Testimonials

Global Operational Efficiency & Communication Protocol with WD40

Garry Ridge, CEO of WD40, speaks about his recent experience working with Universal Consensus.

WD40 retained Universal Consensus to conduct its Business Model of Intercultural Analysis (BMIA) Needs Assessment to identify the barriers or gaps related to communication and operational efficiency between its U.S.and U.K. offices and to perform training in the U.S. and U.K. to address the identified barriers or gaps. While business objectives may be similar, the manner in which individuals from these two cultures are motivated, work in groups, reach consensus, communicate, and address business process issues from new product development,to intellectual property, and accounting to quality control, differ considerably.

Other Client Testimonials

“Universal Consensus provided inspirational and engaging leadership in facilitating a change management and customer focus empowerment session with our global HR team. By sharing an excellent balance of best practice and cultural contexts, coupled with actual strategies for practical applications and through interactive break outs, every team member concluded that a day with Universal Consensus opened doors to creative thinking and left us with a new concept on the power of possibility. We look forward to continuing to work with Universal Consensus to produce great transformative results.”
- Tricia Stewart, Head of Global Mobility, Roche International, Switzerland

“I’ve been with FedEx for over 8 years, and the Universal Consensus training on Selling to the Chinese is the best training I’ve had during my FedEx career! In my mind, I was thinking that business is business, but they showed our sales team how much culture influences how business is conducted and decisions are made.”
- Heidi Lenhardt, International Sales Account Executive, FedEx

“We have experienced, first-hand, the work Universal Consensus is performing with Convention & Visitors Bureaus to help them to optimize their inbound tourism and FDI from China and other key foreign target nations.  We are benefiting and will continue to benefit greatly from their guidance.  Their knowledge of the consumer patterns in a variety of nations and their approach to developing strategies to drive this inbound consumption is exactly what our industry needs.”
- Russell Betts, Council Member, City of Desert Hot Springs, California

“The advice provided by Denise and Universal Consensus has been invaluable!”
- Roy Burchill, Vice President, Human Resources, Alphatec Spine

“So many thanks for the way Universal Consensus engaged us and helped us to see the ways in which we can problem solve effectively.”
- Mr. Jorge Alejandro Lam Almante, Director of Immigration Control, Ministry of Interior of Peru.

“Universal Consensus helped us enormously in expertly clarifying our company’s cross cultural differences and also developing very practical ideas and solutions to help us continue to grow as a team.”
- Simon Daw, Director of Global Innovation of WD-40 Company

We’re lucky to have Universal Consensus in our court as we traverse the minefield of emerging in our foreign target markets.”
- Robert Machen, CEO, Resource Energy Development Inc.

“Denise Hummel, CEO of Universal Consensus, offered our Tourism Forum attendees a glimpse of the changing visitor, one whom it will take our community some significant preparation to welcome and receive in order to reap the benefits of a satisfied visitor who would recommend our destination or come back. Her thought-compelling and action-stimulating material was hungrily received and her evaluation of our environment and intuitive recommendations for change helped reinforce the direction we need to go to remain competitive. Denise’s expertise is deep and broad, her delivery direct, rich and entertaining.”
- Carol Chaplin, Executive Director, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

“I will share, with enthusiasm, what Universal Consensus taught us and hope that I do it justice.”
- Mr. Luis Eduardo Daza Giraldo, Deputy Director of Operations Analysis, Financial Intelligence Unit, Colombia

“I’ve never met Americans with a more profound understanding of cultural objectivity or a more succinct and action-oriented way to implement these concepts at the negotiation table, in the marketplace or in the boardroom.”
- Giampiero Soru, CEO of SS&C Advertising in Milan, Italy

“Denise and her team at Universal Consensus are creative masters of compiling the puzzle pieces of business. Their strategic thinking creates a clear pathway for businesses to achieve goals, domestically and internationally. She is a connector of first rate business relationships with a global reach. Leveraging the power of culture to optimize the bottom-line is exactly what UC does.”
- David Muller, Executive Vice President, Resource Energy Development, Inc.

“Universal Consensus navigates complexity to find reason and achieve balance in evaluating cross cultural challenges and implementing best practices solutions from internal procedures through partnering new relationships.”
- Sarah Brady, Director, Communications, Global Product Business and Global Consumer Design, Whirlpool Corporation

“Universal Consensus brings an expert level of understanding and solutions to international business issues.”
- John Oeth, Director of Engineering, Qualcomm

“As a colleague and Diversity and Inclusion practitioners, we are continuing to look for the key drivers that connect leaders and managers to what diversity and inclusion elements are most valued, relevant and connected to an organization’s healthy performance. Developing a program that enhances D&I elements therefore requires a business case that demonstrates ROI and ensures leading performance in talent management, employee engagement and productivity, brand strength and reputation, revenue growth, client satisfaction, and innovation.  Universal Consensus offers an effective and affordable way to provide D&I training to your employees as well as a brilliant way to link corporate strategies with a more inclusive corporate culture.”
- Bill Harper, VP Talent Management & Chief Diversity Officer, PG&E

“Universal Consensus assisted University of San Diego Office of Corporate and Professional Education to build a cross cultural competence program for working professionals and Universal Consensus knowledge of the subject matter is very impressive. Their attention to detail and thoroughness with the project has made the project go so much easier. I would recommend Universal Consensus for projects with a cross cultural emphasis!”
- Jodi Waterhouse, Director of Executive Programs, University of San Diego

“Universal Consensus training made the entire trip to the United States worthwhile. Our delegation intends to implement the program they have established with high hopes that it will make us more productive as we strive for peace and prosperity in our region.”
- Mr. Abinadje Ag Abdallah, Mayor, City of Aljelhoc, Mali

“If all the nations could embrace Universal Consensus program, we might actually develop such a sense of awareness and compassion through understanding each other, that the military of nations might become defunct for all but the gravest transgressions.”
- H.E. Akel Biltaji, Minister to King Abdullah II of Jordan

“The benefit that Denise brings to any organization is her strong business acumen in understanding the enablers and impediments to achieving success in a globalized world and her courage in challenging the organization to be its best by preparing for a globalized economy as well as a multicultural home market. She is committed to providing sound business analysis and organization improvement solutions that are truly transformational.”
- Christine Simmons, District Manager, The Ken Blanchard Companies

“The overwhelming response among our group was, ‘this is what we have been waiting for.’ We cannot thank Universal Consensus enough for guiding us in a direction that will take years off the learning curve of how to appeal to our American guests.”
- Valentyna Marnopolska, Director of the Association of Hotel Owners, Ukraine

“Rarely in one’s life do we hear a speaker whose depth of life experience, education, and expertise is combined with a personality that manages to infuse the content into the heart and mind of the audience. Denise Hummel of Universal Consensus is one of these people.”
- Cath De Stefano, Director, Citizen Diplomacy Council

“I highly recommend the program Cross Cultural Competence and International Business Strategy provided by Denise Pirrotti Hummel at University of San Diego. The program is of great value to all associates working with international business, providing important tools to understand and navigate in different cultures for the benefit of current and future business relations,”
- Mette Damm Sorensen, Director of Marketing, Racing4Kids.

“Universal Consensus global mindset programs are designed according to the needs and challenges of the university. Their solutions are integrative, campus-wide, and the global mindset training is as interesting as it is informative. They train faculty, staff and students in targeted ways, relevant to their level of life experience”
- Debbie Felice, Associate Dean for Students, Oklahoma City University School of Law.

“We have had the pleasure of retaining Universal Consensus to improve cross cultural communication & awareness between our U.S. and U.K. offices. They very adeptly were able to glean information from both offices, evaluate the challenges, and make significant recommendations through their BMIA© training and strategic follow up that have helped us to move forward in a collaborative way. We witnessed immediate improvement and a new level of collaboration, cooperation & understanding. We are better today because of the Universal Consensus BMIA© program.”
- Garry Ridge, CEO of WD40

“Universal Consensus expertly tailored the program to the current needs of the DoD with regard to cross-cultural training, and applied an in-depth analysis of the existing problem set to offer potential solutions – from objectives to curricula options.”
- Allison S. Greene, Ph.D, Associate Director for Culture, DoD

“We would like to formally request of the U.S. State Department to use the services of Universal Consensus in Benin to assist us in moving forward her conflict resolution [agenda] and program.”
- Mr. Zacharie Mahoutin Dah-Sekpo, President, Second Commercial Court and Fourth Civilian Court, Benin

“We will be doing a ½ hour piece on tourism for the American market; I have a feeling that 20 minutes of it will have to do with what I learned from Universal Consensus.”
- Mr. Fares F.F. Farraj, Program Producer & News Reporter, Wattan T.V. Station, West Bank

“The only way we can thank you is to invite you to Turkmenistan to show you that we took your advice seriously. Thank you from all of us for valuable time well spent”
- Mr. Shorat Atbashiyev, Director, DN Tours, Turkmenistan

“With more than 10 million frequent flyer miles on one airline alone, I know a little about travel, good and bad. Even so, Denise Pirrotti Hummel’s Speak Milk. Drink Wine. has taught this die-hard traveler much about making dreams reality. This inspiring tale is a joy to read!”
- Marshall Goldsmith, acclaimed author and Thinkers50 #1 World’s Most Influential Leadership Thinker in 2011.