Presentations by Michael H. Smith

Dr. Smith speaks on the following topics for professional and service organizations, small businesses, large corporations, etc.

Preventing Violence in the Workplace

The current economic pace plus other stressors can push some employees to the breaking point. Combine this with easy access to weapons and all of us are more at risk in the workplace. This presentation will explore how you can be prepared.

  • Learn to recognize warning signs that indicate a potential employee problem
  • Enhance effectiveness by using a team when assessing and evaluating employees at risk
  • Find out how to respond constructively in a crisis
  • Learn key preventative measures that can reduce risk
  • Discover that raising the issue of violence reduces anxiety

Teaching Optimism Skills at the Workplace

In his current bestseller Emotional Intelligence at Work, Daniel Goleman notes research that found that people who had chronic feelings of pessimism had double the risk for asthma, ulcers, etc. In contrast, he discusses two studies that found that optimistic sales people sold anywhere from 37% to 57% more life insurance than their more pessimistic colleagues.

This presentation will explore methods for making you and your workplace more optimistic. You will learn:

  • How to recover from a failure
  • Methods for turning a pessimist into an optimist
  • Creating a positive explanatory style
  • Emphasizing thinking over feeling
  • Cautions about being too optimistic

Creative Conflict Resolution At Work

Conflicts happen frequently at work and are stressful for most of us. They occur at any level of your organization and can range from conflicts about interpersonal style to values to goals. In the extreme, conflicts can lower morale, end relationships and even lead to lawsuits. In this presentation you will:

  • Learn the "Ten Step Method" for reducing conflict
  • Enhance your personal power and gain more control over your situation
  • Practice staying calm and diffusing hot situations
  • Learn to constructively reach agreements
  • Know what to do if stuck

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

With more women entering the workforce, relationships between men and women take on a new dimension. It's crucial for your business to understand and advocate acceptable behavior.

  • Learn what constitutes sexual harassment.
  • Explore what you can do to protect your employees and your business.
  • Discover how to make cultural diversity a positive force for productivity.
  • Learn what is acceptable and unacceptable workplace behavior
  • Explore cases that reinforce good workplace conduct

Traumatic Times: Helping Ourselves and Our Organization Move Forward During Rapid Change

The attacks of September 11, in combination with a contracting economy and continued downsizing of companies, have created new issues and challenges for us and our organizations. Communicating in the workplace is more critical now than ever before and we must insure that our people, as well as ourselves, communicate with compassion and care. In this session we will define "trauma in the workplace" and offer change models and communication tools that aid in coping during crisis situations. During this session you will learn:

  • What is a workplace trauma
  • Different models for dealing with trauma and change
  • How you can move forward and help others do so as well
  • Methods to effectively deal with resistance

Coping With Very Difficult People

Everyone is difficult at work for someone. It's just part of normal work life. There are some people, however, who are difficult for everyone. Their behavior goes beyond normal limits into destructive realms: the alcohol or substance-abuser, the violent person, the narcissistic individual, or the person with boundary and self control issues. In this presentation you will learn to:

  • Recognize the warning signs
  • Use a checklist to accurately assess behavior
  • Know what you should and shouldn't do to survive
  • Accept limits on how successful you can be

New Models For Diversity

Diversity is often a problem in the workplace because it is usually too limited; it focuses on race and gender, or it demonizes people, often white males who may not even be the problem. In this presentation you will learn:

  • Two new models: Etiquette and Conflict Resolution
  • How most of us want to treat people in the correct way-and how you can do that
  • Good ways of solving problems, not perpetuating conflicts
  • What key common themes bring people together
  • How to bring the models to your organization

Negotiations Where Everyone Wins

Creating an environment where everyone gets what they need is essential for good business relationships. In this presentation you will learn:

  • What is "winning" in negotiation
  • The "10 Step Process" that gets you results
  • How to forgive and be open to new possibilities
  • What styles achieve best results
  • What to do if overpowered or unfairly treated

Managing Your Boss

Most of us think that our boss should effectively manage us. Yet managing your boss is a critical part of everyone's job and a role that is usually neglected. In this presentation you will learn:

  • Why bosses often are not good managers- and what changes you can make
  • Four key ways to get along
  • What your boss needs to know about you
  • How to let your boss be wrong and not get blamed
  • Why your style might clash with your boss' style

Leadership For The Twenty First Century

Most organizations are overmanaged and underlead. Real leadership is needed if organizations are to create long term strategies and retain valuable employees. In this presentation you will learn:

  • Three key differences between leaders and managers
  • The five core areas of leadership
  • How to create a vision, inspire others and build a focused team
  • What modeling behavior looks like
  • How to reward and celebrate accomplishments

Creating An Organization Vision

Long standing, successful organizations meet three key criteria that enable them to thrive: they have a long term vision, core values that drive the business and a clear core purpose. In this presentation you will learn:

  • The key methods of successful organizations
  • How to create a vision that inspires and leads
  • Your unchanging core values and how that drives your business
  • How to determine your core purpose and make it the key part of your business operations
  • How to get employees to support your efforts

Taking The Fear Out Of Change

Rapid and continuous change is a fundamental part of everyone's work life. And despite exhortations to adapt and grow, most of us still find the requirements difficult and stressful. This presentation will demystify change and give you practical tools to deal with all organization and life transitions. You will learn:

  • How to deal with the "danger" and "opportunity" in all change
  • Why change is uncomfortable for most people
  • A sequenced process for dealing with change
  • How to enlist the help of others
  • What are key behavioral red flags

Communicating With The New Technologies

Voice mail, faxes, cell phones, pagers, email have made it possible to gather huge amounts of information often in an instant. This new revolution, however, has a downside when we feel overwhelmed or misunderstood. This presentation will teach you:

  • The three hidden pitfalls of the new technologies
  • What you can do to enhance productivity and not lose your meaning
  • The pros and cons of each technology
  • Why "face-to-face" is necessary for good physical and mental health
  • How to effectively deal with telecommuters and field offices



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Michael H. Smith, Ph.D.

5801 Leona St., Ste A
Oakland, CA 94605

Tel: 510-530-7900
Fax: 510-530-7922
Email:
MHSmith@MichaelHSmithPhD.Com

 

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