It’s benign conversations like this that keep employees at an organization.  Not money, not sexy titles, not snacks.  These are the kind of conversations you have with friends and simply put; friends make the workplace sticky (in a good way).  Instead of relying upon ping pong tables and kombucha on tap to draw and retain employees, imagine focusing on something that doesn’t cost extra and is proven to make people think twice before leaving an organization…helping people at work become friends. This is definitely more challenging now that we’ve pivoted to remote and hybrid working situations. It used to be that people become friends simply by being in the same space together. When you needed a mental break, you’d ask your cubemate “do you have a rice cooker”?  And pretty soon you’d know about each other’s interests, pets, and peeves. Now that we don’t have proximity to bring people together we need some other way, and that way is stories.   In this session you’ll learn a storytelling game/methodology that helps people learn if they have common interests, shared values and similar backgrounds and starts creating trust, the foundation of friendship.  This storytelling approach can easily be applied in team huddles, meetings, and company retreats, in person, or virtually.   And, as an added bonus this game can help people find stories for presentations, networking, and pitches. 

Learning Outcomes/Training Goals

• Experience the power of a no-cost/easy to implement activity to help people within your organization know, like and trust each other quickly whether virtual or in person
• Provide employees a tool for building relationship equity to help with team work, advancement, management skills, sales, and service
• Create a culture of storytellers to drive retention and build resilience

The stories you tell are a driving force for you and your organization.  It’s what moves people to action, makes your organization/presentation/idea memorable and allows others to share your story. Learn the With 1 Word^® storytelling method to find a collection of stories for different situations and audiences, work through a process to shape them so they hold your audience's attention, then share them out loud, as they always sound different when spoken vs. in our heads.  In this interactive workshop you’ll learn how to search for stories for any situation, how to shape them for maximum impact, and how to share them with authenticity and confidence.

 Learning Outcomes/Session Goals

• Walk away with a repeatable process for finding stories for any situation or audience
• Learn the SARM formula for crafting stories that are concise, specific and memorable
• See firsthand how practicing out loud transforms stories

Trustworking  (Team Building)

At the root of all meaningful and long-term relationships is trust.  Creating teams and building professional connections with high levels of trust leads to increased productivity, innovation, and long-term engagement.  We realize not everyone has the same level of comfort and natural ability to communicate, connect, and collaborate.  Through our interactive and playful approach leveraging improv, storytelling, and team challenges we build communication confidence, teach connection tactics, and enhance team trust. 

 Learning Outcomes/Training Goals 

• Deepen professional relationships
• Become more relatable
• Build speaking skills
• Increase productivity/lower costs

Without a memorable introduction how will people remember you from the 100s of people they meet? Let your introduction be the on ramp for further conversation that expresses right away why you are passionate about what you do and helps keep you top of mind.  In this session we crowdsource the how’s and what’s around what you do to come up with creative and memorable sound bites.  We then use our With 1 Word^® story searching method to tap into your why message. And finally we bring it all together with mind melding starters like “Have you ever…”, “Are you familiar with…”, and “Imagine yourself…”.

 Learning Outcomes/Training Goals

• Repeatable process for creating meaningful introductions and pitches
• Storytelling method to find your “why”
• An introduction you're excited to share

Let’s face it, 99% of us feel a bit introverted when it comes to networking.  Whether you are a little or a lot introverted, this session provides strategies and tactics to increase the breadth and depth of your relationships and amplify your RON (return on networking).   We’ll start with how to prepare for a networking event (goal, mindset), we’ll move on to execution (enter/exit conversations, exchanging contact info), then finish the session off with ideas for follow up (LinkedIn, the unexpected).   When you approach networking with a planned outcome, a “go-giver” mindset, and confidence building tactics, you might find you actually enjoy it. 

Learning Outcomes/Training Goals

• Learn how introverts have innate networking skills
• Pre-networking activities to build confidence, reduce anxiety, and define goals
• Learn ways to enter/exit conversations and alternative opening questions so you are the last person to ask the typical first question “What do you do?” 
• Post-networking tips for nurturing newly formed relationships

Once you’ve created a connection, the way you interact with that person moving forward defines if the relationship will be a tragedy, a winner, or a snoozer.   Through Proactive Continuous Communication (PCC) you’ll stay top of mind, leave no room for speculation and have strong rapport to move business and ideas forward.  You'll also have the wherewithal to help weather storms that may arise.  In this workshop you’ll learn tools and tips for investing in your connections to grow your relationship equity.   

Learning Outcomes/Training Goals

• Participate in activities you can do with your connections to create trust loops
• Learn communication tips that show appreciation/respect for your connection's time, that let you focus on value add items vs repetitive tasks and that create more engaging ways to interact
• Apply small follow up tactics that keep you top of mind and continue to build relationship equity

Best Sellers to Best Buddies

Through this creative, low stakes activity, talents are exposed, vulnerabilities expressed, and friendships are forged, taking relationships to the next level.  Creativity and communication drive each team’s next “big idea”.  Participants, grouped in teams of 4 - 5, will work together to innovate, design, and sell a new product made only out of materials provided.  Teams will be given a crate containing the same random objects and together they have to work to build a prototype of a sellable product. They will follow a brainstorming guide to help with this rapid prototyping activity and help make their product more complete and marketable (perhaps even create a product jingle).  Teams will use the With 1 Word® storytelling method to then pitch their products to judges (think Shark Tank), sharing the functionality and sellability. Judges will pick the best product/pitch for the title of “Best Sellers”. 

Learning Outcomes/Training Goals

• Participate in an activity that creates stronger bonds through a shared experience
• Through play learn hidden talents, ways of supporting each other and communication styles
• Learn how stories can help “sell” anything

It's been a while since we've all been out there and our networking skills are likely a bit atrophied.  However, networking is still the most effective way people find new professional opportunities, whether they need a new job or are growing a business/building a book of business.  Having a strategy around the time and energy one spends networking is key to seeing results and long-term success.  In this keynote you'll learn how to focus on three main areas to help you get back out there and see a Return on Networking.

• Build: Identify Insiders Vs. Outsiders (Sphere of Influence)
• Maintain: Creating systems that are scalable and consistent
• Flex: Ways to leverage follow ups to grow your business and influence

The most powerful person in any room is the storyteller.  Why? because they can get buy in for their ideas from the CEO, they can convince HR to give them a promotion, and they can highlight to Finance why their budget should be approved.  Storytelling can help you in nearly every activity – networking, interviews, meetings, presentations, social events, and conversations around the dinner table.  A story can convey a lot of information in a short amount of time, like do you have similar interests, common experiences or shared values.

During this keynote you’ll learn the With 1 Word® Storytelling Method showing you a gamified approach to search for stories for any situation, how to shape them for maximum impact, and how to share them with authenticity and confidence.