Michael H. Smith, Ph.D. - Conflict Management and Productivity Improvement

Dr. Smith speaks on a number of topics for professional and service organizations, small businesses, large corporations or private groups.

The following are three of his most popular presentations.

Negotiating Difficult Workplace Conversations

Have you ever had conflicts at work that included anger, inflexibility, insults or stonewalling? Most of us have at some point experienced these and other situations and struggled with how to both take care of ourselves and make the conversations more productive.

This presentation will give you tools to turn these conflicts around by:
• Learning how to diffuse hot situations
• Clarifying what you want
• Changing the game through reframing
• Creating an ally by building rapport
• Helping people say yes and making it hard for them to say no

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 "Five 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

Managing Your Boss

Most of us think that our boss should effectively manage us. Yet managing our 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

Other Presentations

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 cites 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

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
With greater diversity in the workplace, relationships 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
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 ensure 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
Workplace diversity training 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
• That 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
• Which 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 "Five Step Process" that gets you results
• How to forgive and be open to new possibilities
• Which styles achieve best results
• What to do if overpowered or unfairly treated

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 they drive 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 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 deal effectively with telecommuters and field offices



		Speaking Dr. Smith speaks on a number of topics for professional and service organizations, small businesses, large corporations or private groups. The following are three of his most popular presentations. Negotiating Difficult Workplace Conversations Have you ever had conflicts at work that included anger, inflexibility, insults or stonewalling? Most of us have at some point experienced these and other situations and struggled with how to both take care of ourselves and make the conversations more productive. This presentation will give you tools to turn these conflicts around by: • Learning how to diffuse hot situations • Clarifying what you want • Changing the game through reframing • Creating an ally by building rapport • Helping people say yes and making it hard for them to say no 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 "Five 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 Managing Your Boss Most of us think that our boss should effectively manage us. Yet managing our 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 Other Presentations 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 cites 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 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace With greater diversity in the workplace, relationships 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 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 ensure 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 Workplace diversity training 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 • That 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 • Which 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 "Five Step Process" that gets you results • How to forgive and be open to new possibilities • Which styles achieve best results • What to do if overpowered or unfairly treated 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 they drive 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 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 deal effectively with telecommuters and field offices