Diversity in the workforce is a hot topic. Many employers are under pressure to make sure their workforce and employee base is diverse, inclusive and representative of the customers they serve. The most progressive organizations value diversity because they realize that a diverse workforce has positive impact on the bottom line. Such a workforce doesn’t just lead to better decisions and solutions and innovation – it has been proven to grow business and profits. And a diverse workforce doesn’t just mean employees of different racial and ethnic backgrounds; it can also mean diversity of thought.
There are numerous ways we can be “diverse”: A new mom is in a very different place than one who is an empty nester. Someone with a master’s degree is very different than someone who went to a vocational/technical college. Someone who is foreign-born is different than someone who is U.S. born. “People not like you” takes away the baggage that is often associated with the word diversity and frames the subject in a more relatable way. We are ALL dealing with people “not like us”. Sometimes that can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be.
When working with people who are not like you, friction can arise. Different people may not see eye-to-eye on an issue. They may have vastly different approaches to work. Their communication styles may be very different. Their comfort in working with technology may be miles apart. Cultural backgrounds and norms can differ. Even men and women can see situations differently. How do you work alongside someone who may be quite different from you, respect those differences and be effective in your role?
And what about leading a diverse team? Leaders face daily the challenges of inspiring, communicating and executing strategy with their teams. Now imagine the challenges of leading teams that may be incredibly diverse! How does one motivate and lead groups of people who come from different backgrounds? How do you do that when people are motivated by different values and view the world and work through different lenses?
This session takes the topic of work and leadership to a new place – one that is getting more attention every day and will continue to do so.
Learner Outcomes:
- You’ll learn why diversity at work is important, but why it seems so hard to work with people not like you. And why that makes you NORMAL, not a bad person. You’ll learn why it often comes with stress, complex emotions and even fear for some people.
- Specific tactics will be shared for how employees can succeed in today’s diverse workplace without losing their minds or becoming frustrated by approaches to work that may differ from theirs.
- For those in leadership positions, or those who aspire to manage and lead others, three key steps to make a diverse team work more cohesively, more productively and enjoyably.
- The four key words that will transform how you interact with your colleagues and associates in tough situations to get the best outcome. How to troubleshoot the complex issues and address the “derailers” and naysayers that lurk within every organization and threaten its success.
Corporate America is not very diverse; we’re a long way off from having equal representation of people of color in many organizations, especially in key executive and leadership positions. Many White leaders want to create change, but don’t know how. How do you know where your blind spots are that can create obstacles for people of color?
And how do you address the issues and comments that come up when employees feel nervous, resentful or uncomfortable as you make headway on diversity in your organization?
Your intentions may be sincere and heartfelt, but intentions aren’t enough. If you don’t know how you come across to others and you don’t know how to build bridges, people can be offended, jobs can be lost, and lawsuits can be filed. This session (and the book) are not approaching this from the standpoint of social activism or from an HR perspective. This is the roadmap for how White businesspeople can successfully create a fair and equitable workplace for all, one that recognizes diverse talent and fosters productive and constructive conversations across different perspectives that make business better – for everyone.
You’ll learn:
- Well-intended things people say that are hurtful or offensive to others
- The excuses people use to avoid doing anything about diversity
- Why your diversity & inclusion efforts haven’t done the job
- How to talk about race in helpful and positive ways: do’s & don’ts
- Answers to tough employee questions or racist remarks
- Where to start when you don’t know where to start – an 8-step framework that will show you, step-by-step, how to become a more diverse and inclusive company, department or team.
- How to effectively recruit and interview diverse candidates
- How to build business relationships with people who are different from you
- For leaders, how to set the example, reduce tokenism, and deal with naysayers and derailers. How to avoid “Launch & Abandon” with your diversity efforts.
“Assertiveness” is a widely misunderstood characteristic. Some interpret it as being “bossy”; some interpret it as “standing your ground” or “speaking your mind” and some interpret it as “taking charge” or being aggressive.
Assertiveness is none of these things, yet it’s an essential skill in business and a quality that all successful leaders have. And it IS a skill – it can be developed and honed, like any other skill.
For women, in particular, being assertive can be challenging, because we tend to be “people pleasers” and we often put the needs of the group (your team or your associates) before our own needs. Being assertive is not at odds with teamwork – in fact, it is constructive for your team and your organization. Assertiveness is a management and performance quality that is highly charismatic and appealing.
You’ll learn:
- What assertiveness is – and what it’s not
- How to develop your assertive style in a manner that appeals, not repels
- How to communicate, empower and lead in a male-dominated industry
- How young women executives see you – and what inspires them most
If you could grow your business simply by marketing to your existing clients and raking in more referrals, making money would be a cakewalk. But to generate new revenue, you have to win over the customers and clients you’re not getting, but could be. Now, more than ever, it’s important to reach new prospects in different ways to grow your business.
It’s imperative to form a connection with customers and prospects in order to earn their business. This is especially true in the highly competitive veterinary services industry. But how do you form a connection with someone who is completely different from you? Whether it’s gender, age, lifestage, race, ethnicity or even communication preferences, you need to be able to break through barriers to connect in a meaningful way, build trust and differentiate yourself from your competition.
People spend money on what they care about. Show your customers and prospects how you fit into what they need and what they value, and they’ll show you the money. By recognizing people’s differences and just tweaking your product, message, approach or marketing efforts to reflect their values, you‘ll get the business.
Understanding your customers’ values is how you will reach new customers’ hearts, minds, and, ultimately, their wallets.
Using consumer insights and real-world examples from successful companies, retailers and other organizations, “How to Market, Sell to and Serve People Not Like You” shows you how to create a deep, values-based connection between you and your customers and prospects.
You’ll learn:
- Five low-cost / no cost things you can do right now to grow your business with new customers and increase customer satisfaction and retention
- The do’s and don’ts of marketing to different customer segments and their values
- The major macro trends that affect your business – and all of us – and how to leverage them for growth & customer satisfaction
- How to communicate in a relevant manner to stand out from your competition
How to recover from a mistake that smooths things over EVERY TIME
The demographic, lifestyle, communication and social shifts that are occurring in the U.S. are startling and profound. One in three Americans is not White. Rural communities are losing population fast. Consumers trust their friends’ recommendations and social media posts more than they trust marketing messages. More than 25% of young adults are living with their parents. Families no longer consist of simply “mom, dad, kids and dog” – traditional family structure has shifted to include every possible definition of family and every kind of family living arrangement. Recruiting new talent – and keeping talent, is a monumental challenge for virtually all businesses and organizations. For Millennials and Gen Z, the good that their companies do – and their role in driving that – is now the cool thing to brag about. In business, video calls have become the default for “let’s set up a call”. WFH and selling virtually is here to stay, along with traditional selling tactics. Tailoring customer interactions with cultural insights is tremendously powerful – and valuable.
And customer expectations of what businesses “should” be are changing.
It’s imperative that you understand these new shifts, the way that people live and work today and what’s important to them. Your business growth depends on it. How can you effectively serve your customers and community if you don’t know who they are, how to reach them , how to communicate effectively with them, and what they want, need and value?
This presentation will focus on the eight biggest macro trends that affect your business today – and tomorrow. You’ll learn:
- How to leverage these macro trends in no-cost ways that you can implement immediately. You’ll also learn how to apply these to harness these trends for potential business in the future
- Specific consumer insights for different groups of customers, prospects and talent: Men, women, Southeast Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Baby Boomers, Gen X and Millennials and Gen Z. What they want – and don’t want. Do’s and don’ts will be covered.
- How customer expectations are changing and how to create an exceptional, consistent customer experience, whether it’s digitally, virtually or in-person.
The five words that will smooth over any friction, mistake or problem every time
The race to be the best and stay the best has no shortcuts. The best athletes know that they must consistently train to stay fit and that preparation always pays off.
“Sales fitness” requires the same dedication, discipline and training as any other fitness regimen. You have to fuel your prospecting and sales initiatives with the right ingredients to achieve top performance. One of the most important issues to address within your plan is how to effectively position your business beyond its products and services, to show the value to your prospects and customers.
This is called a FAB analysis: Features – Attributes – Benefits. Too often, businesses and franchisees make broad, sweeping efforts in their sales and marketing that are non-specific or not focused on the what the customer actually wants. The only thing that customers and prospects care about is that which benefits them – and this session will show you how to identify what the key benefits of doing business with you are and how to translate that into a meaningful and effective sales strategy.
This session will focus on how you can effectively prospect and sell your services to better serve your community. You’ll learn how to create the most relevant, compelling and powerful messaging and approaches to truly entice new prospective customers as well as retain the great ones you already have.
This interactive, hands-on session will show you how adding a new “exercise” to your routine can really stretch your sales muscles and bring effective results to your bank immediately.
