Past Seminars

The 10 Foundations of Motivation: How To Get Motivated and Thrive During Change

Many leaders want to learn the tools and skills to motivate others, especially in these times of economic change and challenge. Often they forget the most important tool, being motivated themselves! Where does ‘motivation’ come from and what does it take to keep others positive, productive and engaged? Based on the book of the same title, this one-day program focuses on “The 10 Foundations of Motivation” and teaches how to develop one’s own ability to be and stay motivated. Participants learn to discern their true purpose as it relates to work and life; to develop their own individual learning plan; how to be an effective mentor; how to evaluate through powerful questioning techniques; how to capture and drive their own and others success; and much more. This thought provoking, highly interactive session will leave you with the tools to get and stay motivated. Join Shawn Doyle live and in person and learn to live at a higher level of potential. Past Programs List

Achieving Outstanding Results - Making Teams Work!

Everything in business is about TEAMS. Team Management, team work, team performance, team players, and even team incentives for pay. Overcoming the team disfunctions are some of the most challenging work hurdles to reaching solid performance and outstanding results! Past Programs List

Achieving Project Success: Planning and Controlling the Work While Energizing and Engaging the Project Team

Project Management requires utilizing key tools to organize and control the resources of a project while understanding the risks and the decisions that ultimately lead to project success. This program introduces managers, team members and others who support small, medium and large projects to key tools and techniques to organize an effective project and team plan, and then to implement that plan for optimal project performance and outcome. Attendees explore effective methods to structure and plan the project schedule and to allocate resources; learn a systematic process for controlling schedules and resources; define steps for creating a high-performance project team; and discuss techniques for successfully obtaining support from people over whom they have no direct authority. This highly experiential program includes practical applications, “how-to” techniques, class and group exercises and a case study. Past Programs List

Addressing Selection and Retention: Picking Winners and Developing Top Tier Performance

Today's marketplace isn't simply about 'hiring' someone to get the job done; it is about on-boarding people who have the right skills, the right attitude and the right fit for your organization, who you intend to train and nurture. This program looks at all aspects of the hiring process beginning with how to create an environment where people want to work and where all of your constituents (from customers to employees, competitors, supplier and all of your communities) see the Corporate Identity or your Brand, clearly and consistently. We will explore how your corporate identity inspires candidates to want to join your team and how you can hire the best. We will examine how you source candidates, how to interview, and then how to select and build a loyal and engaged workforce. In doing so, you will learn why selection may be counterintuitive and how the right skills in the interview experience, including non-verbal communication, provide the keys to success. Once on board, the components of culture, retention and linkages between training and retaining high-quality people become key. Lastly, employee appraisal and turnover will be discussed with an eye toward building and maintaining a powerful, winning organization. Overall, participants will learn how selecting and retaining the right workforce creates competitive advantage and reliable profit. Past Programs List

Committing to Leadership

Today's marketplace isn't simply about 'hiring' someone to get the job done; it is about on-boarding people who have the right skills, the right attitude and the right fit for your organization, who you intend to train and nurture. This program looks at all aspects of the hiring process beginning with how to create an environment where people want to work and where all of your constituents (from customers to employees, competitors, supplier and all of your communities) see the Corporate Identity or your Brand, clearly and consistently. We will explore how your corporate identity inspires candidates to want to join your team and how you can hire the best. We will examine how you source candidates, how to interview, and then how to select and build a loyal and engaged workforce. In doing so, you will learn why selection may be counterintuitive and how the right skills in the interview experience, including non-verbal communication, provide the keys to success. Once on board, the components of culture, retention and linkages between training and retaining high-quality people become key. Lastly, employee appraisal and turnover will be discussed with an eye toward building and maintaining a powerful, winning organization. Overall, participants will learn how selecting and retaining the right workforce creates competitive advantage and reliable profit. Past Programs List

Developing Leadership Effectiveness

Leadership is a term used to describe the skills required by today's professional when overseeing key tasks and relationships within an organization. To be effective in leadership, one must also possess the ability to project a values-based professional demeanor, the talent to motivate others toward success, and the knowledge to communicate and support the organizational vision and mission. This professional development seminar examines one's personal effectiveness as a leader and offers methods to improve. The session explores the innate values that drive one's leadership style, offers critiques for one's ability to communicate clearly, and identifies actions that may lead to more meaningful results in the one's leadership role. Past Programs List

Developing Your Client-Based Business Plan

“It is not the intelligent nor the strongest that survive but the ones most responsive to change.” This famous quote by Charles Darwin from the 1850’s referred to the evolution of the species but it couldn’t be more accurate to describe what is currently happening in the business arena. The problem is that companies do not have one million years to adapt.

We live in a complex world where continuous change is not an option, it is a need. Companies tied to the old market positioning paradigm struggle trying to defend their fortress from the attack of fast moving agile contenders that seem to not be worried about competition but only about how to continuously strengthen their client engagement.

Most business strategy frameworks and strategy formulation tools were designed for the industrial world and are good to manage the value chain in stable, controllable, lineal and predictable scenarios. Nowadays they are simply obsolete and ineffective.

Our companies must be able to constantly adapt to changes in the business
environment and transform threats into opportunities. To do so they must understand that the new strategy paradigm does not deal with competition but with client bonding and that business model innovation is a powerful tool to address the needs of the new environment. This is why 98% of the CEOs represented in IBM’s 2008 Global Study, The enterprise of the future, were innovating their business models to some extent. That is to say, corporations worldwide are changing their business logic, they are reformulating what the company offers to its customers, how to reach them and relate to them, which resources, activities and partners they need, and finally, how they earn money.

Among the components of a business model, segmentation, value proposition development and consumer engagement are the 3 key drivers of a company’s success, and the ones that will be developed and practiced in depth in the seminar Developing Your Client-Focused Business Plan. The full day seminar consists of 3 parts. We will begin presenting the rationale behind our business strategy approach and the tools we need to better segment our clients, develop a successful value proposition and engage our clients. Then we will have the
opportunity to practice the use of those tools with a generic, easy to understand, case study. Finally, everyone will work on their own business challenge and implement our tools under our guidance on a challenge by challenge basis. Past Programs List

Dynamics of Effective Teams and Team Leadership (Advanced Team Management)

This seminar helps industry professionals assess the best practices for successfully developing, analyzing, and effectively leading teams. High performance teams require coordinating individual efforts toward a desired group outcome. Being a high performance group requires that the team leader and team members effectively demonstrate leadership. Seminar leader provides systematic and clear methods for team members, leaders and stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of team interaction and performance; techniques to manage conflict and effectively communication; to establish practical and realistic goals and milestones; and to motivate team members into a higher performance group. Attendees learn to identify relationship and task-oriented leadership skills; assess the effectiveness of team leaders; and utilize methods to drive high team performance. Designed for individuals and teams involved in corporate or professional teaming environments, this program teaches skills, methodologies and techniques through hands-on exercises, case studies, and highly interactive lectures and by providing attendees with skills and abilities that may be applied right away. Past Programs List

Effective Business Communication

Numbers crunching, heavy infusions of capital and seductive management systems do not propel business forward...people do. Assertive expression, conflict management and negotiation skills are critical for effective business communication. Learn to satisfy the interest of all parties, build relationships and clearly define your professional "I"dentity in this one-day program. This program is designed for mid-to-top level managers, team leaders, professionals and executives. Past Programs List

Effective Decision Making

This session focuses on the steps of a rational decision-making process that enables people to focus on factual information and an objective viewpoint. Participants explore how to gather data from different sources and make rational choices. <em>Effective Decision Making </em>clarifies the purpose of the decision, defines the decision criteria, evaluates the alternative solutions, measures alternatives against specific objectives, assesses risk and balances the positive outcomes with the potential risks. The outcome is clear method that allows individuals to confidently make objective decisions and strong recommendations. Past Programs List

Essentials of Clear Communications

Numbers crunching, heavy infusions of capital and seductive management systems do not propel business forward…people do. Effective expression (verbal, written and through body language), managing conflict and employing negotiation skills are critical for effective business communication both as an individual and in a group setting. Participants learn to more effectively communicate by identifying and satisfying the interest of all parties, building relationships and clearly defining their professional “I”dentity. This one day program is designed for mid to top level managers, team leaders, professionals and executives. Past Programs List

Essential Skills For Managers and Supervisors

Are you an effective manager and/or supervisor? Have you created an environment where your employees can do their best work? If you are unsure or want to refresh your approach to leadership, join us to explore the bestpractice tools and skills utilized by effective managers and supervisors such as the four essential management styles; how to properly delegate; key effective communication techniques; and how to provide strong performance reviews. Learn to recognize when it is more effective to coach then counsel, to discuss or discipline, and much more. Join Ed Knight and acquire best-practice tools and techniques that can be applied the very next day. Past Programs List

Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Professionals

The performance report or "box score" of a business is found in its accounting and financial statements. Knowing how to interpret those statements, and how to communicate in financial terms, can be the key to truly contributing to your business’ success. In this professional development seminar program, participants learn a clear, practical approach to understanding financial terms, reading basic financial statements, and understanding statement interrelationships. Throughout the program, assessing the 'health' of one's business is discussed and methods identified that may make a positive financial impact to business performance. Participants learn to analyze their own financial statements, and those of their competitors, suppliers, and customers. Business efficiencies and financial decisions such as new equipment investments, new product process investment, and various acquisitions methods that reduce costs with limited capital investment are discussed. Attendees learn to communicate more effectively with finance managers and professionals in the budgeting and strategic planning processes of their organization. Information learned in this session can be applied immediately upon return to your company. Past Programs List

Integrating Multiple Tasks: A Woman's Real World Approach

This workshop addressed the challenges faced by professional women who must integrate their time with the roles and responsibilities of family duties, career demands, civic interests, personal desires, and more. Past Programs List

Leadership by Earning Membership – Neilson’s Hierarchy of Commitment©

This program on Leadership by Earning Membership – Neilson’s Hierarchy of Commitment©, is based on the core concept that a leader's ability to earn the commitment of his/her constituents to the goals and objectives of the business is essential to achieving those goals and sustaining performance. The model demonstrates how commitment to business goals among constituent groups is earned by continuously understanding and meeting the different levels of needs of those groups. It demonstrates the power that progressively higher levels of commitment bring to an organization. Finally, the model is used as a construct through which a leader can evaluate situations, assess the impact on their constituent groups, and determine appropriate courses of action to rebuild or maintain their commitment to the business and the chosen direction.

The program includes a short case study as well as a discussion of the most well researched global leadership assessment technologies and development tools. These tools are linked to the leadership model, the actions that leaders must take, and the skills they must utilize to meet the needs of their constituents. The program concludes by utilizing a self-assessment leadership skills indicator through which participants gain insights about their own leadership skills, strengths and weaknesses, and learn how to begin the journey of leadership skill development. Past Programs List

Leading Change from Where Your Sit in Your Organization

What keeps you awake at night? Is it your bottom line? Could it be holes in your supply chain? Perhaps it is concern about your team members? What ever it is, you are not alone. Leaders around the world have been challenged to learn from the past, lead during these pressing times and plan for an uncertain future. Come join us to explore how you can lead and manage during these uncharted times. It does not matter where you sit in your organization; the challenges and opportunities are similar. Some of the topics we will focus on are:

-How to position your business unit/team to be successful in an economic downturn
- How to lead change
- How to re-energize morale after a downsizing
- Explore best practices of successful change agents
- Work with consultants to develop a concrete action plan for your business Past Programs List

Optimal Organization and Time Management Skills

During this session, participants will learn fundamental time management basic skills in order to accomplish specific goals set for self and others. The facilitator of this session will encourage the participants to consider their time management and organizational skills in relation to priority setting, clarity of purpose on tasks or projects, meeting attendance, following directions, and multi-tasking. After completing this half-day session, participants will have developed the skills to focus on goals and prioritization and to c reate a plan to achieve results, using tools that will enable you to manage time more effectively. Past Programs List

Project Management Workshop

Many people are reliant on software to manage their projects because they don’t realize the value of the human component, and particularly the key skill of effective communication on projects.  Take away practical tools for managing any type of project, regardless of size, by  using a rational approach to defining, planning and implementing the work.  The program is aligned with PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge and is facilitated by a PMI Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.), yet it is taught in an easy-to-learn and ready-to-apply manner.  This program will be taught in three half-day sessions so you won’t be away from your workplace for long periods of time and in order to allow time for application between sessions.  Join us for this practical workshop that will significantly enhance your ability to manage projects. Past Programs List

Project Organizational Dynamics and Analytical Techniques (Advanced Project Management)

Project decision-making, risk management and control pose difficult and complex tasks to project managers. Seminar leader Stan Portny provides special guidelines and techniques for developing appropriate information that supports project decision-making and timely information that accurately motivates team members. Attendees will explore how to create and maintain a dynamic project team environment, how to support project decisions with benefit/cost analysis and risk management; how to understand the key parts of effective project management information systems, and how to control projects with earned value analysis. The session includes individual and group exercises, interactive discussions, case studies and practical applications. Past Programs List

Project Product, Schedule, Resource Planning and Control (Basic Project Management)

Successful project management requires meeting team members' expectations regarding outcomes, time frames and resource expenditures. Seminar leader Stan Portny provides clear, systematic and easily understood guidelines for the complex and often technical elements of planning and controlling a project from the beginning through performance to closure. Past Programs List

Questions that Lead: How to Engage Your Team and Create a High Performance Culture

How do you motivate your people and get them to achieve their full potential? Just ask them. But what questions do you ask?  And how so you get legitimate feedback?

Research shows that 80% of the time people are NOT telling us what is on their minds.  Sometimes they tell us what we want to hear and not necessarily what we need to know.   Or they safeguard what’s important and, as a result, information gets distorted. Communication channels are blocked. Productivity falters.   And revenue performance begins to slump.

Join leadership experts Paul Cherry and Patrick Connor as they share how to ask the right engaging questions to:

• Get others to embrace your ideas.
• Discover what makes your people tick.
• Confront the tough problems before they fester.
• Get everyone to develop a customer focused mindset.
• Empower your team to pro-actively take ownership of their jobs.
• Motivate your people to embrace change.
• Coach your team to strengthen their resolve and commit to action.
• Sustain a high performing culture that produces bottom line results.
• Foster an environment that embraces accountability.
• Reward and recognize the top performers.

Past Programs List

Supply Chain Finance: Best Practices and Applications

Supply Chain Finance is an emerging science that provides the next frontier for manufacturers and retailers to gain an advantage over their competitors. As the pressure to improve in all performance areas is relentless and challenging, world class organizations must focus on combining the talents of finance, procurement, and supply chain professionals to deliver continuously better results and increase profits. This workshop program bridges the alignment gaps that are often found between supply chain, operations, and finance. Attendees establish a common language that can be shared across the disciplines. Further, best practices of supply chain management are presented while attendees focus on the appropriate application of financial techniques for cost management, risk management, working capital management, and financial investment analysis. Concepts are reinforced during the session with hands-on exercises and cases. Financial and operational improvement is emphasized throughout the course. Past Programs List

Supply Chain Management Seminars: Integrating Suppliers and Customers into Key Supply Chain Management Processes

The ability to incorporate internal and external suppliers and customers into the company supply chain is rapidly becoming a key competitive requirement. This course examined best-practice methods by providing a working knowledge of integration, the customer and supplier's role in the process, and the enablers and barriers that companies encounter. Attendees developed a plan to identify and pursue supplier and customer integration opportunities at their own companies. Past Programs List

Teamwork: Working Together for Results

Results in business are achieved through team efforts. Team leaders and team members can foster outstanding results by assuring seven key practices are in place. These seven key practices are: aligning purpose, designing the appropriate structure, enhancing communication and listening skills, seeking commitment, fostering collaboration, assuring the development of appropriate interpersonal skills, and developing a ‘spirit d'corp.' Past Programs List

Tools of Project Management

Planning and controlling the outcomes, timeframes and resource expenditures for a project requires utilizing key tools for project management including network diagrams, Gantt charts, linear responsibility charts and more. This workshop is designed for managers, team leaders and team members of any size project who seek to complete their projects within budget and on time. The session includes practical applications explained through clear, systematic and easily understood guidelines to align people and skills intellectually and emotionally and create the high performance that leads to project success. Past Programs List

Transformational Leadership: How to Survive and Thrive in the 21st Century

Twenty-first Century Transformational Leadership begins with the case for action and research from Ernst & Young and The Conference Board that demonstrates how innovation is the only way forward. We define innovation; it’s characteristics, qualities and actions to implement. This two-day program explores leadership and solutions within the context of current challenges - over-connectivity, outsourcing, population growth and limited global resources. Leaders utilizing methods to ‘survive and thrive’ in over 750 corporations are discussed as well as case studies from RD Shell, Dell, and the U.S. Navy. Participants explore tools, techniques and methods to adapt while motivating their team and creating a “leadership mindset.” This highly energetic and interactive program will challenge participants to identify core values, beliefs and capabilities and to share their personal leadership drivers to improve the overall performance of the organization. The program culminates by exploring the role of leader and manager and the axioms that allow for success, satisfaction and gratification through the 7 Rings of Power Philosophy and Methodology. Past Programs List