Success Awareness
Leadership Training
A practical leadership training experience for professionals who manage people. Built around high-impact instruction and real-world application.
What Is SALT?
A 22+ hour immersive leadership training seminar,
led by proven business leaders. Includes hands-on exercises, practical frameworks, and a full-day presentation practicum.
The 4-Step Teaching Model
Introduction
Show the value in 90 seconds
Presentation
Keep it tight, visual, interactive
Application
Practice what you’ve learned
Evaluation
Demonstrate it. Get feedback. Improve.
Why It Works
Engaging, evidence-based format
Focus on doing, not just listening
Measurable results for every participant
Our 12 Guiding Leadership Principles
At SALT (Success Awareness Leadership Training), we don’t just teach leadership — we live it. These 12 principles form the foundation of every lesson, every discussion, and every transformation our attendees experience.
1. Mission First, Always
Lead with purpose. Know your mission, communicate it clearly, and repeat it often. Keep it simple, measurable, and memorable. Say no to distractions — stay locked in on what matters most.
2. Clarity Over Assumption
Never assume communication has happened — make it unmistakable. Demand and deliver crystal-clear expectations, echo back key takeaways, and operate in total honesty.
3. Prioritize & Execute
Stop guessing. Start deciding. Focus on the one most important thing, take bold action, and communicate where you stand. When in doubt: simplify, delegate, and move forward.
4. Pause, Listen, Act
Real leaders listen before they leap. Take in what your team says, assess the situation, and then move — decisively and without delay.
5. Create Ownership Through Delegation
People commit to what they help creaate. Involve your team in the plan, set high standards, and inspect what you expect. Accountability grows where ownership lives.
6. Protect Your People
Great leaders take full responsibility — even for their team’s missteps. Invest in people, defend them when it counts, and lift others higher. You win when they do.
7. Lead in the Storm
Leadership is tested when the pressure is on. Stay calm, act with hope, and show strength when it’s hardest to do so. The team needs your light in the darkest hour.
8. Lead People, Manage Systems
Your systems keep things running. Your people move things forward. Inspire trust, build processes, and keep the balance between human leadership and operational excellence.
9. Take Smart Risks
Fear is the enemy of progress. Think creatively, act courageously, and fail forward. Every risk is a leadership opportunity in disguise.
10. Choose a Winning Strategy
Great outcomes don’t happen by accident. Develop strategies based on clear aspirations, smart positioning, strong capabilities, and the systems to support them.
11. Culture Creates Momentum
Strategy sets the direction, but culture fuels the journey. Build a team culture grounded in trust, service, and excellence — and watch how fast you scale.
12. Stay a Student of Leadership
Great leaders never stop learning. Immerse yourself in books, mentors, real-world feedback, and every opportunity to grow. Leadership isn’t a title — it’s a mindset.
Meet Your Presenters
Charles Gjers
Founding Trainer
& Creator of SALT
Charles Gjers brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to your leadership training journey. As an accomplished entrepreneur, Charles has launched and managed several thriving businesses, blending his corporate expertise with a passion for education. Holding a lifetime California Teaching Credential and advanced coursework from Purdue University, Charles is deeply committed to fostering growth and development.
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Charles specialized in running cryogenic fluid production systems before becoming a Plant Manager at Liquid Carbonic Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Nitrogen Plant. His leadership extended to nonprofit organizations, serving as President and Chairman of the Board for Mentor Discover Inspire and End Domestic Abuse, Inc. Additionally, Charles is the visionary founder of the Success Awareness Leadership Training (SALT) series.
With decades of hands-on experience and a passion for empowering others, Charles Gjers is your guide to unlocking transformative leadership skills.
Nathan Merlin
Leadership Trainer & Executive Consultant
Nathan Merlin is an accomplished leader, entrepreneur, and mentor with a passion for developing high-performing teams. As a trainer in the upcoming leadership course, Nathan brings decades of experience in project management, consulting, and leadership development.
Nathan founded a successful consulting firm in 2005, growing it into a premier firm specializing in project management, construction management, and management consulting. Today, his firm employs over 50 professionals, delivering excellence across industries. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Cal Poly SLO, is a registered Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering in California, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Currently serving as Vice President at TD Thornton, Nathan leads project and construction management services while mentoring teams and fostering strong client relationships. He specializes in leadership, collaboration, and creating positive team cultures. Join Nathan to gain insights into leadership strategies that drive success.
Tim Proschold
Leadership Trainer & Real Estate Executive
Tim Proschold is a seasoned leadership trainer with an MBA and over 20 years of experience navigating some of the most challenging cycles in real estate. From the 2008–2011 financial crisis to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tim has consistently helped organizations and individuals adapt, grow, and thrive under pressure.
As Chief Operating Officer at one of Northern California’s largest independent brokerages, Tim led large teams and mentored hundreds of independent contractors—developing a unique leadership style based on influence, accountability, and trust rather than traditional top-down authority. He now serves as CEO and Managing Broker of Luxuriant Realty, continuing to lead with a strategic, people-focused mindset.
Tim trains leaders to communicate clearly, quickly build trust, and take confident action in high-stakes environments. His experience working with entrepreneurs, agents, and executives provides him with a practical, no-nonsense approach to leadership development, especially in fast-paced, high-responsibility roles.