack each one). I emptied 4 already. I removed my email preview and open each email and deal with it. My e-calendar is efficient, and staff walks away in a lulled catatonic state. Perfect.

My manager and other staff members were blown away by the professionalism. My manger said "I just wanted a little tweaking, not a lot".

Thank you so much!! I pushed back enough to get my life back too. Every time I glance at my clock I think of you and smile. I have been leaving on time. Imagine people fearing a silver clock with big black numbers…”

Catherine Brown, Administrative Assistant
Health Canada

“I attended your Time and Task management course for the City of Ottawa a few weeks back....and I would love to let you know that I have not stopped talking about it....my whole family knows about it! I left that classroom during lunch break and after work...and could not stop thinking about everything you said & all the ways I can organize TO THE MAX....I must say, I am an organized person all round...but just your motivational speech on life in general....stressors...work, opened my eyes and left me with the thought of how much potential I have.

I really enjoyed your visuals, the chicken and the toothpicks...I thought that was great for people who are more "visual" like me. You have a kind heart and you’re a wonderful person. It’s good to have people like you!”

Ashley Levasseur
Information Management Division
City of Ottawa

“Thank you for presenting, "Stress Minimus and Life Maximus", on Sep 29th to our audience at Canada Post. We truly appreciate it.

The Lunch and Learn session was well attended. The event went smoothly and your delivery style was amazing,. We all have something to learn from your delivery style. You interact very well with the audience. Well done.”

The WIN Committee
Canada Post

“It was a pleasure having you part of the 2008 CanWest Horticultural Show in Vancouver, BC. Nearly 4,000 attendees from throughout the Province and Pacific Northwest attended this annual 2-day event.

The seminars and workshops offered at this industry trade show formed an integral part of the program. Over 600 delegates registered for a session this year. And those who attended your seminar titled ‘Control Your Worklife’ loved it! From your ability to communicate the material to the quality of the content, the majority of the delegates rated your seminar from Very-Good to Excellent.

From a show manager’s point of view, I really appreciated the detail you provided so quickly, i.e. your biography, photo and seminar promo. I also was wowed by the check list you sent well in advance that outlined your AV and room set up requirements…if only every speaker was as well organized as you!
Thank you again for presenting a great seminar. We look forward to working with you again in the future. Best regards.”

Karen De Jong, Show Manager
CanWest Horticultural Show

“I met Ann Max initially in her role as Professional Organizer. She was instrumental in helping me organize three separate work spaces and made several excellent recommendations to improve my work efficiency.

I was so impressed by Ann’s recommendations and assistance that I asked her to provide a workshop to our physiatry trainees (doctors specializing in Physiatry). This session opened the academic year. I wanted a fun, interactive and practical session that would assist my trainees in organizing their work spaces. The session exceeded my expectations.

Ann was an engaging facilitator. She used real and numerous examples to highlight her messages. She incorporated several learning methods (Large group interactive, small group interactive and a learning carousel). Her message was clear and direct. The handout was an excellent adjunct to the presentation.

The workshop feedback was very positive from the trainees. Since the workshop, several trainees have made specific changes to their practice. For example:

• The senior trainees have organized their work spaces at home in preparation for studying for their fellowship exams
• Several trainees have an organizational system for their educational files and journals
• I constantly reflect on my values and make decisions on what I agree to take on.

As an educator, I know how rare it is to see behaviour changes from a relatively short educational intervention. But, Ann’s talk clearly hit the mark and gave these trainees (and myself) the permission and the catalyst to begin making small changes in their lives.

Since that time, I have referred Ann to several of my colleagues to assist them with their professional organization needs but also to provide them with workshops related to her areas of productivity.

I will certainly bring Ann back for further sessions with my trainees. Often a second invitation to present is the true reflection of the success of your initial presentation.”

Sue Dojeiji MD Med FRPC
Director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program
The Ottawa Hospital
Associate Professor, University of Ottawa
Clinician-Educator, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada 

 

MAX Tips

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Health Canada

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Toronto Blue Jays

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