Courageous Conversations

Tell Your Story in Video

Let me help you quickly, easily and inexpensively capture you, your team's, your executive's stories, lessons and training messages that can be distributed in a variety of settings.(04:00)

• Save money because we already know and are using the technology everyday.
• Save time because we already understand the importance of a clear message.
• Be on the front of technology and editing without having to learn all the ins and outs yourself.
• Bring personal, real-life stories and situations to the people who need to hear them.

Download a Fact Sheet on Capturing Your Story On Video.pdf

"I want a seat at the table"

June saw a recent survey that said 51% of CEOs said you should play an "active" role in developing strategy. But Steve, June’s boss falls into the minority of respondents who thinks you should only play an advisory (we'll call you if we need you) role.

June sees an opportunity for the company and herself if she can only get a "seat at the table.” She wants to convince Steve that in this turbulent, uncertain time - when the organization is just now beginning to look beyond the crisis - that your group’s input is invaluable to the strategy and she doesn't want to wait to be "invited”. (13:35)

Lessons Learned:

• Manageable Goals - Be realistic about this conversation
• Be Persistent - Respectfully push a little harder
• Be Sympathetic - Steve has valid reasons for his hesitancy
• Be Specific - Give examples of how the process hasn't worked in the past

Click here to download as an MP3

Download Lessons Learned

Mutual Learning

Mutual Learning is the basis to improve human interaction and facilitate, develop and enhance conversations individually and within a group.

Jim Oher, of Oher & Associates is back to talk about the principles of Mutual Learning. And how if utilized, these principles could help the current health care debate. (15:00)

Click here to download as an MP3

Download the handouts

Check out and participate in Jim's Blog: The Hardlines

Send Jim an email to learn more

Resilience Through Hardiness

"Imagine the hatred people will feel"

Wendy and Sandra recently attended a diversity and inclusion webinar. A few days later they are talking about their reactions to the event.

Sandra says to a question posed by Wendy, “The multiculturalism the American media is pushing is going to have a horrific long-term effect. Can you imagine the hatred kids are going to have of other races when their parents divorce and remarry people of different nationalities?”(13:05)

Lessons Learned:

• No assumptions - From both sides
• Seek to understand - Open-ended, non-judgmental questions
• Focus on behavior - What happened. Not, why I think he/she did it.
• We all have a culture - Goal is to find room for all.

Click here to download as an MP3

Download Lessons Learned

August 2009 - What's New - 90-seconds on your cell phone

Question is, with budgets tight, time is tight, and now more than ever, how do you provide training to your managers? Or maybe you have a group that needs to learn how to be a more effective team.

Either way, if you want a preview of what training, in short bites, on your cell phone looks and sounds like, let me know and will make it happen.(02:47)

Listen to Denise Bailey, creator of Diversity Works, talk about her use of Courageous Conversations on your Cell Phone (00:45)

• Reduce training time.
• Reduce training costs.
• Extend training to the item everybody carries with them - their cell phone.
• All delivered in 90-second modules.

Download a 90-seconds on your cell phone Fact Sheet

"Don't wait for a catastrophe"

How do you effectively and respectively discuss money?

In this conversation I spoke with Stephen Kozuch of Kaufmann-Kozuch Associates on his methods to make people feel comfortable enough to trust him to share their financial goals and dreams.(14:50)

Lessons Learned:

• Don't wait for a catastrophe - Avoid the pain threshold
• Ask questions - Make sure you feel knowledgeable
• Do it scared - Comfort comes after the conversation begins
• Create a plan - Know where you are headed
• Multiple conversations - Continue to check-in

Click here to download as an MP3

Download Stephen's Lessons

Download Stephen's article: "Planning is Key to Your Financial Future"