When Neil Peck, president of S.N. Peck Builder in Chicago, took his first Landmark Education forum 20 years ago, he wasn't aware of the impact that course, and the many Landmark forums that followed, would have on his company. Designed to "bring about positive and permanent shifts in the quality of your life," Landmark programs (www.landmarkeducation.com) have more than 125,000 attendees per year.
Applying Landmark's teaching to the business world might not seem obvious. But Peck says the curriculum's focus on personal growth, exploration and work/life balance has given him and members of his company valuable lessons directly applicable to business growth.
"I don't think we would have seen a lot of the possibilities in our business or taken a lot of the risks - like opening a Case Handyman franchise - if it weren't for Landmark," Peck says. The franchise employs 18 people, while high-end S.N. Peck Builder employs 22. "It empowers you to take on new ways of doing things. A lot of it is personal, but I think if your personal life works, you can then look at what gets in the way of your business."
All S.N. Peck managers have taken or are scheduled to take Landmark courses, though it's not required. Landmark graduates at S.N. Peck say the course gave them tools that promote confidence and a freedom in communication that makes the work atmosphere collaborative and fun. The company reimburses any employee for half the $395 price of a three-day basic forum upon completion.
The company also has paid for NARI Certified Lead Carpenter education, training on scheduling and in software programs such as Microsoft Project, Excel and Word, and sales training. In-house education includes workshops on communication skills and on mold prevention and mitigation.