Popular Public Training Topics:

Sam’s presentations are tailored to the audience, hands-on, clear, entertaining, and practically focused on useable theory, effective tools, and the exploration of actual issues – not hypothetical cases.  The following most popular offerings provide the skills necessary to work in today’s fast-paced environment where conflict is prevalent and decisions must be made quickly and cost-effectively in the face of shrinking resources and increasing demands. 

Conflict Resolution: When Problems are Interpersonal, We use Conflict Resolution

This introductory course provides the foundational theories and tools necessary to equip you with the core knowledge needed to navigate the intersection of logic and emotion in your personal and professional lives.  This interactive program provides the conflict resolution and communication tools necessary to reach “resolutions,” not just “settlements” where both sides walk away unhappy!  Its focus is on resolving conflict for success.  Learn to disagree without being disagreeable, explore – not debate, build relationships – not cases, and fix problems – not blame. 

Training Objectives:

1. Understand Conflict and Conflict Resolution Theory
2. Understand Your Default Conflict Mode and Learn to Manage the Modes of Others
3. Comfortably Utilize Communication Techniques During Conflict
4. Select and Execute Practical Conflict Resolution Tools

Decision Making: Individually and With Others

Making correct decisions is essential to individual and group success. Decision-making is the art and science of eliminating uncertainty about what to do or believe. To resolve that uncertainty in the best way requires courage, creativity, objectivity, and good judgment. This decision-making class will provide the theory, tools, and practice to help you and your partners navigate the intersection of logic and emotion to increase the probability of success and decrease the chances of conflict.   

Training Objectives:

1. Understand Decision-Making Theory and Obstacles to Clear Thought
2. Implement Practical Intuitive Decision-Making Skills
3. Implement Practical Analytical Decision-Making Skills
4. Practice Decision-Making Tools with “Real” Decisions

Work Sample: This "Sample Decision-Making Tool" was designed for a client in order to quantify the often difficult task of prioritizing the different facets of work. Sample Decision-Making Tool

Negotiation Skills: Tips, Tricks, Traps & Tools

Participants will learn the tools necessary to reach “resolutions,” not just “settlements” where both sides walk away unhappy! We will explore the various negotiation stages from preparation to breaking impasse to closing the deal. You will learn effective ways to engage those who are focused on them winning and you losing. You will be able to recognize when someone is attempting to “play” you and how to refocus the discussion. We will practice strategies for dealing with confrontation, the “pit-bull,” and apparent impasse. The attendees will become comfortable knowing that suspending judgment is a key to critical thought and successful negotiations.

Training Objectives:

1. Understand Conflict and Negotiation Theory
2. Become Comfortable with Aggressive Negotiators and Intractable Disputes
3. Implement Collaborative and Competitive Negotiation Strategies
4. Learn Impasse Breaking Techniques

Collaborative Negotiation Skills: When Problems Involve Partners, We Collaborate for Resolutions

Conflict is natural and inevitable even between partners.  Conflict can be unproductive if it stimulates intractable disputes that impede individuals and organizations from achieving their goals.  It can be productive if it stimulates creativity that promotes personal and organizational goals.  Managing it effectively and efficiently is an essential skill in today’s environment.  This course builds on the first two offerings and adds more theories and tools to your competencies.  This is not about “touchy-feely psycho-babble” or “incomprehensible legalese.”  It is about straight talk, uncovering hidden agendas, and getting the “deal” done in a collaborative fashion that preserves relationships.

Training Objectives:

1. Become Comfortable with Conflict as a Catalyst for Change – No More Avoidance
2. Implement Collaboration Negotiation Strategies
3. Practice the Tools with “Real” Conflicts
4. Learn Skills for Resolution, Not Just Settlement

Competitive Negotiation Skills: When Problems Involve Non-Partners, We Negotiate for Settlements

Conflict involving non-partners is on the rise.  What happens when collaborative skills are not solving the problem?  We escalate.  There are effective and respectful ways to engage with those who are focused on them winning and you losing.  Recognize when someone is attempting to “play” you and how to refocus the discussion.  Practice strategies for dealing with confrontation, the “pit-bull,” and apparent impasse.  Become comfortable knowing that suspending judgment is a key to critical thought and successful negotiations.  

Training Objectives:

1. Become Comfortable with Aggressive Negotiators and Intractable Disputes.
2. Implement Competitive Negotiation Strategies
3. Learn Impasse Breaking Techniques
4. Practice negotiation strategies with “Real” Conflicts

Interest-Based Negotiation Training: Tips, Tricks, Traps & Tools

Conflict is natural and inevitable even between partners.  Conflict can be unproductive if it stimulates intractable disputes that impede individuals and organizations from achieving their goals.  It can be productive if it stimulates creativity that promotes personal and organizational goals.  Managing it effectively and efficiently is an essential skill in today’s environment.  This course provides the foundational theories and tools necessary to equip you with the core knowledge needed to navigate the intersection of logic and emotion in the Labor-Management setting. 

Making correct decisions during bargaining is essential to group success.  Decision-making is the art and science of eliminating uncertainty about what to do or believe.  To resolve that uncertainty in the best way requires courage, creativity, objectivity, and good judgment.  This course component will provide the theory, tools, free software program, and practice to help you and your partners increase the probability of success and decrease the chances of conflict.

This training provides the tools necessary to reach “resolutions,” not just “settlements” where both sides walk away unhappy!  This is not about “touchy-feely psycho-babble” or “incomprehensible legalese.”  It is about straight talk, uncovering hidden agendas, and getting the “deal” done in a collaborative fashion that preserves relationships.  Learn to disagree without being disagreeable, explore – not debate, build relationships – not cases, and fix problems – not blame. 

Training Objectives:

1. Understand Conflict and Conflict Resolution Theory
2. Understand Your Default Conflict Mode and Learn How to Manage the Modes of Others
3. Comfortably Utilize Communication Techniques During Conflict
4. Select and Execute Practical Conflict Resolution Tools
5. Understand Your Core Philosophy, Decision-Making Theory, and Obstacles to Clear Thought
6. Implement Practical Intuitive and Analytical Decision-Making Skills
7. Practice Decision-Making Tools with “Real” Decisions
8. Implement Collaboration Negotiation Strategies
9. Learn Skills for Resolution, Not Just Settlement
10. Become Comfortable with Aggressive Negotiators and Intractable Disputes.

Managing the Intersection of Logic and Emotion

This training helps people understand how others (and themselves!) are affected by emotions and cognitive biases when making decisions. What may seem illogical becomes clearer when participants learn about how humans think. This training goes one step further and provides some tips on how to help others when they may be spinning at the intersection of logic and emotion. This training provides practical and easy-to-implement advice and opportunity for self-reflection as well as the skills to help others in tough situations.

Training Objectives:

1. Understand cognitive biases
2. Understand the role of emotion in decision-making
3. Practice counseling others through uncertainty and frustration
4. Explore and understand risk tolerance
5. Help others make better decisions
6. Help tailor your advice by truly understanding their underlying values, needs, and interests.

Speak Up: Strategies for Women in the Workplace

Many women share various frustrations in the workplace that set them back, make their contributions less heard, and make them feel less valued. While we hope society changes, in the meantime, women must survive and thrive!

This workshop provides tools students can implement immediately to manage those issues and make positive changes in your environment. This seminar is a safe, practical, interactive learning environment that will be an enjoyable, low-pressure way to practice getting what you want in a workplace setting (and beyond!)

In this workshop we will be teaching some interdisciplinary Conflict Resolution, Negotiation & Decision-Making theories, techniques, and tools and practicing those tools in was that allow student to walk out of the room with practical skills.

Training Objectives:

1. Encouraging an environment of inclusion and diversity by empowering women
2. Learning conflict resolution techniques in a safe, enjoyable environment
3. Learning specifically tailored techniques for the kinds of issues women face in the workplace
4. Navigating the Intersection of Logic and Emotion
5. Avoiding Traps
6. Assessing Risk and Options
7. Deciding If and How to Engage
8. Selecting Your Approach and Goal
9. Creating a Game Plan
10. Using Powerful Communication Techniques
11. Implementing Effective Strategies like Allyship, Positive No, Amplification, Self-Care, and Self-Compassion