Gideon Beinstock, Owner of Clos Saron Winery, Oregon House, CA

“ I really experienced a paradigm shift internally relative to business management, and working with people. I discovered a whole side of myself, which until then was not truly explored, understood, or expressed in my experience of working with other people. I realized that (1) people were by far the most valuable asset a company can have and that (2) you cannot, nor would you want to, make others do anything they did not choose to, of their own will. I understood that I am no different then any other employee and that only by truly empowering everyone to do whatever they deeply want to and feel capable of doing, their contribution can be complete, their loyalty, commitment, and engagement won, their scope of contribution maximized.  …It was challenging to everyone, including myself, to understand the need to, and learn to want to, make oneself vulnerable by opening oneself to others, their needs and feelings. There were many layers of history of interpersonal issues, conflicts, and emotions to start peeling off…   As we were experiencing the highs and lows of ourselves and the process, under the constant, imminent threat of the company being shut down by its owners and all of us losing our jobs, Aya was an unwavering source of encouragement and hope, working intimately with each person with their own relationship to the team and the process. She acted as personal coach to each person involved and worked individually with everyone. Beyond a devotion to the process, she showed a rare sensitivity to people’s individual points of view and a strong respect for it. She showed a talent of hearing people’s inner, unspoken voices, behind their spoken words – often beyond their own understanding of the true meaning of their own words… This lasted for nearly two magical years, until my retirement from my managerial role in the company. Her direct (and indirect) contribution to the well being of the company on one side, and the morale and dedication of the team members on the other, was very significant. Work atmosphere in the offices was dramatically more harmonious and cheerful; communication much improved, number of sick days was down, and the company achieved profitability for the first time in its history.  I personally felt fortunate to have met her and having had the luck to be involved in this process, which she initiated and guided. I still feel so, and have found ways to use the same tools and communication skills I learned from her in my relationship to all other people in my life: my family, my business contacts and customers, my friends. I feel that she helped me become a better person. ”