Lisa M. Johnson Global Human Resources Professional; Team Facilitation, Leadership, and Development Coaching Expert; Tedx Speaker

Have you ever failed to stand up for yourself in the moment and then beat yourself up over it because you didn’t speak your truth when it counted? Have you ever regretted something you said while in the grip of emotion because you later realize you came across more harshly, perhaps more uncaring than you intended? We have all been there! But for some of us it is a more frequent occurrence and when that happens it can hinder a career. Lisa shares the qualities of successful assertion that you can put to use right away to strengthen your voice.

Confidence is king in this world where intelligent people who possess traits described as extroverted and decisive rule. Yet, confidence can also get in the way of achievement. Self-confidence without self- awareness can create productivity concerns, morale issues and even legal exposure. Lisa teaches confidence balanced with self-awareness to help leaders navigate effective communication for reduced risk and greater engagement.

We ALL have unconscious bias. This is an often repeated, widely recognized statement. Furthermore, we understand that our biases can form at an early age. So, if this is a fact that we all have bias and it is indeed unconscious, how can we possibly move beyond it? Pointing it out to people to make them aware of their bias isn’t likely to work. Lisa provides steps you can take when you are ready to move in a positive direction beyond your own unconscious bias.

Actions with positive intentions don’t always go well. In their attempts to foster positive employee relations, managers can quickly find that their attempts to do what seems like a good thing can backfire in a big way. Lisa shares examples of how easily this can happen and provides insight for how to avoid these workplace quagmires. The material is an excerpt from her book, “Solutions for the Well-Intentioned Leader.”