Our Clients speak for themselves

"Clear & Critical Thinking' - an excellent programme offering amazingly simple techniques for idea generation (that work!) while also delivering an insightful understanding of how to successfully communicate your ideas into action.
Training and Development Manager, AIB Group Plc

“Knowing how to think properly is an obvious and essential skill if you want to stay one step ahead of the pack in business. The mystery is that so few people invest in their thinking skills. Most of us assume that we do – until we meet someone like Valerie Pierce, creator of the Clear and Critical Thinking programme. An afternoon with Pierce will leave you feeling that you have woken out of a coma.”
Tina-Marie O’Neill, Journalist, Sunday Business Post

“Excellent! I wish all staff could have this training. Course rating 10/10.”
Director of Development, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

“Very interesting course dealing with our perception of how others approach issues in the same manner as ourselves. Will make me think more about the other parties’ point of view rather than just presenting my own arguments as they make sense to me. Hopefully decisions will be made in future with benefits to both sides!”
Fiona Coyle, Irish Sports Council

“Excellent skills for developing new ways of thinking and doing.”
Assistant Principal, Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

“The best course I have ever been on. I will use the tools in my daily life.”
HEO, Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

“Excellent information, strategies and techniques.”
Ann Dinan, Director of Education, JMB

“Identified reactions regularly heard to proposals and useful suggestions for dealing with those reactions. I will practise this learning from now on.”
Bernard O‘Kelly, Training Manager, Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism

“I am looking out to trying Quick Thinking on Your Feet not only in business but in my personal life and changing negative thinking into positive action.”
Carolyn Sinnott, Project Manager, AIB Bank

“Excellent day. I believe I have picked up some good techniques to help me become a more effective influencer/communicator.”
Paul Dervin, IT Manager, Eircom

“The course was excellent in helping me generate new ideas, decipher new information and make decisions.”
Jennifer Casey, HEO, Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

“Course content is excellent. Real mind opener. Really beneficial tips and practices for work and personal life. Excellent to receive the book and presentation in handout form to support us when we leave; will be reinforced through practise. Nice fast snappy pace. Valerie called it well and adjusted the structure very well when needed. Thank you.”
Ellen Hogan, Sales Manager Bank of Ireland

“The answer to many of my bug bears! Thought provoking course which will hopefully kick start me into changing the way I view things, confusing emotion with passion. Lots of homework to do!”
Clare McInerney, Schering AG Berlin

“Innovate and Activate – an excellent programme – highly recommended. A programme for all organisations, its functions and its people – it delivers.”
Training Manager, AIB Group Plc

“Excellent course – well worth taking day out. Think practise will improve the process of ‘Thinking on Your Feet’. Like the concept – think of negative information as more information. Will try to use tree diagram from tomorrow – excellent tool to keep my focus to ensure delivery of the purpose. Thanks.”
Catherine Lawlor, Sales Manager, Bank of Ireland

“Very high quality – would recommend to others. Excellent tutor and facilitator.”
Chris Sims, Directors’ Executive Asst., Victoria and Albert Museum

“Good ideas on how to influence people by turning negatives into positives for your arguments. I liked the listed for logic connection – this happens a lot and hopefully will help me to be more strategic when trying to get my views accepted.”
Marc Howard, Irish Sports Council

“I wish I did this course years ago!”
Clare O’Kelly, House and Garden

Highly recommended - a programme for all organisations, its functions and its people - it Delivers!"
Training Manager, AIB Group Plc

"Brilliant! best course I've ever attended. This course has given me great techniques and insights - Course rating 10/10"
Head of Exhibitions, Victoria & Albert Museum

"Valerie Pierce’s training style is unique, compulsive and effective. The Law Society of England and Wales first brought her in to deliver a programme designed to weld staff and committee members into closer, more creative working relationships. That was in 1998.
Gerald Newman, Deputy Director, Communications, The Law Society (UK)

"Her insightful views on Critical Thinking introduced our members to new ways of overcoming many difficulties in implementing change programmes."
Chairman, Institute of Business Analysts and Consultants

"In the design of any professional sales programme for top performers it is obviously essential to include the critical skills for effective relational selling. Thus a module on: Clear & Critical Thinking was deemed to be vital. The participants on the Certificate in Professional Selling Programme found this module to be of outstanding use, both to the learning outcomes from the rest of the Certificate, and to their own daily work and careers. It is without doubt a cornerstone of this programme, and Valerie Pierce's input and delivery is of the highest professional standard that any Course Manager could hope to encounter."
Course Manager, Certificate in Professional Selling, DIT

Comments from Students on the Certificate in Professional Selling, DIT:
"I was chosen from Bank of Ireland Finance's sales force to do this course and I am delighted that I took the opportunity. So far the different areas of the course have been very good - in particular, Clear & Critical Thinking with Valerie Pierce was excellent, very beneficial and relevant."
Sales Representative, Bank of Ireland Finance

"The lectures are enjoyable and interesting, particularly when the class gets involved in debating certain issues. I find particular parts of the course relevant to my own business, such as Clear & Critical Thinking."
Assistant Area Manager, Hibernian Insurance

"We are currently using Clear & Critical Thinking as an element of our Career Development Programme which is designed to assist and support staff in their transition to a new career path. It continually receives very favourable feedback and makes a tangible contribution to the development of our participants."
Training & Development Specialist, eircom

"One of the most useful and practical courses I have ever attended. Getting on the same `wavelength' as others and using their logic to support my argument is beneficial in both business and personal life."
Learning & Development Specialist, Ulster Bank Group

"There is always a danger among IT people to concentrate on and be enthralled by the technology itself. This concentration on the means rather than the end can be dangerous. Clear & Critical Thinking promotes the use of a technique which helps remove the software developer from the technical maze and helps them pay heed to what the user really wants. In short, Valerie makes you think about what you need rather than what you desire.".
IT Manager, First Active

"Having attended the Clear & Critical Thinking course I used one of the techniques I learnt there in the work environment and also in a voluntary committee of which I am a member. The participants found it a creative and entertaining atmosphere from which ideas and solutions were generated with ease.I found it particularly useful where the group were varied in both age and experience. The Clear & Critical Thinking approach also resulted in making the group bond as a team and ensured the final decision was a group one."
Building Society Branch Manager, First Active