Life IQ

Neil Ihde, MA is an author, consultant, speaker and founder of Life IQ. He has consulted with numerous Fortune 500 companies including:

Wal-Mart
Occidental Petroleum
Sun Microsystems
Pearson
Gannett
Merrill Lynch
Clorox
BASF
Mass Mutual
Eastman Kodak
Verizon
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

His international clients represent a dozen countries including Hungary, Switzerland, Germany, England, Ireland, Australia, Canada, and Mexico.

What they are saying about Neil...

I’ve attended a lot of workshops over 25 years and Neil’s was one of the best I have ever seen. Alex Gebhard, Assistant Finance Director, City of Tacoma

I found Neil to be exceptional! He did research on our company and audience well in advance of his presentation. He delivered an outstanding message that was both inspiring and touching. He was a big win for our conference. - Ric Pearson, Senior Manager CUNA Insurance

Woodward Radio Events was proud to work with Neil! We were thrilled to have a nationally known speaker provide a workshop at our event. Participants learned how to become great leaders and the presentation had the audience excited to apply the skills taught to their professional lives. We welcome the opportunity to work with Neil in the future. – Cindy Funke, Account Manager, Woodward Communications

Neil’s training program for our front-line managers was fantastic. He was able to engage participants and provide them with information they could use in their daily work environment. – Amy Charais, HR Director, Gannett

I had the pleasure of utilizing Neil’s services both as a speaker for my client events and my CEO network and as a consultant/trainer for my senior management team. As a speaker he provided thought provoking, relevant topics that kept the audience informed as well as entertained. He was an excellent ambassador for our organization and the feedback was extremely positive. I also had engaged Neil as a consultant and trainer for my new management team. My team and I enjoyed working with him and his training created a much more cohesive team. I will utilize his services again. – Lane Sieman, Founder and CEO of HealthOne, Inc.

I’ve heard Neil speak a number of times and I would listen to him speak on any topic, any time. He’s fantastic! - Mason Quackenbush, Director, Gundersen Lutheran

Understanding how you and others prefer to take in information, make decisions, and communicate can be a huge advantage. Neil gives a wonderful insight into this illuminating way of looking at the world. I have learned a lot from his classes. – Jonathan Perrott, E-Learning Professional, Twickenham UK

Neil’s skill in connecting with and understanding the needs of others is second-to-none. His ability to look at all challenges with both depth and creative breadth make any partnership with Neil enlightening and very practical. Of all the individuals I’ve interacted with over the years, Neil is the most exceptional.- Janine Luz, HR Director, Gundersen Lutheran

Neil is fresh, engaging, and informative. He has a pulse on organizational cultures and his motivation makes an impact! - Jon Zlabek, M.D., Gundersen Lutheran

Neil is one of the most professional and inspirational presenters I have ever heard. He combines humor, knowledge, and insight into his presentations...I never miss an opportunity to hear him speak.—Jim Engh, HR Operations Manager, Gundersen Lutheran

Neil’s ability to discern the needs of an organization along with his knowledge of the complexities of building and effective team are exemplary! - Jennifer Wulf, CIO, MacDonald & Owen Lumber

Neil is a very engaging speaker and kept our audience engaged and entertained. I highly recommend Neil! - Carie Tagorda, IT Systems Educator, Parkland Hospital

I can only give the highest recommendations for Neil as a person and as a professional. He has proven he can work well with the highest levels of leadership to front line staff. He has a respectful nature and is great at understanding and bringing out people’s personal best through his teaching and mentoring. - Lisa Wied, Director, Gundersen Lutheran

Great presentations! Participants commented on how much they learned about themselves in your sessions. Thank you! – Sandy Bissen, Executive Director, WHiMA

Live intelligently…

4 Secrets to Becoming a S.T.A.R.

There are two kinds of people in life – those that talk about their dreams and those who achieve them. What’s the difference between them? Four very important characteristics. How many do you have?

The Complicated Business of Living the Life of a Human Being

Do you know what Mayflies have to complete in their lifetimes? Breed and die. That's it. And they usually do that in 24 hours. Starfish's to do list includes eating clams and avoid being eaten. They don't even have a brain. Human animals, however, are a bit more complex. We are the only animal society that permits mimes. Our lives are less and less about survival. Instead, we are living in an age that offers unprecedented choices and opportunities. Our life then becomes a one long to-do list where "Prioritize Your Life" is #167 if it appears at all. Simplify. Discover your passions. What do you want to live for? What's on your life's to-do list?

My Selfish Reasons for Wanting You to Be Happy - So, Get Happy and Stay That Way!

Why do I want you to be happy? I have my reasons – some of them altruistic, and some of them selfish. Our country’s happiness has flatlined since the 1950’s despite dramatic improvement in nearly every aspect of our lives. It's been said that for every want fulfilled, another emerges. In fact, entire industries have been created on this fact alone. One path we pursue to secure happiness is possessions. Do we need half of the stuff we own? At what point did we begin to belong to our belongings? Did you know that the number one complaint homebuilders hear from owners is that there isn't enough storage space? This despite the fact that the average square footage per household has doubled in the last generation. We need to begin distinguish what brings joy and happiness in every aspect of our lives...work, family, and friends.

Work intelligently…

10 Mistakes New Managers Make…And How to Avoid Them

First impressions are everything. Nowhere is that more true than for the new manager. Not only are you in a new position with new responsibilities, you are learning on the fly while on stage with your employees watching and analyzing your every move. This talk delves into the most common mistakes made by new managers, examining why they happen and how to avoid them. It is critical that new managers understand the common pitfalls and avoid setting precedents that can come back to haunt them down the road. Too many mistakes too soon and your ship is sunk before you’ve had a chance to set sail.