Conversation (true dialogue) has become a lost art. Collective monologues have taken center stage. Authentic questions about the person, issue, or event in front of us have given way to diatribes or inarticulate silence.
To build a community, we must have meaningful, difficult, and respectful conversations about people, place, and purpose. Before we can do that, we must see the person before us.
While I have significantly cut back on my speaking engagements to concentrate on community-based projects and writing, I would entertain an invitation to dialogue about building community using genuine questions and conversation.
Targeted facilitation to raise awareness, challenge assumptions and create action.
Any presentation has to be about the audience, not me. Anytime I've traveled to an institution, conference, or company, I recognized that the people in the audience were the thought leaders within their space. I facilitated conversations, raised questions, and helped them move toward action within their institutional culture.
I have developed and facilitated professional and personal development programming that emphasizes the power of well-thought-out small choices that, when consistently applied, move you toward your larger goal. We will talk about real issues—issues that matter to you. By providing simple, usable, and practical suggestions, I have helped participants improve their lives one thought at a time, one plan at a time, and one step at a time. I can weave music, humor, and interactive activities into a memorable, high-energy, and focused message. Keynote presentations give the audience an experience, not a speech.
Click on the video snippet below to see me working with an audience. In this particular session, I facilitated a workshop about reflective strategies for growth and resilience.
Program Topics and Issues (Selected)
For me, the work begins before I come to your organization. I do not want to bring a "canned" program. Past groups have appreciated this preparation to understand what the event is about and what the participants need. So, while you will find program titles/topics/descriptions below that audiences have enjoyed around this nation, know that I want to tailor my visit to your needs. That sounds so simple, doesn't it?
Please keep in mind that I am not a life coach and do not provide legal advice. I facilitate conversations and help your teams raise and confront important questions about what they do, why they do it, and how they do it.
A few topic areas include (alphabetically listed):
• Community Building and Resilience
• Critical Thinking
• Do Your Goals Resonate with Your Soul? The Second R.E.A.D.
• First Day of Class: People Before Paper
• From Silos to Bridges: Building Organizational Connections
• How Big Is Your BUT?
• Personal Well-being and Balance
• Pet Therapy as a Conversation Starter
• Psychosocial Factors for Student Success
• Reflective Practice for Professional Growth and Personal Resilience
• Retention: Why Do Students Stay And Why Do They Leave (Your Institution)
• Student Engagement, Motivation. and Persistence
• Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?
• The Time Management Myth: The Power of Priority Management
• The 7Rs of Life Success
• You, An Author? Why Not YOU?
Effective organizational training and employee development must address the identified needs of the participants.
Bibliography. Click here for suggested readings for personal resilience and professional growth.