Elevating professionals intoemotionally intelligent, change-ready Leaders

"You are absolutely magic in enabling creative ideas that result in inspired motivated teams, lower cost innovative solutions and better customer outcomes. Investing in our teams to learn your design thinking method was the best investment we could have made."

"Every interaction with Joanna Kirke, MBA, PCC is a masterclass in leaning in, creating engagement and empowering teams. Beyond her frameworks the behaviours she role models create a groundswell in generating innovation and customer focused solutions with high impact."

"Joanna's expertise as an ICF mentor coach was instrumental in my journey to ACC certification. Her nurturing approach combined with deep professional knowledge created a supportive environment where I could grow and develop my coaching skills. What sets Joanna apart is her genuine commitment to her mentees' success, offering generous insights while encouraging authentic coaching presence. Her thoughtful guidance and constructive feedback elevated my coaching practice to new heights."

“Your innovative approach to solving problems by putting the customer first and applying design thinking principles has been instrumental in our success. Together, we continue to create solutions that truly meet our customer needs. Thank you for being an exceptional partner.”

"Everything DiSC is built on research and extensive testing. The profiles really help people better understand themselves and others, which generates a much more constructive and effective workplace."

"There is a practicality to the Work of Leaders that really resonated with Carhartt... you want to see that direct connection to something that can be so intimidating as an adult, 'How do I lead?" and with the Work of Leaders we get to see that every day."

"I don't think there is anything out there that is applicable in the workplace as Everything DiSC."

"Everything DiSC has been an instrumental component of our organizational development strategy. We hear references to DiSC styles and conversations, meetings, and even our Holiday Party! It's certainly been impactful for our organization."

"As a large care provider, we use DiSC daily to create healthy working habits. we share our profiles at the start of the projects and use the language of this to help day-to-day interactions."

"We thought it was extremely valuable. not only the content, but the ability to interact with each other. everybody felt very seen, and it wasn't just business as usual. It was a reminder that there are people behind all these jobs we're working on."

“I can’t stress enough the importance of executive coaching. I believe every executive should have a coach, and I’m not sure this would have been possible without our leaders experiencing the coaching with the team from Blanchard. Also, find a vendor who is willing to be your partner, not just a supplier. Blanchard approached our needs holistically by working to understand our wishes and desired outcomes. They even helped us integrate content from other places into the overall plan. They knew what we wanted to achieve and became part of the solution. Blanchard is our partner in leadership development and a strong part of our evolving leadership culture.”

“I wasn’t sure I could help us break that 50 percent barrier within the year. So, I was thrilled when I saw the quarterly numbers after we piloted the program. We saw a huge spike in every category. Staff numbers increased from 40 to 48 percent, nurses from 29 to 40 percent, staff working together moved from 49 to 64 percent, and the likelihood to recommend elevated from 49 to 58 percent! And it gets better—by the end of the first year, we were able to meet all targets for the first time ever.”

“We wanted our staff to have a way to communicate and interact with each other during the times between calls. The command method of communication doesn’t always apply when staff members are trying to have regular conversations. We wanted staff and leaders to communicate more effectively and build better relationships, so we needed to define what leadership communication is for CAL FIRE.”

“Feedback from participants has been positive. It has been gratifying to see how quickly people embraced the learning. I hear people using SLII® language and see tools and graphics posted on their walls. They are really using the content to become better leaders. There is even a waiting list for people who want to go through the program.”

“We wanted to improve turnover and engagement scores. I knew this program would help us build more effective leaders, which would have a positive influence on those metrics. But to help us with those measures, we needed a clearly defined path for learning. I believed if we could improve leadership skills, we could positively influence job satisfaction. The learning journey ultimately included Blanchard Management Essentials®, Building Trust, Conversational Capacity®, SLII®, Coaching Essentials®, Leading Virtually, and Performance Management.

“We have trained approximately 3,100 leaders—a 15 percent increase in participation – and the program completion rate is 93 percent. Participants rated the content at an 89 percent satisfaction rate, which is equal to previous classroom delivery rates. And the trainer satisfaction rate is 94 percent, which is 4 percent higher than classroom delivery. But the most fulfilling measurement we see is leaders endorsing the experience on their LinkedIn profiles. Seeing those completion badges on LinkedIn is a proud moment for our leaders and builds excitement for other leaders to enroll in the program. It is great exposure, both internally and externally,”

“We thought we had set a pretty aggressive initial goal of reducing that ramp-up time by 20 percent—but I’m happy to say that we’ve actually reduced the time by 40 percent.”

“The training programs we use from Blanchard are easy for people to understand and apply—but the simplicity of the concepts doesn’t take away from their effectiveness. Our tribe members around the world know this training is not about redirecting undesired behaviors. It’s about developing skills. The programs provide leaders with the tools and skills they need to help their tribe members perform at the highest level possible. And when I hear people say they are using what they have learned at home with their children, I know we have made a difference in people’s lives.”

“Our goal was to have a culture of leadership consistency at all levels. We knew we could improve if our leaders would consistently use fundamental skills to build talent and help their direct reports reach their goals. SLII® from The Ken Blanchard Companies was a critical component of the foundational skills WEX was looking for, while additional content in their broader leadership development program offered learning experiences for all levels of leaders. This included Self Leadership, Blanchard Management Essentials®, and Leading People Through Change®.

“The reorganization brought different groups together to form new teams, and we wanted to give them all a common language to use. SLII® from The Ken Blanchard Companies provided the foundational skills we wanted our people to use to improve communication. We also wanted to measure the results of the training but weren’t sure how to manage that process with our small staff. Our partnership with Blanchard allowed us to design the training and measure the results as well.”

"Joanna is very agile and develops a deep understanding of the workplace dynamic before using her expertise to determine what to coach you on. She listens to your needs and then adapts her different tools and diverse experiences to help you work through specific challenges."

"I truly enjoyed the IDI debrief meeting. Great discussion and lots of takeaways."

"Thank you very much, Joanna. You are a pro at this. Our time together was very useful. It was concrete and will help me to take the next steps. Wonderful training on unconscious bias."

"Thanks very much, Joanna – I found our DEI session very interesting and eye-opening (e.g., the 49% visible minority stat for Toronto that you quoted, which definitely challenges my perception of differential work ethics among cultures driving the difference in UTS demographics today vs. when I went there). "

"Thanks Jojo,I very much enjoyed our session this morning. It was very educational and helpful."

"Thanks Joanna. Really thought-provoking session. With your support, I increased self-awareness & got myself clarity around something that’s been really bothering me."

"I was extremely pleased with my experience with Joanna. She was an absolute pleasure to work with on DEI. I will certainly look to do further work with Joanna in the future. And I will also be passing along my strong recommendation to others."

"Very interesting discussion and going over the results were fascinating. I will take the actions we discussed and make efforts on how things are better said. Thanks to Joanna."

"I truly enjoyed the IDI debrief meeting. Great discussion and lots of takeaways."

"Thanks. Joanna was wonderful - helpful, supportive, insightful, kind, practical, and very knowledgeable. Thanks again."

"Jojo – I loved our coaching session! I will be thinking about it for weeks to come. It was a very powerful and valuable conversation, and I so very much appreciate you taking the time to educate me and listen!"

"I LOVED doing the IDI assessment and the Coaching session right after!!! IT IS A MUST for every leader if we want to move beyond the stat of diversity and truly become inclusive. The experience made me realise my strengths and gaps to be at the top of an inclusive leader. I’ve already had a new experience where I applied this knowledge."

"Joanna - never doubt for a moment that you are doing what you were born to do! Warren BENNIS once wrote-‘Managers do things right- but LEADERS do the right thing’! And you are doing the right thing- the right thing for others and the right thing for you! Keep inspiring, leading, motivating, energizing, teaching and empowering- it’s great to see you continue to grow and develop in your work and your life- you are special! My best for the holidays and good health and good times ahead in ‘25."

"Congratulations dear Joanna for your leadership, your dedication, your dynamism and much more through the past 10 years and more! You are an inspiration to us all and it's a privilege to be on this path by your side! Cheers to an awesome year 2025 ahead and 10 more years!"

"You created something extraordinary. It’s not easy to be an entrepreneur and you are rocking it and coaching leaders across Canada to be equally courageous with their dreams."

"Joanna taught a bilingual workshop on Coaching for Sales Leaders to a group of us at Banque Laurentienne in Montreal. She challenged our thinking and coached us to adopt new best practices for helping our teams. Joanna’s engaging style, knowledge, and sense of humour make a 2 day session so much more enjoyable."

"I have had the pleasure of working with Joanna for 8+ years as she facilitates the Experience Point change simulation for leaders attending our in-house cohort based Leadership Intensive program. Joanna is a dynamic, passionate and effective facilitator in change leadership. Participants leave her sessions well versed in change principles and invigorated by her facilitation expertise and knowledge in change management. I would not hesitate in recommending Joanna for your learning needs!"

"Jo is one of Refinery's go-to facilitators. We have one client who insists that she is on every workshop, and time and time again, we have astoundingly positive feedback about the Jo's facilitation and the impact she has had on our participants. Sometimes she gets compared to a Barbie doll, but make no mistake, this is one of those world-saving Barbie dolls that gets sh*t done. We know our workshop is good hands when Jo's on the team!"

"I had the great pleasure of working with Joanna at TD - bright, energetic and positive force on any team!"

"Joanna is a highly strategic and valued partner. She delivers insightful business solutions with an engaging and authentic leadership presence, and is a pleasure to work with."

"I can't say enough good things about Joanna Kirke, MBA, PCC. Quite simply, I wouldn't be the leader I am today, nor would I have achieved so much in my career without her wisdom and coaching. Here's to your next great adventure and the legions of people whose lives you will change in the future."

"I had the good fortune to work with Joanne during my tenure at TD on a program called "Workplace Communication Advantage". In addition to contributing to the program, I learned so much about Joanne. She is the ultimate professional who is committed to getting the job done irrespective of the challenges she may face. The participants in the program thought highly of her and were eternally grateful for the opportunities she provided to them in advancing their career. Anyone who has the opportunity to interact or work intimately with Joanne, will be definitely learn from the best."

"I had the pleasure to work alongside Joanna on many occasions, delivering leadership development programs that involved a broad range of topics including finance, emotional intelligence, team effectiveness, unconscious biases, and self-awareness. Joanna consistently created an experience that would be both memorable and impactful for program participants, served in large part due to Joanna’s ability to create a space of openness and trust. As a result of her work, individuals have become stronger leaders, greatly benefiting their organizations."

"Joanna facilitated a change management simulation at our annual senior leadership retreat, which was the highlight of the event. Joanna took a lot of time in advance of the workshop to get to know our organizational vision, values and strategic goals, which she incorporated brilliantly into the post-simulation debrief. She was able to incorporate all of the leadership development work we had done the previous year into the change simulation, making it a meaningful and memorable experience. Joanna's expertise in change management, coupled with her enthusiasm and professionalism made her a delight to work with!"

"Joanna has joined us twice as a speaker and panelist at our annual Women in Leadership (WIL) seminar. Joanna has an admirable passion for women’s advancement and has done tremendous work in this area. During review of the survey results from our seminar a large number of participants commented on how much they benefited from Joanna’s talk. She leveraged number of leadership assessment tools and books during her talk. Audience walked out of the seminar feeling inspired and empowered with the knowledge they gained as a result of her talk. It is an absolute pleasure to work with Joanna and I look forward to our future projects."

"I had the pleasure of connecting with Joanna and seeing her in action as a coach, and was just so moved by her warm, empathetic presence. She is very client-oriented, making sure in her work that she is moving with clients where they most want to go, and yet effectively challenges them when they have an opportunity to reframe an unhelpful narrative. Her approach to the client relationship embraces both compassion and humor. She can bring in a wonderful lightness, and yet responds with empathy if her client experiences strong emotion. I am so impressed by Joanna's commitment to professionalism as she supports her clients in meeting their goals. I am honored to have worked with her and would be delighted to do so again."

"Joanna is a positive, smart and insightful coach. She brings people to the places that they need to go by holding them in the highest regard and believing in them with unwavering support. Throughout the time she was my coach, She rally challenged me to think differently about my journey while holding me tight with her unconditional belief."

"I just completed a six-month assignment with Joanna and can tell you it has unlocked so many options for me and substantiated some of my pre-existing skills. Jo has a manner of delivery that is engaging, insightful, honest and revealing. She drew things out of me I didn't know I had! I can't recommend her highly enough, if you're in the market for unleashing some potential, then look no further. Jo, thanks for everything you did for myself and my colleagues at Detour Gold, it won't be forgotten."

"I'm sure most of us have experienced sitting in a hotel conference room, being subjected to "training" for what seems like an eternity. I am pleased to say that Joanna's training session was nothing like that! In fact, if anything, we all wanted more time with her. Joanna embodies an authenticity about her, that makes you want to pay attention, and participate! It is always nice to work with someone who so clearly enjoys what they do. So, if you are looking to; strengthen team dynamics, improve your communication skills, and learn how to sell, while telling a great story; you would be hard-pressed to find anyone better!"

"Joanna has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all topics of leadership. Equipped with a generous nature and a deep understanding of various tools and insights, Joanna went above and beyond to understand my context and connect the content to my needs. Joanna also role models the power in your authentic self and creates an environment for you to explore, discover and grow into your best authentic self. Through discussions of conscious inclusion, change management and strategic thinking, Joanna has empowered me to embrace my strengths, mitigate my weaknesses and appreciate leadership from a refined perspective."

"Joanna led a 6 month Director Leadership trainning program at Scotiabank where I was a member of the program. Joanna's in depth expertise in the subject matter created a well diversified set of material including theories and use cases. Joanna coached the program with energy, patience and enthusiasm - we were with her all the time even during the challenge of pandemic. Joanna's delivery skill made the use cases live - I was going through those cases instead of being a passive observer. This program was very effective and has made a big impact on my leadership improvement."

"I’ve known Joanna for over a decade. During this period, I’ve had a front row seat to how her dynamism, consummate professionalism, and empathy unfailingly inform the work she does for her clients. Joanna brings a wealth of leadership and professional development experience to the table, and treats her clients with respect, integrity, and dignity. She puts in the work to help her clients develop the most useful and actionable insights while respecting their inherent expertise and core values."

"I first met Joanna when she was a Strategic HR Business Partner at TD and I had the opportunity to get reacquainted with her as an outstanding facilitator with her company, Kirke Leadership. She facilitated a game-changing Leading Change experience with my team at SunLife where they had the opportunity to practice leading change with human-centred approaches and best practice tools that foster more effective planning and implementation. Joanna is an empathetic and intuitive facilitator and coach who was able to pivot and draw out participants in a manner that enriched the learning experience. I’d highly recommend Joanna for any leadership training or coaching."

“Joanna, you led the most fulfilling and practical leadership program I’ve participated in. Your passion, expertise, and preparation made the mid-transition to digital seamless. Thank you for the tools, principles, and values you embody and share with the entire Managing Director cohort. It emanates from your character and goes beyond business leadership. It has given me insights and inspiration in my personal life as well.”

"Joanna led and facilitated a multi-day leadership workshop in which I participated. Her intentional creation of a safe and supportive space was very effective due to her authentic and genuine communication. I found her mindful intervention into our discussions and workshop exercises to be a real value-add particularly when it came to reminding participants to own our feelings and thoughts and use 1st person language. Joanna's facilitation and leadership style was every bit as educational and informative as the written material included in the workshop. Overall, a very impactful experience made possible through Joanna's excellent facilitation!"