Lee Fjelstad
The Verbal Judo Institute, Inc.
Tampa, FL, UNITED STATES
Verbal Judo for conflict resolution, persuasion, and organizational training/keynote speaking
Biography
The Vice President of the Verbal Judo Institute and an international trainer with a professional background that includes over twenty years of speaking and training experience. As a presenter and trainer, Lee is highly animated, humorous, thought provoking, and entertaining. He has instructed audiences on Verbal Judo in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and in England and over 400,000 participants attending his lectures during his career in public speaking.
Verbal Judo and the Tactical Communication Program has been the subject of magazine articles ranging in interest from Conde Nast Traveler and Broker Magazine to sports publications like Referee Magazine, and in newsprint articles from the USA Today and the Wall Street Journal to small town newspapers. In addition to the above print, Lee has been seen and heard internationally on CNN, nationally on NBC, ABC, and Fox, in Canada on the CBC, and on local television and radio across North America and in Europe.
With a professional background that includes over five years as a Operations Shift Supervisor for a $130 million computer research and development facility working with classified and Top Secret materials and research, and an additional six years of work for the Federal Government protecting nuclear weapons systems and assets, Lee has also been a reserve police officer in New Mexico, trained close quarter combat tactics to the US military, self-defense and defensive tactics to police, corrections, probation and parole, and military law enforcement officers, and close quarter combat and defensive survival techniques to military forces in Europe, instruction to federal and local government agencies in self-defense and personal protection filled a gap in defensive tactics programs. Lee also created civilian self defense protection and awareness programs for corporations, women's groups, and the airlines.
Lee's educational background includes degrees in English, Business, and Organizational Communication with additional work in Psychology and Behavioral Science. His client list ranges from corporate and customer service industries, city and county government employees, to airlines, banking and real estate operations.
Industry Expertise (3)
Entertainment
Corporate Training
Training and Development
Areas of Expertise (3)
Stress Management
Conflict Resolution
Persuasion
Testimonials (17)
Stacy R. Shell, Senior Human Resources Analyst | City of Concord, CA
"Thank you for everything, Lee. The employees have been raving about the training (and the trainer) all week. You did an outstanding job. Thank you so very much."
Patricia Newett Jones, Training Coordinator | Northeast Environmental Enforcement Project
"Lee--it is always a pleasure looking forward to your Verbal Judo presentation and you always get the rave reviews."
Darrin L. Lane, P.E, Roadmaster Director | Linn County Road Department, Albany, OR
"Thanks for the terrific block of instruction. I will gladly be positive reference if you ever need one. The amount of good comments I've received already is unprecedented.
Racy Ming, Program Manager | Marin County Employment Connection, CA
"I'd say it is one of the best training I've ever gotten.” “Lee is very dynamic and entertaining without losing the message." "Verbal Judo was an excellent training.” “Mr. Fjelstad was very professional, but also very engaging." "Other County departments/divisions should consider this training for their staff." Several members have also communicated to me that they are finding ways to use Verbal Judo in their communication on a daily basis. Given that many of the people in the audience present their own workshops and seminars and are a 'tough crowd' it is even more noteworthy that they were so impressed by your training. Needless to say, I consider this to have been effort and money well invested.
Roberta L. Jacoby, Senior Vice President, Air/Sea Operations and Corporate Training | Carnival Cruise Lines
“I want to thank your for your participation in our ‘Coaching the Champions’ program for our shipboard and shore side management. Your presentation in Verbal Judo made our training compelling and relevant. Your enthusiasm from beginning to end helped escalate the ratings to make the summer training a huge success.”
Candy Gusst, SR., Training and Development Specialist | Philadelphia Savings Fund Society
“The program was fantastic. Obviously Lee Fjelstad is well versed in the subject presented. His delivery was dynamic."
Shauna Steele, Administrator | NM Human Services Dept.
“Mr. Fjelstad mesmerized the audience with his motivational, humorous, state of the art presentation.”
Michael Lang, Training Manager | G. Fox, Division of May Department Stores
“Thank you for what could be the training highlight of the year at G. Fox.”
Wayne Corniles, Executive Vice President | Radio Advertising Bureau
“It was the biggest gathering of Radio Management, Sales and Marketing executives ever held in the world! More that 2,200 Radio men and women from all over the world were there and many of them came to hear what you had to say. Thanks again and please let me know whenever RAB can be of service to you.”
Bruce, President/Chief Operating Officer | Beasley Broadcasting
“Lee gave a first rate, five star presentation. On behalf of our General Managers and their spouses who were fortunate enough to hear Lee’s presentation, please convey our thanks for a job well done.”
Warren Deutsch, Vice President or Education | Institute of Management Accounting, Managing Director, Accounting Principals
“On behalf of the Charlotte chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants, I would like to thank you for your valuable one-day training and keynote speech delivered to approximately 40 Management Accountants. We enjoyed having you back for a second year in a row. On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, there was unanimity in our evaluations that your training was a 5, regarding knowledge, delivery, impact, and usefulness. Thank you again for your fine work. I look forward to seeing you next year."
Mary J. Millar, Director of Personnel | Office of the Chancellor
“Please let me take a moment to thank you for your wonderful presentation at the Minnesota State College and Universities Human Resources Conference in Rochester, MN. Despite the serious nature of the topic, your dynamic and entertaining style kept the entire audience with you the whole way.”
David Patzer, Risk Control Adviser | CSRMA
“Mr. Fjelstad’s command of his subject matter, delivery, humor and ability to relate to all audience types has generated incredibly positive audience feedback like no other speaker CSRMA has engaged. It is with great enthusiasm that CSRMA endorses Lee Fjelstad.”
Kim Mahoney, Assistant Director, of Event Services and Administration | Jerome Schottenstein Center, Ohio State University
“It was very entertaining, thought provoking, and informative.” “It was really great.” “Great class” “I particularly appreciate your ability to relate the topic to our diverse audience including staff from our multi-purpose arena, a campus hotel, student health department, housing and food services, as well as others. We also appreciate your ability to take what can be a challenging topic for many people and making it educational as well as entertaining.”
Mazie Chauvin, Training Manager, CEO/Human Resources | County of Ventura, CA
"The Verbal Judo Institute has provided training to our county for the past eleven years. The main reason I ask them to return year after year is that the message they provide is invaluable to public employees. It is a pleasure to offer any form of encouragement for the training provided by Lee Fjelstad and the Verbal Judo Institute. Any and all employers would find the classes very valuable in the conduct of whatever business they conduct; whether they are in retail, schools, manufacturing, or any type of business."
Bill Neiles, Senior. Staff Consultant, Human Resources Development | Nevada Power
“The feedback I’m getting from our employees in Reno has been overwhelmingly positive, just like the reaction from our Las Vegas employees the month before. In fact, I haven’t had any negative reaction from any of the three sessions you did last month. We had everyone from maintenance people to senior staff from Rates and Regulatory Affairs, and all had positive things to say. All seemed most impressed that what they learned will apply in all areas of life, not just work. I should warn you that the word is out about your classes, so you can expect larger crowds when you return in May.
Howard Fishman, Risk Manager | City of Manhattan Beach, CA
"Thanks again Lee for educating and enlightening our city employees. The presentation reviews were excellent. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks in Whittier."
Sample Talks (1)
Verbal Judo / Tactical Communication
SUMMARY TALKING POINTS Representing both the Company and the Customer in the arena of conflict. Remaining professional while the people around you act like amateurs. Dealing with verbally abusive or hostile language. Thirteen things never to say when trying to reduce conflict and resolve problems. The "Three Truths" of communicating effectively. The Four Appeals of Persuasion. The Five-Step Approach for redirecting behavior and Generating Voluntary Compliance
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Workshop Leader
- Corporate Training
