| |  |
Executive Solutions Inc.
6800 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 216w
Syosset, NY 11791
516-367-6500
info@executive-solutions.com
 |
|
|
|
|
Peter J. DePaulo, Ph.D.
Associate Editor, Journal of Advertising Research
Independent qualitative & quantitative research consultant based
in suburban Philadelphia |
|
|
|
What I gained from Sharon and Glenn
Livingston's Advanced Moderator Training course was a broader range of
projective techniques and a more in-depth understanding of how and when
to use them. This additional expertise is what you need to deliver fresh
insights to sophisticated clients who have seen many moderators in
action. For example, I now am better able to ad-lib a projective line of
questioning to explore an unexpected attitude that pops up in a focus
group. In my 10 years as a moderator -- and nearly 20 years as a
research consultant and former marketing professor -- I have attended a
number of seminars and conference presentations that covered projective
techniques, and have read various books and articles on qualitative
research. Still, most of the content was new and enlightening for me. In
fact, a couple of the techniques seemed counterintuitive at first, but
we did experiential exercises that demonstrated how they work. Glenn and
Sharon tap their backgrounds in clinical psychology, which is, after
all, the field that created projective methods. Course participants also
benefit from the Livingstons' extensive experience in applying their
behavioral-science expertise to all kinds of marketing problems. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liz Crawford
Group Director, Cosmetic Lenses CIBA Vision |
|
|
|
Sharon is, bar none, the best in the industry.
She's head and shoulders above any other moderator. In Sharpen the Focus
she teaches about real-world issues with role-play practice for the
types of situations that moderators are likely to encounter. That
experience is invaluable. Her teaching material is the best I've ever
seen, whether it's a workbook or text. Most materials currently on the
market are all theory or if they're practical, they're uninspired and
miss the psychological objectives. You get information in Sharpen the
Focus that you simply cannot get elsewhere. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Art Shulman
20-year veteran moderator, Los Angeles |
|
|
|
Advanced Sharpen the Focus is a very useful
course for people who are already moderating. It teaches you new ways to
get information from focus group participants. I learned techniques I
didn't know about before that will make me a better moderator. I liked
the informal atmosphere which allowed me to interact with others in the
field and learn how they deal with moderating challenges and situations. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joel Raphael
President, ViewPower, New York City |
|
|
|
The first time I took Sharpen the Focus was
back in the 1980's when I was head of research at AT&T. I didn't
have a thorough qualitative marketing research background and needed to
learn as much as I could. I had seen Sharon moderate focus groups and do
team building work for my organization at AT&T and was very
impressed, so when I found out they were offering Sharpen the Focus, I
took it. It was a significant learning experience. The course gave me
additional skills I needed to run a market research organization and a
greater appreciation of qualitative research. I was so impressed, I had
them design a customized version for my staff at AT&T. Subsequently,
I also took the advanced course. And, I have recommended it to many
others. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joel Reish
moderator, Atlanta, Georgia |
|
|
|
I've been successfully moderating for 17 years,
but there were a lot of projective techniques I didn't know until I took
the course. In Sharpen the Focus, I learned that projective techniques
can be applied in many more settings and situations than I had been
using them for. While I had been utilizing projectives for years, now I
have a greater set of tools for meeting clients' research needs. I came
away from Sharpen The Focus with new tools on my tool belt. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angus McAllister
President, McAllister Opinion Research, Vancouver |
|
|
|
There are a lot of companies offering
conventional training, but I was interested in learning about projective
techniques and getting to the emotional drivers. I found The Looking
Glass on the Web, and was really impressed by what I saw. We had done a
lot of work recently in Europe where a lot of unique techniques are
used, and we wanted to find training that would go beyond what is
conventional. Sharon and Glenn did just that, and they were fantastic.
Their knowledge was helpful and their creativity inspiring. It was
thrilling learning their techniques. A minute's exposure to their ideas
is worth an hour's exposure to another trainer's ideas. I'd definitely
go to another one of their courses, and I've already recommended Sharpen
the Focus to several people. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lyn Ciocca
Moderator and President, Wellness Resources Consulting |
|
|
|
Rather than learning in a lecture setting, TLG
training operates almost as a focus group. Our experiences were both as
moderator and participant. The hands-on approach is really valuable --
it's how to best learn and integrate the information. Given the practice
we had, it was very easy to apply the new knowledge. I also enjoyed
Sharon's sharing of her expert projective techniques and experiences. It
was not only great to see how they can be optimally used, but also how
to best analyze. Part of the training revisits TLG's Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs -- a proprietary methodology to identify and properly
manage the diverse personalities often found in focus groups. It's a
great way for any level of moderator to profile and work with
individuals to bring out their best contributions. I would recommend
this course without question. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
George Bouklas, Ph.D.
psychologist in private practice in East Setauket, New York |
|
|
|
Sharpen the Focus was a wonderful learning
experience, and I found Sharon Livingston's ideas to be psychologically
sound. There was a lot of meat about the group process. Dr. Livingston
knows a tremendous amount about groups, and she described in detail how
a moderator can help people put valuable experiences and sensations into
words. Her Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs concept will no doubt fuel
moderator research for years to come. She has ingeniously discovered
seven basic personality types, which emerge in focus groups. She has
captured important archetypes, revealing seven different facets of the
modern personality. The point of qualitative research is to get the
ineffable put into words, to reveal the benefit of a product in a way
that directs the company in its further product design and marketing.
Understanding the Dwarf personalities allows a moderator to get at the
basic, unstated benefits of a product in a surprising new way. This is a
stunning find, and Dr. Livingston shared it freely. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Janet Larson
Moderator, Manhattan |
|
|
|
I attended Sharpen the Focus because I wanted
to explore new methods of understanding psychological motivation and
widen my range of skills as a moderator. Learning projective techniques
was extremely valuable. It provided new insight on how to get people to
tap into their creative side on topics that don't normally lend
themselves to creativity. The course was definitely a useful addition to
my understanding and knowledge about qualitative research. Glenn and
Sharon offer unique value as instructors because of their academic
backgrounds and impressive track record with top flight companies. I
appreciated having the opportunity to observe Sharon demonstrating her
expertise. That was probably the most valuable part, because she is a
gifted and compelling moderator. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Natalie Rubin, Psy.D
Clinical psychologist, Greenlawn, New York |
|
|
|
Sharpen the Focus is wonderful training. I took
both the basic and advanced courses. Sharon and Glenn use such
creativity and have so much enthusiasm when they teach that it makes the
courses both informative and fun. I'm a clinical psychologist by
profession, so it opened up my eyes to a whole new way of applying my
psychology training. I found the information on handling the back room
particularly eye-opening. It was very useful to know that the back
room's agenda often isn't the same as the moderator's, that the back
room can change its agenda in mid-stream - and you have to be prepared
to adapt. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sheeny Syed
Research Manager, McAllister Opinion Research, Vancouver |
|
|
|
What was excellent about the basic moderating
course was learning how to deal with different personalities brought
together in the focus group "dynamic." What I enjoyed the most
was learning new projective techniques that are designed by Sharon and
Glenn. Their teaching method is open, and you feel very comfortable in
the course. It is a helpful course for beginners or for those who are
advanced moderators. |
|
Return to Sharpen The Focus Main Page
GUARANTEE
All merchandise purchased carries a 30-day money-back guarantee. (Return the merchandise for a full refund within thirty days of purchase, minus a 20% restocking fee).
Seminar and conference bookings are subject to a different cancellation policy as outlined on the conference & training workshop calendar page
|
| |
