Poise, confidence, commitment, risk-taking, goal setting, healthy self-esteem ... these qualities combine to produce personal and professional success for the person who develops them. Confidence builds competence, and then competence builds confidence and additional competence! The programs described below, geared to all levels of employees, are designed to develop just those qualities and skills. 

Because of their focus on the individual, these topics are often presented at conferences, also. 

Bringing out the best in people who are considered “beasts” doesn’t take magic; just a little insight into what makes them tick. At this workshop, participants learn more about themselves and then about how to succeed with their most challenging “beast.” They they discover how to manage four types of difficult people—the chronic complainer, the bully, the disorganized person who never fulfills commitments, and the person who’s too negative to support new ideas. Along the way, participants learn how to bring out the best (vs. the beast) in everyone, whether they’re bosses, coworkers, customers, friends, or family members. (2 to 3 hours)

 

The ability to learn quickly and well is not only an advantage today, it’s economic survival requirement! At this nationally recognized workshop, participants discover how to use multiple encoding to analyze, memorize, and remember new material faster, more easily, and more reliably. They also learn a “power reading” method to enable them to mow through and master the immense amount of material that is today’s required reading. (½ day) 

 

Everyone brings butterflies to their public speaking events. But by training the butterflies to fly in formation, presenters can look and become cool, confident and competent. At this program, participants discover the secrets the pros use, to calm down and enjoy speaking opportunities. (1 hour) 

 

People often need to influence others’ thinking, whether those “others” are legislators, a board of directors, customers, employees, or volunteers. At this workshop, participants learn more than 20 motivators which cause people to buy products, services, and ideas. They also discover how to persuade by meeting the psychological needs of four personalities. Participants learn an acronym (S.M.A.C.K.) to simplify complicated concepts and make their message convincing and compelling; three ways to improve their presentations, and finally, how to use their own natural enthusiasm to get their message across. (2 hours) 

 

How people view the causes of the minor setbacks and major tragedies that befall them can determine how well they ultimately succeed.  But this isn’t a mindless  “Put on a happy face!” program; it simply recognizes that people have choices about how they view their misfortunes, as well as some control over their consequences. And it shows, step by step, how even pessimists can learn the skills of optimism and improve the quality of their lives. (This topic is often presented as a 30-45-minute keynote presentation. It is also available as a 2- to 3-hour highly participative workshop.)

 

Some people “never forget a face”, but never remember a name. Or they may cram before an exam, only to have the facts and figures desert them when they arrive to take it. Or they can’t remember their carefully crafted presentation. At this workshop, participants learn how to remember quickly and more reliably, through fun, proven techniques, and then how to lock in learning for good! (1 to 2 hours)

 

Twenty-four precious hours a day— some invest it wisely, while others toss it down the drain. At this session, participants learn their own organizational approach to thinking and processing (what they “bring to the table”, whether they look organized or not), useful techniques to plan and prioritize work, how to manage projects via mind mapping, more than 20 ways they may  be wasting your time, and 5 ways to stay on track and get the job done. (1 to 3 hours)

 

We’d like to lower our stress, but how can we, when we’re surrounded with people who aren’t nearly as perfect as we are?! We were initially attracted to them, but now they seem really annoying. Participants laugh and get some important insights at this presentation, as they discover how the people who drive them the most crazy can also make their life pretty terrific. (45 minutes to 1½ hours.  A popular motivational keynote speech.)

 

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” may be good advice, and yet customers, employers, and others do it every day. And people may not get the respect they deserve if their “cover” doesn’t look or sound authoritative. This session shows participants how to convey competence and confidence, whether they’re doing volunteer or paid work, in front of a board of directors, their child’s teacher, or a demanding customer. The workshop reveals how how to build an image from the inside out, through the professional bearing, mannerisms, and speech patterns of today’s success story. (1 hour to ½ day) 

 

The “employment contract” which employees used to depend upon to keep their jobs is a thing of the past, swept away on the winds of change. Successful job seekers have learned that flexibility and a proactive approach as as essential for themselves as they are for successful companies. This presentation can take several forms: 

As a 30-45 minute motivational keynote, designed to energize people with an empowering message of “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” 

As a 90 minute workshop for leaders, which features one hour on the topic of leading in turbulent times. Examples are drawn from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a fearless and exemplary role model. 

As a 2-hour workshop for anyone in the midst of turbulence. This workshop focuses on how participants can make themselves marketable (both inside and beyond their companies), based on the value of their contribution. They learn six strategies to increase their value to a company, five factors to consider when exploring a career, and four ways to manage their attitude when facing an uncertain future. 

 

Good creative ideas have always been in demand, and they’re more important than ever in today’s competitive environment. At this workshop, participants get a “treasure chest” full of tools to use alone or with teammates, to generate new ideas and improve present ones. They discover how to harness creative energy to tackle old obstacles and develop new, innovative solutions. 

Topics include how to recognize and capitalize on flashes of inspiration; why and how to adapt other organizations’ ideas; 9 ways to turn old ideas into new ones; and many others. At longer workshops, participants have more time to “plug in” these techniques and build skills in using them. (1 hour to 1 day)