As a successful business coach for over 20 years I continually seek out other powerful coaches from whom to learn and further develop myself.
I was introduced to Bert Herna of Performance Coaching Group by a client who suggested that Bert might be one such person. In our initial call Bert did more talking about himself than he did learning about me…a typical coach warning sign. However, based on the suggesting of my client I went ahead and spent $1000.00 for Bert's program which included daily "mastermind calls."
Initially I found some value for what he offered. However, I quickly began to get a bad feeling about his program and the people involved. In our initial conversation he had painted his clients as a group of successful entrepreneurs. This was not this case. One woman was living out of her van. Others seemed to me to be rather unmotivated or directionless in their lives.
In a one-on-one call with Bert, I described the nature of my business and his advice to me for achieving greater success was around email lists and newsletters. This would have certainly been a cutting edge idea a decade ago but it is hardly groundbreaking technology in todays electronic ecosphere.
The nature of Bert’s coaching centers on having his clients write out “statements” that tells a story of how their lives will be enriched in the future. He focuses these statements squarely in the realm of material acquisitions; vacations, jet skis, hours at the guy, lavish homes and automobiles. While all those things are well within the American dream, he does not seem to grasp the idea the personal fulfillment cannot be achieved through possessions alone. He offers little direction in pointing his clients towards the types goals that bring long lasting and deep fulfillment. There are no “statements” that center on giving back to the community or contributing to the world.
Moreover, on these morning calls, Bert was openly hostile to his clients when they did not have the answers to questions he would pose to the group. When there was silence he yelled things like "C'mon people! Are you paying attention?" He didn’t seem to understand that he was establishing an “angry father” model with his clients, which resulted in their fearing him or looking to get his approval. While I admire boldness in business, demeaning one's one clients is hardly a motivational tool. These people were on the calls for ideas and encouragement. He was harsh, abrupt, openly hostile and offered little in the way of marketing advice. Anything he talked about could be easily found with the simplest Google search.
After a few calls of this I realized that we had a philosophical difference in our approach to clients. My million-dollar clients would leave me in droves if I spoke to them in this way. I felt bad for the other people on the call but knew I could no longer be involved with this program.
I emailed Bert most everything I have included in this review. As I was only about a month into the 12-month program, I felt it was more than fair to ask for a 50% refund. I did get some initial value and thought he should be compensated.
Bert neither responded to my email nor did he refund my money. In full disclosure I must say that we did NOT discuss any refund policy when I signed up. Bert neither legally nor practically owes me a refund. In asking for the refund I had hoped to appeal to his sense of ethics though, in that area, I was probably knocking at the wrong door.
Bert, I believe is suffering from a damaged ego. He is a bully, using intimidation and a loud voice to portray himself as a powerful businessman. He is far from that. Bert seems to me to be a damaged soul attempting to compensate for his deep feeling of ineptitude by surrounding himself with other struggling people who sadly read his cruelty is “tough love.” It is easy to build a cult like following from people who are in pain. We have seen it in society many times over.
While it pains me to publicly admonish Bert Herna, I hope to wave off those who are considering working with him. In listening to his calls it was clear that he has indeed helped his clients step up so some basic marketing practices. Again, his suggestions are widely available free on the internet with and Google search on marketing practices.
Ultimately, it is my opinion that he neither has the knowledge nor the “chops” to truly be in services to anyone but himself. I’d strongly suggest not working with Bert Herna or Performance Coaching Group.