MOTIVATIONAL EXPERT LIKES TO KNOW CLIENTS

When Carla Hubenthal conducts a motivational workshop, she knows the people in her class.

"One of the prerequisites for my classes is that I talk with each participant before we conduct the seminar," said Hubenthal, motivational consultant with her company, Sleeping Giant. "I want to know about these persons, who they are, what they do and why they do it."

Hubenthal was in Cape Girardeau last week to discuss a five-session program that will be conducted here next month.

"I don't forget names," said the owner of the motivational company who worked with Dale Carnegie Institute of St. Louis a number of years before founding her own company.

The Sleeping Giant workshops are designed to build skills in leadership, attitude, image, confidence and communications.

"We build people," said Hubenthal. "We want to awaken the sleeping giant in people."

Hubenthal, who is a noted motivational speaker and workshop facilitator, started her business career with Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc., in 1979, achieving the level of senior director in less than two years.

In 1986, she joined the Dale Carnegie Institute. During her three years there, it won the President's Cup three consecutive years, a first for any Dale Carnegie Institute.

She presented workshops to IBM, Monsanto, McDonnell Douglas, Edward D. Jones and several other large companies.

"I just believe that in every person there is a sleeping giant," she said. "When that giant is aroused, it enables a person to reach great heights. We want to wake up the sleeping giant in people."

Hubenthal decided in 1989 to form her own company.

"We conduct small workshops," she said. "We like to have classes of about 30 people. We also do a lot of `in-house' workshops for companies."

Whether it's an in-house, or an open workshop, Hubenthal likes to design classes to the particular group participating in classes.

"That's the reason we talk to each participant before the classes start," she said. "We have about 10 different workshop topics, but we usually narrow these down to about five."

The five sessions to be held at Cape Girardeau will include attitude control, effective communications, motivation, dealing with difficult people and stress management, noted Hubenthal.

"We'll have crowd participation in each session," said Hubenthal. "We want to tap your unlimited power and discuss how to maintain a positive attitude."

A highlight of the program will be the session dealing with difficult people. "Almost everyone knows a person they have difficulty dealing with," said Hubenthal. "One of our sessions introduces several steps to deal with this."

Sleeping Giant will present its five-session training program in Cape Girardeau next month. The program will be conducted in three-hour sessions, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., June 8, 10, 15, 17 and 22.

Cost of the program is $250 per person. Additional information and reservations are available by calling the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce at 335-3312.