People Need More Than Pep Talks

Motivational keynotes can be inspiring, but with the amount of disruption in our lives, that inspiration rarely survives the trip back to people’s desks.

Seasoned program managers want to know, “How do we go beyond motivation to make a difference in our leaders lives a month from now, six months from now? How do we build resilience and team performance into our organization so it sticks, even with everything taking place?”

A single speech isn’t enough. People need a practical, repeatable toolkit.

I learned this through personal trial and error. As a teenager, I lost my father and little sister unexpectedly. Short-term fixes seemed helpful, but didn’t last. Over many years, I developed a 7-step process that changes not just emotions and behaviors, but the thinking that drives them. And it can be used over and over — both at work and at home, wherever and whenever challenges arise.

In 2006, Wharton Executive Education invited me to teach it. Since then, I’ve shared this every year at Wharton’s Securities Industry Institute, and at dozens of Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits to thousands of senior teams.

My focus has expanded from personal resilience to relationships, parenting, leadership and team performance, organizational dynamics, and even social change. The content varies depending on the audience, but the takeaway of every presentation includes:

• A clear explanation of what matters most for lasting change, based on data
• A 7-step toolkit to make change actionable and practical, with no fluff
• 90 days of online access so leaders transfer training into the real world

If you want to share specifics of your audience, I will be honest about whether or not I think I’m a fit, and how I might tailor the content to add the most value. There’s no pressure or obligation. You can also read more about keynote topics and programs on this site.

You can reach me here or via Washington Speakers Bureau.

And if you’re looking for a way to try these 7-steps for yourself, please visit my public-facing site, The Resilience Academy.