Optimized Results

Ian guided me through a journey that laid the foundations of my self-​awareness. We worked on optimizing my executive performance at a time when I was leading a diverse global team. He taught me how to optimize my emotional intelligence and utilize my resources «like a DJ», sequencing and blending them in ways that allow me to connect at a much deeper level and to be a lot more effective in my delivery. The DJ metaphor stayed with me and I still apply it to several areas of my life. I’m so glad I decided to work with him.

Ian is such a special healer and coach! I am touched by his intention to create a deeper understanding in psyche and personality differences! Using the personalized Enneagram approach, Ian deconstructs the why and how behind our instinctive responses to various situations.
Spending more than his allotted timeframe to help my partner and I understand differences in communication styles and approaches to life — we had the opportunity to rebuild and redefine what communicating looks like.
I highly recommend Ian and his unique skills, helping and healing energy and patching sessions! Check him out and go deeper into self discovery and transformation!

I can’t say enough about how beneficial it was for me working with Ian. I came to him when there was a crossroads in my career and Ian gave me the guidance and mentor-​ship that I needed to really grow and advance within my company. Long story short I was promoted twice quite quickly after working with Ian and and have the tools needed to grow and manage my ever expanding team. I highly recommend Ian to anyone looking for personal and professional growth!

…Not just a coach. A Guru…
Ian is a wonderful mentor! He has helped me find myself as he guided me to where I would like to be in the business, social and personal spheres of my life.
To me, being quite an americanized european expat still doesn’t take away the risk of interpersonal misunderstandings or even inner-​conflicts regardless whether they stem from cultural or personal background. Ian is the expert who thinks outside the box because he’s been able to read though my personality, not just nationality.
He listens, he sees through and then he responds with the most amazing piece of advise explaining all the intricacies of human mind that trigger this or that type of behavior. Ian always sees a bigger picture. In fact, on our first session he «drew» a picture of my personality as well as of those who I interact with so that I can understand their communication models on a deeper level which has helped me immensely further on in building the pipeline of business partners as well as in relating better during regular casual interactions.
It’s amazing how his expertise makes him find the answer to any question you may have! The way his analytical mind and at the same time sensitive attitude interrelate in his approach to guiding people is just unbelievable!
I am and will always be grateful for having met Ian as well as I do and will always recommend him as I can vouch for his professionalism and his ability to make a positively significant change in a person’s life.

Being a coach myself, I am very choosy about who I hire to support me.
I hired Ian at a difficult point in my journey when I was feeling anxious and out of touch with myself. He helped me dive under the «symptoms» that were showing up (confusion around my business, struggle in my relationship) to the root beliefs related to my Enneagram type that were creating trouble for me.
He combines his extensive knowledge of integral theory, the Enneagram, and neuroscience, in a seamless way (truly a Grand Unifying Theory of Everything), and helps you apply this greater understanding to whatever matters to you. In his words, he helps you build the trellis which you can hang any flower on that you choose.
If you’re a personal growth geek like me, talking with Ian is like being a kid in candy store. He’s incredibly generous with his time and attention. After every session you get a big customized module that gives you the practices and perspectives specific to your Enneagram type that will help you evolve.
He is a humble genius at what he does. I see him as a coach’s coach. While I’d like to have him all to myself, that doesn’t feel fair, so I write this Unilocal review…
Peter Rubin

Ian’s expertise and insight have really helped me get to know how I naturally interact with myself and others. This is so valuable because I no longer get irritated with the «small stuff» or with how others do things. Or, if I find myself getting irritated, I’m able to recognize this reaction, realize there is a different perspective, and remain calm.
…I no longer suffer from the tunnel vision of «MY way» and am now able to appreciate the beauty of how others think and operate. Realizing this = less stress for me!
More specifically, Ian provided the tools I can use in my personal relationship. Upon conflict, I turn off and shut down. This gets me and my partner nowhere. But Ian has taught me that vulnerability is not scary, but rather a way to connect more deeply with people. Thanks to Ian, I am able to challenge myself to open up to my partner during more trying times. Again, realizing this = a happy and relaxed me!
If you’re looking for the best you but having trouble finding him/​her, have a conversation with Ian and you’ll see a light of possibilities.

Ian really helped lift me up at a low point in my career transition. I had come to know him pretty well through networking, and I trusted his opinions and appreciated his insights. I was ready to make a big leap again, but wasn’t sure exactly what to do next, and time was running out. I was stressed.
I called him up and met with him over coffee, and he introduced me to a system he was in the process of creating, called the Essential 10 Minutes. As a former engineer, having a system appealed to me, and helped me feel more grounded.
Within just a few days of using it, my perspective had shifted and I was more optimistic about the opportunities I wanted to pursue. It basically helped put me back in touch with my values, so that I could focus on the right opportunities. Shortly, I ended up with two fantastic interviews, one of which led to my dream job.
Ian is kind, smart, ethical, and inspiring, and I wholeheartedly recommend sitting down with him and listening with an open mind. I am forever grateful!

I can’t thank Ian enough for the impact he has made on my life. Working with him has made me experience my highest self in all aspects: work, relationships, social, and personal. The simple tools he uses are very insightful and motivating. His knowledge of personality types and how the mind works is profound. Just a casual conversation with Ian leaves me inspired to improve myself and realize what I am capable of. I recommend his services to anyone no matter where you are in your life journey.

Ian knows his stuff. He understands how people work, how they function and think and is very good at communicating. He has a system for everything. I am super amazed how organized and how he gets things done very efficiently.
Working with him helps me to understand how people respond and why they respond that way, so I can help difficult situations at work or at home to counter this and create more harmony around me. Whether it is about communication skills or how to create systems and be just more functional whatever you do.
He is a great coach and I highly recommend him to everyone who wants to understand themselves better, and create more harmony within your workplace or your home life.

brilliant coach! effective!

I can’t believe Ian Blei doesn’t have 100 5 *****star reviews! Ian has changed my life in so many ways and in all aspects. I have learned so much about myself, and grown into someone I never thought possible… again. His unique way of finding balance in life and incorporating the Enneagram are ingredients to finding our BEST VERSIONS of ourselves. This has translated into my work life, social life, love life, etc. I am now living…
Thank you Ian Blei!

I just spent 1.5 hours in a large group with Ian Blei and I have to say it was extremely insightful and eyeopening. He has a great approach in helping you understand how people think and behave. I highly recommend his communication classes.

Ian helped me with specific confidence issues I was having with my work. I was undertaking a new profession that involved heavy sales tactics. I felt overwhelmed and doubted that I had the character to perform successfully. Ian helped me harness what I had within to do the work needed. He is extremely insightful and effective. I felt immediately comfortable with him and new that I could be honest about what I was feeling — including doubts about myself, which I have a hard time admitting — even to myself. He is a non-​judgmental helper of humanity. I am already thinking of ways he can help in other areas of my life — like motherhood!!! Thank you Ian — I will be calling you soon!

Working with Ian reminded me what my natural strengths are, and how to
work with them and develop them, rather than beating myself up about my
weaknesses. I learned how to ask for help or minimize my time spent on
things that didn’t serve me, so I could focus on where I naturally thrive.
Ian’s process is not just open-​ended. You have goals and benchmarks, and
goals are revisited so you don’t go off on too many tangents. Each week
Ian gives you reading material that he prepares based on where you’re at.
You even get some direction on how to organize your thoughts and goals.
When you’re done with the program you have a binder full of personalized
reading, a structure for daily journaling to keep you on track and the
beginning of your journal so you can look back and see what you’ve
accomplished and how you’re evolving.
Ian helps you develop your individual tool box for the ups and downs of
life. Recognizing and understanding the strengths I have to call upon and
weaknesses to put aside in times of change or conflict or big decisions.
We focused on communication, my personal style and how I communicate with
the important people in my life.
I continue to benefit from my work with Ian and expect to for the rest of
my life!

Ian’s unique, engaging, personal, insightful, and compassionate approach has helped me to identify the most resourceful parts of me, and to consciously use these resources every day at work and at home. I have grown several fold both personally and professionally, resulting in positive results, including increased productivity, a job promotion, and, improved communication with colleagues, and with my wife! Ian, many many thanks for your passion to help people, including myself, live their very best!

Am an older woman who has checked out and used several forms of therapy during my life, sometimes to help resolve an issue, sometimes to improve on the good in my life. I heard about Ian from friends and my daughter and became curious. I’d met him and liked what I saw… certainly a kind person. I signed up for a course. I was happily surprised and delighted to find that the Enneagram has validity and can be quite useful. With Ian’s help, I explored more and am happy that I did. it seems that one is never too old to learn something new and positive!
I especially like that ian really invests in his clients. He is a champion at going the extra mile. I realized he was thinking about my concerns in between sessions and bringing the results into my next meeting. It was rather like ordering apple pie and having the baker add ice cream on top while you weren’t looking!

I went to Ian intending to resolve some procrastination and organizational issues that I felt were limiting my productivity at work. If I have not resolved these issues totally, I have at the very least made drastic improvements in the areas in which I sought assistance. (While it is not entirely free of paperwork and debris at the end of every day, I can now see more than 50% of the surface of my desk at any given time. Whereas it used to be completely covered by at least 4″ of crap at all times.) So now I have a cleanish desk, I get stuff done more quickly and with less procrastination and self inflicted emotional distress.
HOWEVER…
The real benefit to me came not from in the areas that I sought self improvement but in other facets of my life that (because I was so focused on the stress I was causing myself over meaningless crap from work) I had no idea were so important to me.
Because I was stressing over the wrong stuff, I was drinking way too much, eating too much, and not communicating particularly well with my family. Ian enabled me to understand my real goals, so that I could align my actions with achieving those goals, and reduce the time and energy I used to waste chasing false goals, or being distracted by things that didn’t matter.
Since completing my work with Ian I have lost over 30 pounds! I have lost all the weight I gained since starting up my company in 1992. I continue to lose weight steadily, I no longer eat or drink compulsively, I now only consume what I want to. I go to the gym much more regularly, now that I know it is important to me. (Before I was too preoccupied by distractions to realize this.) Even though I spend more time at the gym, I am getting more accomplished at work AND having more quality time with my family, because I am not burnt out and frustrated when I get home from work. (No more «Leave Daddy alone he needs to relax.»)
Ian’s whole «Kind Ambition» thing and the mushy feelings stuff he talks about a lot are not really my cup of tea. But, as much as I hate to admit it, it does work, and has helped me with my communications with others. Most of all it has worked extremely well with my children (who are 5 and 7). I also am now much better at filtering my wife’s comments, by recognizing that when she is tired/​grumpy/​angry what she says is not exactly what she means, so I make sure I do not give undue importance to the emotionally charged elements of her communications with me. I am much better at calming things down now, whereas I used to just ramp things up by adding my emotions to the fire as well.
I highly recommend working with Ian, if not to achieve the desired results, but for the side effects, which for me turned out to be the real benefit.

Mr. Blei blends a scientific, pragmatic and highly personalized approach to uncover (and strengthen) hidden potential for greater achievement. He follows a system that is intelligent, logical and intuitive to drive real results for individuals, couples or companies. I highly recommend Ian for executive performance coaching for sales driven organizations or high volume individuals interested in expanding market share — Optimized results delivers!

What is so valuable about Ian’s approach is that it is totally personalised to how you work best and what your natural strengths are. If you think that working with a Life/​Business Coach is going to be a ‘rah rah’ session in which you will get pumped up to really strive to achieve your goals and bust your butt trying to emulate something that you aren’t– well that is the exact opposite of how Ian works.
Through Ian’s skillful and perceptive analysis of my natural strengths and weakness’ Ian has designed an approach that works for me, and gotten me out of survival and stress mode and into thoughtful planned action and ease! For the first time in several years as a small business owner, I feel un-​stressed and confident! Wow.
Plus he totally goes over and above to give you 110% of the value of the services that you are paying for. Thanks, Ian!

I had fun working with Ian even though the work itself was painful… working with Ian is like a ‘think tank’ session; not a sterile environment, but an energizing, safe place with complete freedom to create solutions… Ian’s process if different… you work with such a feeling of interest and connection… I am grateful!