Dear Mr. Benscheidt:

Thank you for the outstanding training provided at your media-training workshop on June 15, 2001. Directly through your instruction, I acquired the awareness, level of confidence, and readiness that was essential in representing the U.S. Department of Energy, the Office of River Protection, and myself in an in-depth, on-camera interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes.

As you know, my position requires a great deal of visibility and frequent interaction with the news media, the public, employees, and a host of other entities. While I am experienced and comfortable in these situations, until completing your workshop I was not fully prepared for the unique challenge presented by an aggressive interview with a 60 Minutes representative.

Your team was acutely aware of the issues at hand and specifically addressed my needs. The professionalism your team and the realism of the training environment were outstanding. In a short amount of time, I was equipped with vital communication techniques and strategies along with a heightened ability to hear what is truly being said. Rather than defensively respond to intense questioning, I was able to anticipate the difficult inquires and clearly express the goals of my organization and the unique challenges we face.

Frequently I have called on the communication tactics you covered and been able to recognize potential pitfalls in seemingly benign exchanges. I believe your media training would be of great value to any executive or manager and is essential for mastering strategic communication. For the strength of my organization as a whole, I am committed to having my senior management team benefit from your training course, just as I have. Again, thank you for your outstanding workshop.

Sincerely,

Dr. Harry L Boston,
Manager Office of River Protection
U.S. Department of Energy