Filtered Sessions

Conflict is everywhere, and it's unavoidable. For many of us, it can be hard to admit that we're not as good at effectively resolving conflict as we'd like to be. However, we have different tools at our disposal that help us navigate the waters of conflict – we just must figure out how to use them. Learn to identify the conditions that create conflict, the specific causes that trigger it, and the techniques for resolving conflict.     Conflict takes many forms, including the agitated employee or manager who must be redirected from the situation, helped to deescalate their anger, and finally gotten into a dialogue about how to solve the problem. In this session, we'll address the full range of conflicts from the critical to the chronic and what to do about each of them to reach understanding – even if agreement isn't possible.

Learning Objectives:

• Demonstrate techniques to redirect and de-escalate conflict wherever it occurs.
• Show quick techniques that you can use to help improve your employees' and managers' emotional intelligence.
• Evaluate the causes for conflict and what can be done about them.
• Create solutions for conflict.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts reveal that progress is being made with DEI but there's more to be done. So where should you begin and what should you begin your journey towards a more inclusive and equitable workplace? It can be a challenge to know the practical ways to start, and steps toward implementation. Recent studies on the state of  Evaluate your DEI Initiatives with a comprehensive checklist for HR and employers that focuses on identifying your internal challenges and recognizing and correcting biases in four key pillars: talent acquisition, performance management, compensation practices, and learning and development.

Learning Objectives:

• Suggestions to evaluate the past and current state of your Organizations DEI practices.
• Outline steps and provide a checklist to map out potential DEI efforts.
• Identify measures to use after you have started your program implementation.
• Discuss the organizational and cultural that are creating roadblocks for this work.

A recent study confirms that 80 percent of HR professionals experience imposter syndrome at work. This session offers an inspiring and research-based exploration of imposter syndrome in the context of human resource leadership. Drawing upon empirical evidence and insightful studies, we will delve into HR leaders' unique challenges and how imposter syndrome can hinder their growth. Through polling, music, and group discussions, participants will gain proven strategies highlighted in CJ's book that empower HR professionals to conquer imposter syndrome.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the concept of imposter syndrome and its impact on HR leaders.
• Identify common signs and symptoms of imposter syndrome within oneself and within their team.
• Explore real-world strategies and techniques to overcome imposter syndrome and foster authentic leadership.
• Apply practical tools and case studies to create a supportive environment that promotes personal and professional growth within their organizations.

This is a must-attend session for HR leaders who want to lead transformation efforts that will proactively shape the future of HR and enable your organizations to remain competitive and to thrive in a continuously complex and rapidly evolving world. 

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the tools for how to master personal and organization transformation that is sustainable;
• Describe and apply eight important shifts that are necessary to remain relevant, strategic, and impactful in your role as an HR leader.
• Engage in interactive dialogue, self-reflection, and practical exercises that reinforce your learnings for immediate application.

As HR practitioners, we may think we're above average in our 'cultural competence,' but are we? Twenty+ years of research shows that only 2.5% of us can see the full complexity of differences and adapt effectively. There is an impactful framework that hundreds of organizations use to build CC. Packed with practical tools as well as engaging activities, you will leave understanding your own cultural competence as well as how to develop it in others.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the stages of cultural competence and explore implications of each stage for D&I work.
• Learn general strategies for advancing cultural competence.
• Practice developing competence through brains-on activities.
• Identify tpreferred cultural style of communication.
• Receive a guide with activities to continue developing.

Repeated on Monday at 10:30am

A happy & fulfilled workforce is today's competitive advantage. This session will give you a 3-Step Flow Strategy System to increase the meaning, joy, and fulfillment with your workforce. With her Copper Dragon Violin in hand, Violinist, and Global Flow State Authority Diane Allen will walk you through the steps to connect what your people love, with the work that they do. According to Diane, flow is when your genius and heart become one.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain basic knowledge and neuroscience of the Flow State.
• Learn the 3 Questions that gives people the path to love their job.
• Tap into your highest levels of performance, on demand.
• Utilize the 3 Questions to coach employees to access high levels of productivity, personal fulfillment, and happiness.
• Include the 3 Questions during job interviews to improve the recruitment process increasing a candidate's job satisfaction and longevity in the organization.

The last several years have brought unforeseen disruption and uncertainty that continues to evolve when it comes to the future of our organizations and economy, not just our work. Whether changing dynamics in what customers really need and want to economic and societal instability to what employees really want from their careers and lives. HR, Talent, OD, and L&D leaders are facing historic challenges in what the real priorities are, how we navigate an extremely competitive talent landscape, manage an exhausted workforce, and pressure to control costs.   To turn this around requires more than just hiring and training great people based on their job expectations and then holding them accountable during their year-end review. Through our work with over 150 companies in leading transformation from turnarounds to hyper growth and exhaustive research over the past three years, we will learn and immerse in the seven critical shifts and the necessary alignment we need in order to achieve what's Really Most Important now and for the long term transformation of our organizations.

Learning Objectives:

• Shifts: Immerse into the seven critical shifts we must make as HR/Talent/L&D enterprises to lead the future of your organizations. Prioritize purpose over priorities. Foster ownership instead of engagement. Be an embedded partner instead of an order taker. Build capability rather than talent or skill. Emphasize value creation over job responsibilities. Focus on impact and revenue generation rather than metrics and being a cost center. Promote total well-being for employees instead of just managing their stress.
• Alignment: Align the seven critical shifts with the strategic priorities of your organization to forge inclusive solutions for both your customers and employees at the same time.
• Transformation: Achieve accountability and urgency organization wide to the critical objectives that exist today while building long-term enterprise value-no matter the scale of your initiatives.

GenZ accounts for nearly 30% of today's workforce, and workers over age 55 encompass another 25%. One group is proficient in technology, while the other is well-versed in interpersonal dynamics and office politics. One's strength is the other's weakness and of course, they have learned to hate each other. Or so we are told.  We'll examine these demeaning stereotypes, acknowledge that while there is some grain of truth to them, they do not serve the modern corporation well. As GenX becomes the leaders of the 21st century organization, what can YOU do, in whatever age group you belong to, to increase your personal effectiveness and that of your company? You'll be surprised at what you'll find out.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn that there are fewer differences between the generations than has been believed.
• Understand how members of each generation can help members of other generations improve their skill sets.
• Understand the challenges you face when working with other generations.
• Give you the skills necessary to enable you to work more effectively with those of other generations.
• Improve organizational effectiveness and communication across the generations.

Repeated on Tuesday at 12:30pm

Unmanaged workplace stress in the United States costs more than $300 billion annually in lost productivity, absenteeism, staff turnover, and medical, legal, and insurance expenditures. Many HR departments face escalating burnout, heightened workloads, and shortages. Navigating multiple competing priorities and changing organizational demands is compounded with uncertainty in the marketplace, workloads infiltrating their personal lives, and difficulty disconnecting from work. HR leaders will gain strategies to alleviate personal burnout and cultivate a growth-oriented mindset; equipping them to lead by example within their organizations.  Learn from a Doctor of Nursing with 14 years of experience in improving outcomes and strategically navigating leaders to mitigate burnout and operate at peak performance.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain awareness of the research-validated stages of burnout.
• Recognize the early signs and symptoms of leadership burnout.
• Self-identify with your current phase of the burnout cycle.
• Master targeted strategies to reduce burnout in you lives and career.

Repeated from Sunday at 2:15pm

A happy & fulfilled workforce is today's competitive advantage. This session will give you a 3-Step Flow Strategy System to increase the meaning, joy, and fulfillment with your workforce. With her Copper Dragon Violin in hand, Violinist, and Global Flow State Authority Diane Allen will walk you through the steps to connect what your people love, with the work that they do. According to Diane, flow is when your genius and heart become one.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain basic knowledge and neuroscience of the Flow State.
• Learn the 3 Questions that gives people the path to love their job.
• Tap into your highest levels of performance, on demand.
• Utilize the 3 Questions to coach employees to access high levels of productivity, personal fulfillment, and happiness.
• Include the 3 Questions during job interviews to improve the recruitment process increasing a candidate's job satisfaction and longevity in the organization.

Are you responsible for managing your organization's retirement plan? The key to success is a strong process. I know, it sounds boring but this presentation won't be! We will coach you through what proper plan management looks like, ideal fiduciary practices, a sample retirement plan committee meeting, investment monitoring practices, and what partners are necessary to ensure your organization's success. We'll share real life successes and failures that will help you create a successful process for your organization!

Learning Objectives:

• Understand fiduciary liability and how to mitigate.
• Establish and run a proper Retirement Plan Committee.
• Discover what partners to engage to support your retirement plan.
• Properly monitor investments.

HR professionals are continually encouraged to become a strategic partner and 'get a seat at the table.' Their CEOs want them to know the numbers and the trends of the workplace. But how can HR professionals be more strategic when they're so busy handling the details?

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to read a financial statement and use it for HR programs.
• Learn how to leverage knowledge from other departments to boost HR's effectiveness.
• Learn various methods of how to conduct an environmental scan and use the data to improve your HR programs.
• Understand the entrepreneurial spirit and how it can boost your business acumen and your career.

Are you motivated and ready to take your career to the next level? Show employers that you have the HR expertise and competencies needed to drive organizational success by earning your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential-the only HR certification anchored in behavioral competencies and backed by SHRM's 75 years of expertise in the industry. This session benefits anyone with an interest in learning what motivates HR professionals to pursue a SHRM credential, planning to apply for a SHRM credential, or already scheduled to sit for the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam. This session covers the practical basics of the SHRM certification exams and provides an opportunity to test-drive your readiness by answering sample questions.

Learning Objectives:

• Determine which exam is right for you.
• Explore the various in which you personalize your preparation plan.
• Gain best practices for studying.
• Get tips and tools to put you on the path to success.

Repeated on Tuesday at 2:00pm.

This must-attend presentation is crucial for HR professionals, department leaders, and agents of organizational change, focusing on enhancing HR's role in companies. Ideal for HR managers, business leaders, and strategic initiative teams, this session offers valuable insights and practical strategies. It's particularly beneficial for those in organizations where HR is primarily seen as administrative and for those aiming to elevate HR as a strategic business partner.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding the Transformation Blueprint: Attendees will learn a structured, step-by-step approach to transition HR from a traditional administrative function to a strategic entity within their organization, focusing on evolving roles and responsibilities.
• Gaining Real-World Insights: Participants will be equipped with knowledge from real-life case studies of successful HR transformations, including the challenges faced, strategies employed, and the outcomes achieved, providing them with a realistic perspective on the transformation process.
• Acquiring Practical Strategies for HR Innovation: The session will offer attendees practical and innovative strategies for key HR areas such as employer branding, talent acquisition, employee engagement, and effective use of technology, enabling them to implement these strategies in their own organizations.
• Learning Metrics of Success: This objective will focus on how to effectively measure and demonstrate the impact of HR initiatives, helping attendees understand the key performance indicators and metrics that show HR's value as a strategic business partner.
• Networking and Collaborative Learning: Attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers, share experiences, and discuss solutions to common challenges, fostering a collaborative learning environment. 

Developing cohesive global compensation reward programs for your organization that are also appropriately nuanced based on country cultures is a very challenging task! The primary objective is to realize the tried-and-true adage 'Think Globally and Act Locally' and have it embedded as the guiding principle in your organization. To accomplish this, it is imperative to develop and implement effective global compensation programs that are aligned with your organization's human capital strategic plans. In his presentation, John will discuss leading-edge compensation solutions, the factors that impact mobility decisions, and all of the necessary techniques to pay your global workforce equitably. Moreover, you will come away with a real-world 'global schematic' of compensation and total reward perspectives, methodologies and approaches that are practiced in premier international organizations. This will help you to fully optimize the design of your global programs with the result of attracting, retaining, motivating and engaging top performers all over the world.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn to develop effective compensation, benefits and well-being programs in complex multi-national organizations.
• Explore how well-being, recognition, and career development can be leveraged to attract, motivate, retain and engage your employees.
• Identify the challenges of managing international assignments and learn approaches for developing aligned compensation solutions.
• Understand internal and external influences that affect global compensation design and delivery.
• Receive a real-world 'global schematic' of compensation and total reward perspectives, methodologies and approaches that are practiced in premier international organizations.

Repeated on Tuesday at 12:30pm

The ability to develop innovative & strategic ideas for your organization is critical.  Equally important is the ability to move those ideas through approval to implementation.  This session will explore techniques and frameworks to expand organizational influence through the lens of an HR leader.  HR needs to build influence and power across their organization, within the C-suite and across the Board of Directors.  We will examine strategies and tools designed to maximize the interpersonal influence for the HR leader and help move initiatives from proposal to execution.  We will explore what is known to the scientific world about social power strategies and how this can be applied to our HR landscape.  Tips & tricks to be an effective CHRO will also be explored.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore five things to consider to maximize your interpersonal influence.
• Identify common strategies to gain alignment and 'get stuff done'.
• Analyz how decisions are made and how to expand the ability to impact.
• Discover the seven bases of power and how to apply to the workplace.
• Sharpen skills that will help advance careers.

More than ever, HR professionals must rely on collective strength, think differently, and continue moving forward. If we fail to adapt, we fail to move forward. As you continue to make the best of remote and in-person workplaces, the task of responding to problems as an HR professional in the hybrid culture is getting more demanding. It Is What You Make It reveals the keys to solving the problem instead of accepting it.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and overcome the common barriers to thinking and accepting situations as they are.
• How to think critically and imaginatively, explore new possibilities, and generate a range of effective solutions.
• Weigh connections and relationships.
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently.
• Be able to define a problem and apply various problem-solving tools and techniques.

As our world continues to experience accelerated change, overwhelming complexity, and increased competition, the most successful leaders are those who can transition from a risk-averse to a risk-ready growth mindset. This session explores the transformation leaders need to undergo, both individually and organizationally, and will offer cutting edge strategies and best practices for how to cultivate a culture that thrives on calculated risk-taking, innovation, and problem solving to achieve sustainable results.

Learning Objectives:

• Walk away with greater knowledge, tools, and best practices for how leaders must reframe their view of risk from something to be avoided to something to be strategically managed.
• Identify the benefits of fostering a workplace culture that encourages creativity,  forward-thinking, and problem solving.
• Apply the steps necessary to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change, and maintain momentum in the face of uncertainty.

This session will discuss the power of empathy to build bridges through self-reflection, proximity, and direct engagement. Topics Covered: Diversity and Inclusion; Company Culture; Racial Reconciliation; WHY IT MATTERS; The impact of the pandemic will be felt for generations worldwide. The current pace of change and ongoing cultural friction is creating an opportunity for difficult conversations around the virtual water cooler and our dinner tables. These conversations can result in a desire to 'cancel', confront, or ignore those who see our world differently.  As professionals navigating the tensions between personal beliefs and experiences and company values, how can we lean in to make positive change in our workplace, families, and communities?   Session snippets include:  Empathy does not require perfection; it requires authenticity and humility. Bridges don't begin until there is nothing underneath them. On our road toward greater inclusion and diversity, we must remember that there is no change in shame.

Learning Objectives:

• Increase cultural awareness and understanding.
• Encourage interpersonal growth in a diverse environment.
• Build bridges to develop an inclusive organizational culture.

Have you ever heard someone say, 'I will NEVER understand her!', 'That's not how I would have reacted', or 'We will just NEVER get along.' If so, you're not alone. HR reports spending an average of 42 percent of their time dealing with employee disputes. Wouldn't your life be more enjoyable if everyone at work could just get along? Uncover the secrets to working with the most difficult team members and learn why the 'golden rule' is wrong when it comes to workplace communications.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand your unique communication style and how it plays out on your team.
• Recognize the distinct style of coworkers, managers, and direct reports.
• Learn to value and appreciate the different qualities that each individual brings to the team.
• Adapt to, welcome, and respect various personalities among team members to move toward a common goal.
• Work successfully and efficiently as part of a solid and high-functioning team.

Learning Objectives:

• Speak to various stakeholder groups in language that resonates with them.
• Counter employee resistance to diversity efforts.
• Incorporate culture-building principles when developing DEI strategy.
• Effectively engage executives as DEI ambassadors.
• Build empathy across audiences for underrepresented employee groups.
• Use technology to amplify Your DEI message.

Most engagement efforts focus on workplace engagement. In fact, billions of dollars are invested annually to improving engagement, workplace culture,  and leadership.  But Gallup claims 67% of the workforce continue to be disengaged or actively disengaged.  What gives? Research and case studies from Bob Kelleher's  book, I-Engage, Your Personal Engagement Roadmap highlight that workplace engagement is often triggered by what happens at home as much as  what happens at work.  If an employee is not happy in life, they will struggle to find engagement at work.   Do you know what engages you or your people? Do you know why or your employees are or aren't engaged? Are your positive or negative emotions driving your engagement? In this reflective session, discover the secrets to job fulfillment, the impact one's home and personal life have on workplace engagement, and proactive steps to boost engagement at both a personal level, and with employees you manage. You will learn key exercises and tools to unleash a holistic approach to engagement.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to engage the WHOLE employee.
• Coach employees to booster their personal engagement.
• Steps to become more engaged as an individual and to identify warning signs of disengagement with people you manage.
• Understand the two sides of engagement: personal and organizational.

Repeated on Tuesday at 2:00pm

An accommodation revolution is coming! This presentation examines legal changes to Title VII workplace accommodations.  Historically, Title VII required minimal employer concessions in terms of accommodations. Recently, statutes and cases expanded the scope of accommodation protections in Title VII. These changes constitute an 'accommodation revolution.' Employers will need to make increasing concessions to employee needs that were previously only available under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Are you ready for the accommodation revolution?

Learning Objectives:

• Increase understanding of the history and operation of Title VII.
• Increase understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Provide information on recent legal changes in Title VII concerning accommodations.
• Increase understanding of the scope of reasonable accommodations.

Do you put off handling difficult discipline discussions? Have you ever 'had enough' and said, 'You are fired'. The discipline process is like a movie; with staging, actors, props, rehearsal, and scripts and you are the star. This presentation will give you tips and strategies to direct an Oscar winning movie. You will learn where we go wrong, how to prepare for the rehearsal, and a best practice discipline process and even if you are the 'Terminator' you will receive a standing ovation.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand a different perspective on the discipline process.
• Learn tips and strategies for successful communication of expectations.
• Identify what goes wrong and why.
• Learn about documentation and 'how to say it' strategies.

In this session, we'll explore how AI-powered tools can enhance your communication skills, enabling you to personalize your messages to connect with your audience on a deeper level. We'll also discuss content strategies that improve your influence in your industry through tailored AI-driven approaches.  The session will include practical tips and success stories and how to apply them effectively while integrating the one thing that AI can't achieve, empathy and emotions.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping communication strategies and its relevance in various contexts.
• Discover techniques for using AI to identify and personalize your messaging and content, allowing you to connect with your target audience and increase audience engagement.
• Explore strategies and tactics for leveraging AI to build your brand in various contexts, such as brainstorming and content strategies.

In this engaging presentation, John inspires the audience to embrace a CEO's viewpoint on HR by emphasizing two vital qualities: passion and ownership. Acquire valuable insights and strategies to transform your workplace through the power of human resources. Embrace the life-changing impact that amazingly awesome HR can have on your employees, organization, and community. Attendees will walk away with a personalized, strategic plan to do HR Like a Boss.

Learning Objectives:

• Adopt a CEO Perspective: Gain the ability to view HR through the lens of a CEO, understanding the strategic importance of passion and ownership in driving organizational success.
• Strategic Insights: Acquire valuable insights and strategies to leverage the power of human resources, transforming the workplace to enhance employee engagement and overall productivity.
• Keys to Exceptional HR: Embrace the essential elements that contribute to amazingly awesome HR, focusing on making a lasting impact on employees, the organization, and the broader community.
• Concrete Action Plan: Develop a tangible, actionable plan to implement HR Like a Boss principles, ensuring practical application and positive outcomes in the workplace.

Repeated on Tuesday at 12:30pm.

Dave Barnett, Chief Administrative Officer at DeVry University, shares how Human Resources leaders can navigate challenges and redefine the employer-employee relationship amid continuous, global shifts in what we do and how we work.  Participants will learn strategies to intentionally shape a caring, empathy-driven culture, while enabling achievement of exceptional results.

Learning Objectives:

• Walk away with a clear framework for how to assess culture in the context of an aspirational cultural state.
• Receive examples of specific practices that can be leveraged to create a sense of belonging, a culture of care and mission/strategy/culture alignment.
• Discuss a process for how this work can then be leveraged into crafting a compelling employee value proposition.
• Understand how these efforts can translate into tangible organization-wide outcomes and results.

Evolving from Thin to Thick Clarifies Communication & Expedites Effectiveness Trust is the foundation for every relationship. Some people start off naturally trusting while others require it to be earned. Without it, time is wasted and the wrong problems are solved.  WHY IT MATTERS How do you decide to trust someone or not? In business, it's not an either/or proposition. We trust our colleagues, supervisors and subordinates in varying degrees, from thin to thick. The thicker the better  An Ownership Mindset enables individuals to engage in conversations that cause the evolution of trust to progress. Using the filters of Care, Commitment & Competence, trust can be built into a strong foundation.  Using a mouse trap to unveil numerous principles that exist within a trusting relationship, Greg engages the audience in a trust exercise like you've never experienced before!  Understanding trust indicators that exist both on teams and between individuals will catapult your ability to thicken up trust!

Learning Objectives:

• Learn why someone might not trust you.
• Explore the contrasting realities between thin and thick trust on teams.
• Understand how vision contributes to empowering trust.
• Grasp the cost of thin trust.
• See how trust is a tangible experience.

Wasted time is wasted money, and the core cause of wasted time is poor communication. Conflict is inevitable at every level of interaction, from entry-level employees to C-Suite. Challenge the notion of conflict resolution and reframe effective collaboration as 'getting comfortable with friction.' By standing confidently on your own values and fully understanding the intentions of your colleagues, you will learn to approach discord courageously and increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply techniques to navigate friction before it becomes conflict.
• Demonstrate intentional responses to different perspectives.
• Utilize tools for becoming bravely curious when you don't really want to talk about it anymore.

Too often, senior executives,  leaders and high performers  operate under their own outrageous 'Big Shot' rules causing distrust and turnover,  brand crushing headlines and social media spread, compliance crises and performance  related disasters. Examples arise in every industrial sector including healthcare, education, finance, utilities, public, and private employment.  This  practical session will provide an HR strategy and tools  for preventing and addressing 'Big Shot' misconduct before it causes lasting public,  team and organizational damage.

Learning Objectives:

• Consider several high-profile examples and recent cases where senior leaders or 'high performers' engaged in routinely outrageous behaviors which caused significant harm inside and outside their organizations explaining why and how it was tolerated;
• Discuss strategies involving Board, C Suite and team members which will prevent or correct such problems benefitting talent acquisition, staff retention, performance, diversity, inclusion and results;
• Discuss strategies for addressing the 'conceptual resistance' that allows blatantly improper behaviors to continue, causing others to avoid speaking up or, if in leadership roles, failing to address such behaviors.

Too often we allow change to happen to us. As HR leaders, we should drive change throughout every level of the organization to ensure you have a people-first culture made up of employees equipped to perform. This session will teach you how to become a change catalyst that makes sustainable improvements to help your company thrive and succeed !!

Learning Objectives:

• Be a Change Catalyst and not a Change Victim - Turn the tables and be proactive in creating and driving change instead of being reactive in your HR role.
• Communicate and be strategic about when and how organizational change occurs - The best way to be strategic is by framing and giving direction to the work being done throughout the company.
• The benefit of regularly giving context to others - Context is often missing in communication and efforts at work. Giving context allows people to be informed and perform more consistently.
• Become comfortable in driving change, taking risks, and being a trailblazer - We must be leaders in our HR role who intentionally step forward to take risks and remain current and relevant.

Repeated on Tuesday at 12:30pm

California regulates the workplace like no other state but there are new emerging hurdles for 2024-2025. The session will focus on preparing California employers for 2025 reviewing key workplace developments and provide preventive strategies for workplace issues. This session will include reviewing wage and hour, leave of absence and other difficult areas.  The program will review new laws, important cases and key policy and handbook updates for California.

Learning Objectives:

• What your employer must address in response to the new California laws and agency actions for 2025.
• Provide practical strategies to respond to the new California and federal case law impacting the workplace.
• Provide an action plan to update your California handbook and train your managers.

Emotional intelligence is vital in today's dynamic work environment. Emotionally Intelligent leaders positively impact their division and the organization through excellent performance and are able to lead with compassion and reduce stress for individuals and organizations by decreasing conflict, and improving relationships and understanding.   This session focuses on the importance of EI for effective leadership, components of EI, empathy and compassion in leadership, and lastly steps leaders can take to develop their Emotional Intelligence.

This is a highly interactive session; participants will reflect on some points and have an opportunity to discuss with other attendees.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the importance and benefits of Emotional Intelligence for leaders and organizations.
• Learn the importance of identifying emotions and strategies for self regulation.
• Identify the different impacts of empathy and compassion in leadership.
• Learn the five core competencies of Emotional Intelligence and steps leaders can take to develop each competency.

Without question, leadership skills are critical for senior roles that have oversight over people and departments. However, savvy employees that are seeking a leg-up on career advancement start exhibiting their leadership chops from whatever seat they currently occupy.   This session will take the mystery out of what it takes to lead from the chair you're in right now by exploring the six critical traits of great leaders and how to implement them in your day-to-day.

Learning Objectives:

• What it means to lead from the chair you're in right now.
• Why it's critical to learn to lead when you don't have direct reports (and how that will help set you up for success when you do have employees reporting to you!).
• How to lead company-wide initiatives without making enemies of your co-workers.
• How to leverage your company's resources and opportunities to gain the leadership knowledge you need to grow your career.
• Driving your own leadership development when your organization doesn't have a clear path or support for growth.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, effective leadership goes beyond traditional management techniques. Leaders who excel possess a unique set of coaching skills, empowering their teams to achieve greatness. This session delves into the International Coach Federation (ICF) coaching core competences, equipping leaders with the tools to inspire, motivate, and guide their teams to unparalleled success. Through interactive discussions and real-world case studies, participants will learn how to foster a culture of growth, accountability, and innovation. From active listening to powerful questioning techniques, this program empowers leaders to unleash the full potential of their teams, driving sustainable results and fostering long-term success. Join us on this transformative journey towards Leadership Mastery and unlock the true power of coaching in the workplace.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the key principles of coaching and its significance in leadership.
• Explore strategies for fostering a culture of growth, accountability, and innovation within the organization.
• Gain insights into leveraging coaching skills to enhance team performance and productivity.
• Create action plans to implement coaching techniques effectively in day-to-day leadership practices.

Joy Chen, a former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles and executive recruiter for Fortune 500 CEOs and Board members, embodies a blend of leadership and corporate strategy that spans continents. Her extensive experience has enabled millions across Asia and the Americas with the essential insights and skills needed to flourish in a globally interconnected business landscape. For her contributions to global leadership, Joy has been featured across media including the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Financial Times and Vogue China.

Learning Objectives:

• Decoding Global Cultural Dynamics: Dive into the rich cultural anthropology influencing global business interactions, so that you can understand the unseen social dynamics that shape global teams and boost collaboration and performance.
• Enhancing Cultural Fluency: Elevate your leadership by mastering the skills to bridge cultures, so that you can effectively engage and mobilize colleagues and business partners from all backgrounds and viewpoints.
• Driving Cultural Integration: Transform your team's approach from demanding "culture fit" to embracing "culture add." Learn how to turn cultural differences from a potential obstacle into a potent strategic edge to drive innovation and market growth.

"Leading Across Borders" provides a comprehensive journey into mastering the challenges of global HR leadership in the digital era. Tap into Joy's wealth of knowledge to equip yourself to greater global impact and influence.

SHRM Foundation's national and regional one-time virtual career mentoring events - HR Pathways & Perspectives will be brought to a live audience at SHRM24!   This session is designed to increase HR professionals, emerging professionals and students' awareness of HR career pathways, gather HR career insights, and expand HR professional networks. 

Learning Objectives:

• Hear how leaders have embraced strategies to transform workplaces across the globe leading with empathy and understanding.
• Attendees will receive guidance on career planning and what resources they need to develop leadership skills needed to progress.
• Take home skills on how to expand your professional networks and knowledge on how to build relationships that lead to transformative roles within companies across the globe.

This thought-provoking session will share practical insights on the remarkable power of resiliency. We will explore the true essence of resilience and discover strategies for building and harnessing resilience and how it can transform your personal and professional life. Prepare to be motivated and equipped with the knowledge you need to bounce back stronger and achieve your goals through your journey of continuous growth and learning.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop a deep understanding of the true meaning of resilience.
• Feel inspired and motivated to embrace failure as a stepping stone to success.
• Acquire practical strategies for moving forward with resilience and optimism.
• Recognize the value of authentic leadership and transparency.
• Gain actionable tools to build and harness resilience in daily life.

The Case: The topic is related to a 62-year-old conservative, family owned, promoter driven, inward looking organization in the precious metals industry. The business had been coming, the company had been standing, but nobody looked at its growth potential. There was a huge trust deficit between the management and employees. There was the highest level of confidentiality which was hampering the work to an unimagined extent. The systems, processes and policies were very archaic. It was a big challenge to attract talent in spite of good financial stability and position in the market. The brand was lost in oblivion.

 Need for Change: The business environment is always dynamic, constantly evolving and endlessly demanding. It keeps on posing challenges even to the organizations which have existed in the market for years.

Learning Objectives:

• Conceptualizing, designing, and executing a structured organization change process for converting an inward-looking organization into a truly professional global company.
• Identifying the main constituents of organization change and factors which inevitably impact it and managing them to the advantage of the company.
• Understanding expected tangible and intangible impediments which are confronted while executing change management interventions.
• Enhancing involvement of internal stake holders at all the levels in the change process by winning their trust, acceptability, and commitment.
• Rebuilding the organizational culture, transforming the working environment, and broadening people perspective to internalize the effected change.

The conversation about the future of work often focuses on the business world, highlighting innovation and change. However, this overlooks the vital nonprofit sector, where the dialogue and solutions for it are just as crucial. 'The Nonprofit Navigator' is a dynamic session designed to fill this gap. It's a deep dive for nonprofit leaders and HR professionals into how their work is evolving in the social impact space and links the ideas of futurism in the for-profit sector to the mission-driven world of nonprofits, addressing how to navigate the changing landscape while staying true to core values. Participants will explore the distinctive challenges and possibilities of nonprofits, understanding how they can contribute to a fair and sustainable future. This session also serves as a conduit to the business sector's focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, offering strategies to integrate these into nonprofit goals without losing sight of their social imperatives. Attendees will leave with a clear vision of their unique role in molding a future that's innovative, socially conscious, and socially sustainable.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the unique challenges and opportunities of the nonprofit sector in the context of the future of work.
• Understand the role of nonprofits in ensuring equality of opportunities and aligning with ESG goals.
• Gain insights into strategies for creating socially responsible work environments in the nonprofit sector.
• Empower nonprofit leaders with knowledge to drive positive change and innovation within their organizations.

Despite our recent efforts, employee turnover and retention are still among the top concerns of CEOs, HR, and managers. Pay raises, flextime, remote work, and all the other perks haven't been enough. Why? Employees who leave consistently identify poor feedback as one of the biggest reasons.  When translated, you may recognize these: (a) I don't know what is expected of me, (b) I don't know how I'm doing, (c) I don't know where I stand within the company, (d) I don't know the future holds for me or the company, or (e) I never hear from my manager. Within this session, we'll identify the 5 common trends among managers that prevent effective feedback and how to overcome them. We'll tap into the latest workforce research and compare it to shifts in attitude, demographics, work ethics, learning styles, relationships, and more. You'll also leave with specific tools and action plans you can implement right away with managers to begin to see immediate results.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about the top five barriers that most commonly get in the way of effective feedback and accountability.
• Identify the differences in today's workforce that require a shift in how we deliver feedback to effect change.
• Consider best practices to instill a culture conducive to feedback and continuous improvement.
• Understand the 'roadmap' to effective feedback to train and implement with managers.
• Promote greater inclusion in the workplace through effective communication and engagement with employees.

Whether you interviewed for the job or not - you are the CEO of your career progression. In this session, you will identify how your unique blend of career experiences, life lessons, styles of interaction, and workplace strengths can be used to get you from the level you're at to the level you want to be. During this workshop, you will learn to write your own story and build a roadmap to your next career destination.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the four critical ingredients for developing their career roadmap.
• Gain a strong understanding of the foundational steps to unleash their professional passion and purpose.
• Discover 18 actionable items to drive their career success.
• Receive two 'take-home' career management strategies to implement plans for their career vision.

SHRM-certified HR professionals stand out in the workplace for all the right reasons. Overcoming the hurdle of successfully becoming SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certified may seem like a daunting task, but fear not! The SHRM certification team is prepared to fully demystify common misconceptions, identify what to expect on test day, and provide tools to help you navigate the exam questions!    SHRM Certification provides HR Professionals with the opportunity to exhibit their proficiency, skills, and knowledge needed to ensure success in today's demanding business environment. With the ever-changing job market becoming stronger, the competition for talent is fierce as new skills and knowledge are required to meet the demands of tomorrow. In fact, over 70% of business executives agree that it will be important for HR professionals to be SHRM-certified in the near future. Furthermore, studies show that 76% of SHRM-certified HR professionals reported a salary increase in the prior year, and over 90% of SHRM-certified individuals report that they feel valued and respected by their organization, have the expanded skill set to perform more meaningful work and feel confident in their abilities and decision-making skills.   In this presentation, you will learn how SHRM-developed preparation resources will aid you on your journey to becoming SHRM certified, including the different processes for testing in-person at a Prometric test center versus remote proctoring, overcoming test anxiety, and mapping out a study plan that meets your financial needs and works with your schedule.    Join us for this Spotlight Stage session to learn the best way you can Ace your SHRM certification exam!

Learning Objectives:

• Take a deep dive into the SHRM-developed resources to help applicants prepare for the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams.
• Receive an overview of how the exams are constructed, including details on knowledge and scenario-based situational judgment items (SJIs).
• Identify the resources available to help applicants prepare for the exam.

Repeated on Tuesday at 3:30pm

A study from Gallup and Workhuman finds that recognition and well-being, together, can pave the way for improved business outcomes. But HOW do we do that?  What can we do to make the workplace more engaging? From the research and data findings within his research, Dr. Fockler found the 'secret sauce' to change, and this 4-step process for LEADing change in the workplace can support a vast array of business sectors.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the top five issues currently showing up in the workplace as per Gallup and Workhuman.
• Learn about LEADing change (an acronym used to foster change), which is grounded in theory (the science of using the concept).
• Utilize LEAD within your organization (art of using the concept).
• See how the issues presented by Gallup and Workhuman are opportunities for HR practitioners to LEAD change in their organization.

With AI on the horizon, no skill is more important in business today than the ability to understand, analyze, and act on information effectively and responsibly. HR professionals who are also savvy, sharp critical thinkers can cut through ambiguity and information overload to quickly zero in on what is really important. This session covers cognitive techniques and critical thinking tools to enhance decision-making under pressure and strengthen your impact. Years of leadership experience do not automatically provide critical thinking skills! Since even highly experienced business leaders sometimes make bad decisions that damage themselves and their organizations, something more than experience must be necessary. We'll use real-life examples to examine why incompetence, bad character, or low intelligence generally aren't to blame when leaders and organizations blunder. We'll learn how HR professionals can become better critical thinkers and add decision-making assets to their toolkit.

Learning Objectives:

• How AI depends on the human review, auditing and correction found in critical thinking.
• Critical Thinking theory and practice, with case studies focused on HR Decision Making methods that work in group environments.
• Group Dynamics that apply to HR issues.
• Coaching and Mentoring methods to teach others.

Repeated on Tuesday at 3:30pm

What if everyone in your organization could anticipate shifts in trends and embrace uncertainty? Strategic foresight can create that capability. In this session, participants will learn a technique for creating dynamic future scenarios that seamlessly connect strategic thinking training with real strategic planning processes and do so in a way that adapts as the world shifts around their organization. As a bonus, participants leave with a richer understanding of the future of human resource management.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the core uncertainties facing your industry and have a process for mapping how those uncertainties interact.
• Stress test short-term initiatives against a range of 'what if' scenarios and identify blindspots in short-term strategies.
• Lead conversations with leaders in your organization about the importance of developing strategic foresight skills.

Join John Ferguson, the Chief HR Officer at NASCAR, and Laural Logan-Fain, PhD, the Associate Vice President of People Business Partnership at Spurs Sports & Entertainment, in this dynamic session as they discuss Power Skills and Drills crucial for the growth of a dynamic HR leader.    This session will highlight the essential skills and strategies needed to guide attendees as they navigate the next steps of their career and the Racetrack of life.

Learning Objectives:

• Clarify your goal: CEO or Strategic Advisor?
• Connect with others through the art of storytelling.
• Define, develop, and demonstrate your Power Skills.
• Lead change and drive business outcomes.

So often business leaders 'throw change over the wall' to HR, and you're expected to 'execute the change' by 'communicating' or 'training.'  But you didn't even have a voice in the change, suspect employees will resist, and know there's a better way to roll it out.  With the failure rate of major organizational changes at 70%, often due to 'people issues,' leaders desperately need HR's unique perspective.  Join us for actionable take-aways to influence change!

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the role that HR professionals are typically asked to play during change initiatives - and also the role they could and should play - and how to close that gap to break the 'change failure cycle.'
• Learn about the most common sources of resistance to change, and how HR professionals can help reduce resistance to changes their organizations need to make to survive and thrive in this time of massive disruption across industries and around the world.
• Appreciate the needs and concerns of business leaders during change initiatives, and how to adapt one's approach and communications to 'speak in their language' in order to build relationships as a trusted advisor and influence for impact.
• Build skill in engaging for change up, down, and across the organization to partner in rolling-out successful and sustainable change, which will contribute bottom-line value to your organization by helping to increase the probability of implementing change smoothly and successfully, improving ROI and engagement in the process.
• Develop greater confidence and competence, and reduce stress and frustration, during change initiatives - for oneself and one's colleagues - by becoming more agile and change-ready as an HR professional, and by learning how to foster greater agility and change-readiness in the key stakeholders we serve.

Many employees expend considerable emotional energy hiding their disabilities from colleagues and bosses in every interaction at work, in every meeting, and when toiling away side-by-side. It's exhausting and stressful. But the stigma around disabilities - the fear of discrimination and rejection, and the risk related to job security - prevents many employees from disclosing their condition and asking for supports and accommodations to succeed at work.  Yet studies show that when employers intentionally create an atmosphere of acceptance and show a commitment to build inclusion - offering disability awareness training and creating employee resource groups as a safe place for people with disabilities, chronic conditions, or difficult life situations to meet and support one another - employees no longer feel threatened to reveal a disability. Instead, they take advantage of employer-provided supports, which, in turn, improves their wellbeing, increases their level of trust in others, and boosts their productivity.  This presentation explores how to approach disclosure in the workplace and provides research-driven strategies that cultivate acceptance from colleagues and supervisors.

Learning Objectives:

• Hear how masking inhibits executive functioning skills.
• Learn about strategies to determine whether and how to disclose a disability.
• Discuss questions to ask to try to determine whether an organization has a culture of acceptance and diversity.
• Talk about approaches to help you advocate for policies that support people with invisible disabilities.
• Innovative research to aid organizations in becoming more aware of invisible disabilities and create policies that foster advocacy and acceptance.

Growth aspirations seem like one of the more common and obvious intentions within an organization. Wanting growth, however, is not the same as pursuing growth, with the key differentiator being a growth mindset. Any culture hungry to embody a growth mindset must know their employees are ready and able to embody a growth mindset. This foundation-first approach to professional development will ensure organizations can best position their people to pursue growth.

Learning Objectives:

• Encouraging individuals to identify their authentic attributes to build confidence in the impact their truest self can have on future growth.
• Justifying why the adverse parts of an individual's role must be identified and embraced so as to serve future growth.
• Honoring the work that goes into forming a foundation for growth through more engaged and respectful communication.
• Centering an individual foundation for growth as a means of aligning what people want with the mission of the organization.

Join us for an illuminating session as we uncover how Bucknell University has demonstrated unparalleled HR strategic planning prowess in the midst of business adaptation. Explore the strategic initiatives, innovative practices, and transformative approaches that have enabled Bucknell to navigate evolving landscapes with agility and resilience. From talent acquisition and development to organizational culture and change management, discover how Bucknell's HR leadership has played a pivotal role in driving the university's success amidst dynamic challenges.

Learning Objectives:

• Mastering HR Strategic Planning in Dynamic Environments: Provide insights into the strategic planning process, including how to anticipate future challenges, adapt HR practices accordingly, and ensure organizational agility and resilience. Explore the tools and frameworks that can aid in effective HR strategic planning in any dynamic environment.
• Fostering a Resilient Organizational Culture: Delve into the practices and initiatives that have built a strong, adaptable culture, including change management strategies, employee engagement, and inclusivity efforts. Learn how to create and nurture a culture that can withstand and thrive through challenges.

We all have gremlins, those inner critics that emerge from early incidents with early influencers and attach firmly to our psyche. They want us to stay safe and survive. But while their intentions are good, they're not in charge. As HR leaders, we can help leaders at all levels manage the gremlins that whisper, 'You're not good enough! You don't belong here! You can't hack this!' In this active and engaging workshop, Tina Schust Robinson offers practical ways to grapple with the gremlins that can keep us small, scared, and stuck.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess where, when, and how the gremlins speak.
• Understand how the gremlins affect the leader's behavior and mindset.
• Name the gremlins to begin establishing authority over them.
• Develop management techniques to limit the gremlins' effects.

When HR and Security teams understand their respective roles, value each other, and have an open, productive partnership, life is good. They can help each other be more effective and complement each other's functions. Unfortunately, that symbiotic state can be hard to achieve. For HR professionals, dealing with the security team can be a challenge. One day they send out an emotionally-triggering simulated phish to everyone in the organization, causing numerous employee complaints that HR has to manager. Next, they're trying to get someone fired for clicking on said simulated phish, even though it's not their job to hire and fire. The security team can seem rigid, controlling, and have the capacity to scare the daylights out of the rest of the organization. Sometimes they scare people too much - the sky can't always be falling - leading to apathy.  So what to do if you don't have the best relationship with the security team?  This talk, based on years of experience navigating the relationship between HR and Security teams, will cover the issues that cause the biggest disconnects between HR and Security. We'll look at the issues from both sides and cover proposed solutions for each.  Improving the relationships for both departments can lead to happier HR and Security professionals who are more effective in their roles, and a company that's better protected and prepared against cyber threats.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover the points of connection and potential disconnect with the Security team.
• Hear why security teams occasionally seem to act more like HR than Security.
• Discuss how Security and HR can collaborate to both be more effective.

Addressing and preventing cyclical workplace fatigue within an HR context demands a dual commitment to intentional self-care and astute awareness of communication dynamics and leadership style. Elevating your role to that of a 'space creator' is key-mastering the art of setting and maintaining boundaries that not only empower your team but also shield you from assuming undue responsibilities and succumbing to perpetual burnout. This proactive approach is pivotal in fostering a healthy workplace environment and ensuring sustained well-being for both yourself and your team.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore how leaders serve as architects, shaping the values, beliefs, and norms that define the organizational culture.
• Effectively build trust and psychological safety in the workplace.
• Create and maintain boundaries to prevent burnout and generate a culture that prioritizes wellness.
• Apply the Support, Don't Solve framework in real-world leadership, scenarios.
• Implement strategies to delegate effectively, empower others, and encourage authentic collaboration.

In today's dynamic work environments, leadership goes beyond titles. Professionals need influential leadership and personal branding to make a lasting impact.   In this session, we'll explore the synergy of influence and personal branding, craft a Personal Brand Statement to fuel career success and build credibility, influence and relationships to get results.  Your personal brand isn't just a catchphrase; it's the value you offer. Discover your unique qualities, manage your brand, and accelerate your career.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how to leverage your personal brand as an asset, ensuring alignment with your career goals, as well as your organization's goals to drive meaningful change.
• Discover what motivates humans, how communication works, and how to craft an effective vision that will allow you to lead people to success - regardless of your title or position.
• Develop strategies to manage organizational change using influence, balancing the needs of stakeholders, while actively promoting and communicating your personal brand for increased impact.

Unemployment remains low. Disengagement is on the rise. Employees - often your top performers - will seek other opportunities. How can leaders manage departures in ways that keep doors open for potential returns, protect remaining team members, and reduce productivity drains? As HR leaders, it often falls to us to step in to support healthy transitions. In this engaging workshop, Tina Schust Robinson, founder of WorkJoy, offers three practical steps to help managers say goodbye with grace.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn techniques for opening emotionally-intelligent dialogues with employees who give notice.
• Evaluate potential to retain by considering four critical questions.
• Co-create a win-win transition plan that supports the departing employee, the remaining team members, and the manager.

Although Quiet Quitting is all the rage, speaker/author Bob Kelleher first introduced the concept in his You Tube Video, Who's Sinking Your Boat (1.2 million views). In this dynamic and multimedia presentation, Bob shares studies that show that an individual's level of engagement or disengagement can be directly linked to a variety of factors: One's own engagement; who you select to manage people; the disconnect between an individual's and the firm's values; the dynamics that take place in people's lives OUTSIDE of work; and the failure of firms to hold the actively disengaged accountable.  Bob will walk through key steps to reverse disengagement, while energizing and engaging your 'quiet quitters'.

Learning Objectives:

• How to identify your disengaged employees or those who are quietly quitting the organization.
• Learn the secrets to why employees become disengaged.
• Learn the key engagement drivers of the various workforce generations.
• Learn why staff selection might be the reason you have disengaged employees.
• Understand the important role accountability plays in one's engagement and self motivation.
• Leave with practical videos, case studies, and metrics to share with your own leaders.

Getting stuff done in the office can be challenging even under the best of circumstances. Everyone has their own priorities and deadlines. However, you've also got your own projects and getting them successfully implemented typically requires assistance from employees who don't work for you. This is where your powers of influence can help!   In this fun and lively presentation, we'll review strategies to help you influence without authority for your projects and your career!

Learning Objectives:

• Inspiring others to share your vision (not just HR).
• Recognizing resistance to change from senior leaders - and how to overcome it.
• Why adapting your communication style to the person you're influencing is critical to your success (and how to do it on the fly).
• Going beyond logic - using emotions to win your point.
• Using 'constructive persuasion' to change viewpoints.

In this lively program Janice Litvin will show students and emerging professionals how to manage stress to prevent burnout. Based on the premise that you can change your reactions to stress, Janice's methodology will teach you how to build awareness, convert negative thoughts into positive self-talk, and set healthy boundaries. You will come away with specific tools you can start using immediately. All you need is awareness, desire to change, and willingness to do the work.

Learning Objectives:

• Identifying workplace stressors.
• Recognizing burnout in yourself and peers (physical and mental signs).
• How your thought process contributes to burnout (being aware & reframing your mindset).
• Setting healthy boundaries.

As the nature of change advances and the speed of change accelerates, it is necessary to look further ahead and be able to alter your organization in the face of uncertainty. This session will reveal the challenges of change and a plan to affect it. It provides HR professionals with a clear and usable model for sorting through what difference you are trying to accomplish and what steps you need to take to get there.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify components and tools necessary to lead change.
• Describe organizational culture variables that might inhibit or help manage change.
• Express the internal and external reasons for a specific change.
• Understand how change will contribute to and benefit the organization and why it is important.
• Evaluate your current culture regarding change management, project management, and leadership.

Embark on an inspiring journey into Lenovo's groundbreaking initiative aimed at cultivating and empowering women leaders. In this session, we delve deep into the strategies, insights, and transformative impact of Lenovo's highly successful women leadership program. Discover how Lenovo has prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion by designing a comprehensive program that addresses the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women in the tech industry. From coaching and skill development to networking and advocacy, the program is underscored by executives' commitment to the participants' success and advancement. Explore how Lenovo fosters a supportive ecosystem for women to thrive and ascend to leadership positions.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the Structure and Components of Lenovo's Women Leadership Program: Examine the key elements of the program designed to empower women, including coaching, skill development, networking, and advocacy.
• Analyze Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Female Leadership: Investigate the specific barriers that women face in advancing to leadership positions in the tech industry and how Lenovo's program addresses these challenges. Learn about the strategies and initiatives implemented by Lenovo to eliminate these barriers and promote gender equity.

Less than 25% of organizations are leaders but more than 25% of training is designed to train employees on leadership skills. If leadership is everyone's business then followership is everyone's responsibility. So, when will see the followership initiative movement begin? Leaders who first learn to follow and serve make the best leaders, however, it is an unadmired skill set. No one brags about their new follower position or how they followed well and made the project a success. Discover the uncelebrated art of following and serving, essential for becoming exceptional leaders. Join us to reshape the narrative, making followership as appealing as it is invaluable. Let's redefine success and elevate organizational dynamics together.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the Crucial Role of Followership: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the often underestimated significance of followership in organizational success, recognizing its impact on team dynamics and overall leadership effectiveness.
• Cultivate Exemplary Followership Skills: Develop key attributes and skills associated with exemplary followership, such as active communication, adaptability, and collaborative problem-solving, enhancing your ability to contribute positively within a team.
• Foster a Collaborative Organizational Culture: Explore strategies to create a workplace culture that values both leadership and followership, promoting mutual respect, effective communication, and shared responsibility for achieving organizational objectives.
• Apply Followership Principles in Leadership Roles: Learn to seamlessly transition between leadership and followership roles, appreciate the symbiotic relationship between the two, and apply these principles to enhance your leadership capabilities for greater team cohesion and success.

In every workplace, beyond the pressure of performance, meeting deadlines, and navigating change, there lurks a more daunting challenge: working with complicated people. You know the types – the overbearing boss who can't decide if they're a micromanager or an absentee leader, the colleague whose mood swings could give the stock market a run for its money, or the client whose demands could rival those of a diva on a world tour. When it comes to complicated people, we’ve got options. 1. We can ignore them. But this option doesn’t help us grow. 2. We can try to change them. But we don’t like when people try to change us. 3. We could cancel them. Are there some people that need to be cut out of our lives? Sure. But when they’re our boss, cutting them out of our lives also means cutting our paycheck. There’s a 4th option that can lead to effective collaboration. And that’s understanding them. How to Work With Complicated People is based on a new book by best-selling author and speaker Ryan Leak, who did a national research study on how to work with complicated people. In this session, Ryan will unpack strategies for effective collaboration with people we often find complicated. With humor, inspiration, and data-driven strategies, Ryan will help us move toward people we’d normally try to avoid. 

Balancing market pay and internal equity is a challenge when developing your compensation plans. You must choose aligned survey sources to ensure you are paying market rates. Equally important is to make sure your organization's internal values are represented. After all, the market operates on pure supply and demand, with no inherent 'values'; whereas your organization has values that must be recognized, such as, pay equity, core position identification, and other company-culture considerations. How do you reconcile the two? In his presentation, John Rubino discusses the most important techniques and methodologies to ensure that you strike the right external and internal balance. You will learn how to articulate your organizations compensation philosophy and pay policy, choosing your benchmark jobs, identifying and analyzing survey sources, as well as internal job evaluation and pay equity methodologies, and much more - all to achieve an optimal balance in your compensation programs!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and apply the optimal emphasis for your organization between market competitiveness and internal equity, to ensure that your compensation programs are properly equipped to attract, retain and motivate a well-qualified and motivated workforce.
• Create and articulate your organization's compensation philosophy and pay policy.
• Identify and analyze your benchmark jobs and valid market survey sources to ensure market competitiveness.
• Identify and apply the most-aligned internal job evaluation and pay equity methodologies to ensure that your organization's core values are properly represented in your compensation programs.
• Discuss additional tools and techniques to ensure that you are striking the right balance between market competitiveness and internal equity in your compensation programs.

Non-Qualified plans like deferred compensation, RSU's, options, and corporate owned life insurance policies are exploding in popularity as employers look for new ways to attract and retain key personnel. This presentation will take you all the way back to the basics. Why do you (or should you) have one of these plans in your benefits package? How do they work and what are the different ways to structure them? How do you evaluate an existing program and determine if it is successful? Here is a crash course in all types of Non-Qualified Plans and how you can maximize their benefits.

Learning Objectives:

• What is a Non-Qualified Plan?
• Why are Non-Qualified Plans becoming more popular?
• How can a Non-Qualified Plan help an organization meet their goals?
• How to administer your plan to maximize its benefits.

Getting ethics right is a big deal, and ethics requires courage, especially in a world with AI arriving on our desktops. HR professionals often need help in maintaining high ethical and cultural standards for their organization. This facilitated discussion goes beyond a lecture on ethical principles – it includes actionable tactics and recent case studies that offer participants 'real-time' practice in resolving dilemmas, with participants sharpening their critical thinking skills.   Participants will learn and practice effective tactics for aligning their values and ethics with their organization's goals and reducing their fears of 'doing the right thing' in complex situations.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding how Critical Thinking and Ethics are under pressure from the arrival of Generative AI in our organization's life.
• Resolving Ethical Dilemmas using structured thinking tools.
• Preparing for the challenge of an employee needing to address ethics when the challenge/problem includes their boss' action or lack of action.
• How can an employee effectively 'delegate up' when they see an ethical issue that their boss either doesn't see or doesn't acknowledge to be an issue?
• Balancing logic, emotions, and courage while making difficult decisions.
• Building an action plan for personal and organizational courage.

Repeated from Monday at 11:00am

Unmanaged workplace stress in the United States costs more than $300 billion annually in lost productivity, absenteeism, staff turnover, and medical, legal, and insurance expenditures. Many HR departments face escalating burnout, heightened workloads, and shortages. Navigating multiple competing priorities and changing organizational demands is compounded with uncertainty in the marketplace, workloads infiltrating their personal lives, and difficulty disconnecting from work. HR leaders will gain strategies to alleviate personal burnout and cultivate a growth-oriented mindset; equipping them to lead by example within their organizations.  Learn from a Doctor of Nursing with 14 years of experience in improving outcomes and strategically navigating leaders to mitigate burnout and operate at peak performance.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain awareness of the research-validated stages of burnout.
• Recognize the early signs and symptoms of leadership burnout.
• Self-identify with your current phase of the burnout cycle.
• Master targeted strategies to reduce burnout in you lives and career.

Repeated from Monday at 2:00pm

California regulates the workplace like no other state but there are new emerging hurdles for 2024-2025. The session will focus on preparing California employers for 2025 reviewing key workplace developments and provide preventive strategies for workplace issues. This session will include reviewing wage and hour, leave of absence and other difficult areas.  The program will review new laws, important cases and key policy and handbook updates for California.

Learning Objectives:

• What your employer must address in response to the new California laws and agency actions for 2025.
• Provide practical strategies to respond to the new California and federal case law impacting the workplace.
• Provide an action plan to update your California handbook and train your managers.

What if you could go back in time, to the early part of your career, and talk with your 'younger self?'  What would you say? What advice would you give, and how transparent would you be with the ups and downs you experienced to get you where you are today?  As HR Professionals we all know that this type of self-reflection is an important component of being an effective leader. But how many times do we intentionally share our stories of adversity, and subsequently how we grew from them, with those around us?  'Dear Younger Self', is one woman's journey as she:

• Left a company she's been at for 18 years.
• Joined a new,  predominantly male-dominated organization, with a well-established Leadership Team.
• Found out that most of the employees (including some of the leadership), viewed the role of HR, as a villain.
• Faced numerous challenges.
• And in the end, learned some incredibly valuable lessons in leadership and life.

Learning Objectives:

• Expansion of self-awareness regarding adversity in the listener's own career and how they responded to difficult situations.
• Recognizing the importance of key leadership and development skills.
• Identifying and leveraging your strengths as they relate to your role and what you were hired to do in your organization.
• Never shying away from saying the things that need to be said.
• The importance of gaining buy-in when going through organizational change.
• Making decisions based on what we know, not how we feel.
• The power of vulnerability.
• Examining why, so often, we associate 'mistakes' as a negative experience vs. an opportunity for growth.

Our workplaces are filled with diverse people whose lives require more from them than ever before. People are managing their personal lives, their families and extended families, their mental health, their emotions, a world that experiences change almost instantaneously, and the everyday stresses that come with being human. Yet we have a difficult time recognizing that these things impact the workplace, and that people are more than the work they do. All people have an innate need to feel understood, heard, or just validated-that life is tough, and we support them.   Enter empathy - our ability to understand what others are feeling and actively share emotions with others. Our ability to lead with empathy and value people for who they are can have a significant impact on the workforce. So, how do we solve it? Join this discussion where we will explore what it means to demonstrate empathy and how we can make this a part of our everyday actions.

Learning Objectives:

• Define empathy and the various types of empathy.
• Explore the importance of empathy in the workplace.
• Discuss how to strengthen empathy skills and remove roadblocks that inhibit empathy.
• Develop a plan of action for creating a more empathic culture.

Feedback is a Gift! 68% of workers who get consistent and accurate feedback feel satisfied in their jobs!  Effective feedback is a crucial aspect of personal and professional growth, and it plays an important role in creating a positive organizational culture. Clear and timely feedback promotes a growth mindset, trust, as well as increased productivity.  Let's get skilled, both as the receiver and giver of feedback. What's the power of the receiver?

Learning Objectives:

• The right response to feedback, regardless if it's accurate or skillfully delivered or not.
• Power of the receiver: pull for feedback.
• Necessary ingredients for effective feedback.

Join international award winning empowerment expert Ashley T Brundage as she shares the 4 empowerment steps to cultivate global leadership for your organization. This session will cover the 4 empowerment steps and the research study results from the 28 countries and 17 languages that participated globally. Hear unique insights, see technology that can leverage insights, and engage with the top empowering actions for global leadership and empowerment for your teams.

Learning Objectives:

• Cover the 4 empowerment steps.
• Learn the research study results from the 28 countries and 17 languages that participated globally.
• Engage live with technology that can leverage insights for empowerment.
• Lead with the top empowering actions for global leadership and empowerment for your teams.

Repeated from Monday at 11:00am

The ability to develop innovative & strategic ideas for your organization is critical.  Equally important is the ability to move those ideas through approval to implementation.  This session will explore techniques and frameworks to expand organizational influence through the lens of an HR leader.  HR needs to build influence and power across their organization, within the C-suite and across the Board of Directors.  We will examine strategies and tools designed to maximize the interpersonal influence for the HR leader and help move initiatives from proposal to execution.  We will explore what is known to the scientific world about social power strategies and how this can be applied to our HR landscape.  Tips & tricks to be an effective CHRO will also be explored.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore five things to consider to maximize your interpersonal influence.
• Identify common strategies to gain alignment and 'get stuff done'.
• Analyz how decisions are made and how to expand the ability to impact.
• Discover the seven bases of power and how to apply to the workplace.
• Sharpen skills that will help advance careers.

Presented by a lawyer who has defended employment lawsuits for 40 years, this program will highlight HR's role in the events leading up to litigation and in the litigation itself.  HR is instrumental in creating the right policies, in maintaining the necessary records, in documenting employee misconduct and performance issues, and in conducting competent and objective investigations that set the stage for an employment lawsuit.  HR also typically plays a pivotal role in answering discovery, giving depositions and testifying in court.  This presentation will prepare you to set your organization up for a win in the event an employee should sue.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how employment policies can provide a winning edge -- or not -- in an employment lawsuit.
• Learn why thorough documentation of workplace incidents and employee performance is so important -- 'If it's not in writing, it didn't happen.'
• Learn how to conduct an investigation of employee misconduct that won't be shot down by opposing counsel.
• Learn HR's role in the discovery process in a lawsuit, and in testifying in court.

Repeated from Monday at 12:30pm.

Dave Barnett, Chief Administrative Officer at DeVry University, shares how Human Resources leaders can navigate challenges and redefine the employer-employee relationship amid continuous, global shifts in what we do and how we work.  Participants will learn strategies to intentionally shape a caring, empathy-driven culture, while enabling achievement of exceptional results.

Learning Objectives:

• Walk away with a clear framework for how to assess culture in the context of an aspirational cultural state.
• Receive examples of specific practices that can be leveraged to create a sense of belonging, a culture of care and mission/strategy/culture alignment.
• Discuss a process for how this work can then be leveraged into crafting a compelling employee value proposition.
• Understand how these efforts can translate into tangible organization-wide outcomes and results.

'When assimilation is the pre-requisite to inclusion, organizations will never realize the full power of human potential.' Corporate cultural norms are creating 'hidden figures'; brilliant women who are plateauing in leadership due to the pressures of conforming, perfectionism, burnout and more. Shayla uses research and professional lived experiences to deliver a talk that emphasizes the power of personal branding, redefines executive presence and empowers women to challenge status quo by leveraging their authenticity.

Learning Objectives:

• Leaders understand inclusive leadership foundations to embrace and celebrate unique individuality and how to nourish it to increase employee engagement and retention.
• Women understands what it takes to shed the layers of perfectionism, conforming, self doubt and imposter syndrome and activate their authenticity to excel as a leader.
• Women understand the power of personal brands, standing out and navigating the workplace disrupting status quo.

Current research shows that employees are increasingly more stressed, overwhelmed and burnout. However, when you think about it, it's counterintuitive. Many would suggest that the direct benefits to the workplace, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have been significant. Increases in remote work, administration of virtual meetings, integration of more flexible work schedules, reductions in telecommuting, a more relaxed workplace dress code, deeper focus on online learning and skill-building, reductions in employer operating costs etc. However, in the midst of these benefits, employees are saying that their stress levels are rising, their work-life balance is being challenged and overall employee engagement is declining. There must be other factors or tensions in the work environment creating this imbalance, an impacting our employee base negatively.  This workshop will explore ten (10) 'tens10ns' that exist in the workplace that are causing mass employee dissatisfaction and disengagement. Some of these 'tens10ns' are known and some are hidden, but the impact is far-reaching across many industries, countries and organizations world-wide. Strategies will be provided to encourage a more strategic focus on workplace engagement and wellness, and ensuring that employees have the support mechanisms to be effective both for the short-term and long-term.

Learning Objectives:

• Define and discuss the strategic connection between employee wellness and employee engagement.
• Discuss current trends in employee engagement and wellness and why HR Professionals should be concerned of the impact on their organizations.
• Highlight the ten 'tens10ns' that exist in the workplace that threaten overall employee wellness and engagement.
• Provide best-practice strategies to combat each organizational 'tens10n' and proactively encourage employee wellness.
• Create a personal action plan to improve your response to the 'tens10ns'.

In recent years, the nature of work has evolved quickly and expanded in different, often unexpected directions. The organizations that will thrive in this ever-changing landscape will be those that focus on their people - building new skills, prioritizing flexibility and anticipating what's coming next. Explore why HR's role must change and how it can cultivate talented, innovative people who are equipped not only to navigate the future of work, but to shape it.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain insights into the dynamic landscape of the future of work by assessing various external factors impacting employee wellbeing and retention.
• Recognize the vital role of workforce investment in developing leadership skills, innovative thinking and diverse perspectives, all of which are essential for organizational success.
• Delve into the value of strategic partnerships with educational and industry organizations for talent acquisition and development.

In today's fiercely competitive business world, innovation is the key to success. While most companies claim to prioritize innovation, only 18% of employees feel empowered to take creative risks at work. Organizations that equip their leaders and teams with the tools and environment to foster creativity outperform their competitors. In this 'light delivery, deep message' keynote, discover the essential habits (DANCE) to spark creativity in every team member. No arts and crafts required.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify simple techniques to foster creativity in teams.
• List 5 effortless habits (DANCE) to unlock creativity in every team member.
• Recognize and overcome common mistakes that block team performance and creativity.
• Explain the 'leader dilemma', why leaders have an unconscious bias to creativity.

2024 ushers in volumes of sweeping changes, from continuing to manage through Covid reintegration to talent scarcity, large-scale employee turnover, quiet quitting, and returning employees to the office. How HR leads its operational management teams through extended periods of upheaval directly ties to organizational effectiveness, culture change, and the bottom line. Join former CHRO of Nickelodeon, Paul Falcone, as he helps to identify new ways of mastering the ongoing aftershocks to our teams and organizations.

Learning Objectives:

• Master Individual crises, including building stronger remote relationships, dealing effectively with employee burnout, strengthening employee agility, collaboration, and accountability, and reversing 'silent quitting' trends.
• Lean into Departmental & Team crises, including mediating employee disputes, toxic team turnarounds, multiple generations in the workplace, and making it safe for your teams to share their concerns in a 'psychologically safe' way.
• Share wisdom through Company crises, including demands for hybrid work and returning reluctant employees to the office, threats to unionize, and being prepared for further global crises and natural disasters.

The present-day work environment is marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, making it crucial for HR professionals to embrace modernization and digitization to address challenges quickly, and remain effective. In today's fast-paced business environment, agility and adaptability are essential for the success of the HR professional, while fragility and inflexibility lead to inevitable failure. An agile approach to HR is essential to revamp the work culture and your role as an HR Professional has never been more important!

Learning Objectives:

• Define and Explore Agile HR/HR Agility as a construct.
• Demonstrate HR's role as a Driver of Change in Organizations.
• Evaluate how HR Agility contributes to the following areas in HR: Recruitment, Learning and Development, Function Evaluation and HR Analytics.
• Explore Strategic KSA's that the CHRO of tomorrow needs to develop today!
• Discuss how Learning Agility affects and contributes to overall HR Agility,

Repeated from Monday at 12:30pm

An accommodation revolution is coming! This presentation examines legal changes to Title VII workplace accommodations.  Historically, Title VII required minimal employer concessions in terms of accommodations. Recently, statutes and cases expanded the scope of accommodation protections in Title VII. These changes constitute an 'accommodation revolution.' Employers will need to make increasing concessions to employee needs that were previously only available under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Are you ready for the accommodation revolution?

Learning Objectives:

• Increase understanding of the history and operation of Title VII.
• Increase understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Provide information on recent legal changes in Title VII concerning accommodations.
• Increase understanding of the scope of reasonable accommodations.

In today's world of faster, better, cheaper, businesses are in an all-out sprint to beat the competition. Sometimes this means management and HR are being asked to push the envelope or go right up to that line in the sand.  Is it right to push it just a little?  To see how far you can bend it before it snaps?  To rationalize the fact that it was just once, or who's it going to hurt? HR professionals must remain above the fray.  We must work with both the company and the employees.  We can't give either stakeholder a reason to doubt our motives.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the provisions of the HR Professional Code of Ethics including professional responsibilities, professional development, ethical leadership, fairness and justice, conflicts of interest, and use of information.
• Learn how unethical behavior from HR or executives have impacted companies.
• Develop a strategy to deal with ethical dilemmas in the workplace and impact change.
• Identify ways to avoid the perception of being the 'Department of No' and instead discover alternative solutions that are a win-win while still maintaining ethical standards.

Repeated from Monday at 11:00.

This must-attend presentation is crucial for HR professionals, department leaders, and agents of organizational change, focusing on enhancing HR's role in companies. Ideal for HR managers, business leaders, and strategic initiative teams, this session offers valuable insights and practical strategies. It's particularly beneficial for those in organizations where HR is primarily seen as administrative and for those aiming to elevate HR as a strategic business partner.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding the Transformation Blueprint: Attendees will learn a structured, step-by-step approach to transition HR from a traditional administrative function to a strategic entity within their organization, focusing on evolving roles and responsibilities.
• Gaining Real-World Insights: Participants will be equipped with knowledge from real-life case studies of successful HR transformations, including the challenges faced, strategies employed, and the outcomes achieved, providing them with a realistic perspective on the transformation process.
• Acquiring Practical Strategies for HR Innovation: The session will offer attendees practical and innovative strategies for key HR areas such as employer branding, talent acquisition, employee engagement, and effective use of technology, enabling them to implement these strategies in their own organizations.
• Learning Metrics of Success: This objective will focus on how to effectively measure and demonstrate the impact of HR initiatives, helping attendees understand the key performance indicators and metrics that show HR's value as a strategic business partner.
• Networking and Collaborative Learning: Attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers, share experiences, and discuss solutions to common challenges, fostering a collaborative learning environment. 

Healthy businesses are comprised of individuals who understand the full scope of the business, what it takes to be successful, and what roles everyone within the organization plays in contributing to the mission. Networking is the key to gaining the full circle of knowledge and support that is required to make an organization whole, healthy, and successful. As an HR professional, you must know the people you work with, what they do, and how you can collaborate with one another to boost the company's success.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand that networking is a set of skills used to expand one's community (internally and externally), demonstrate interest, and build trust.
• Learn the competencies involved in being an effective networker and how to apply them.
• Practice a few critical networking skills you can utilize with your organization as a way to expand your knowledge of the business, your investment in the mission of the organization, and your ability to provide professional expertise more broadly.
• Learn to use your network more effectively in a virtual environment including refining your LinkedIn practice and virtual meeting strategies.

Master the art of conflict resolution with our session, 'Learn to Fight: The Formula for Winning Every Argument,' where we unveil the transformative D.A.R.E. Model. Discover the power of Describe, Acknowledge, Review, and Engage in navigating conflicts effectively. Acquire essential skills for conflict management, learning to articulate issues, acknowledge perspectives, review solutions, and engage collaboratively. Embrace this formula to foster understanding, build stronger connections, and emerge victorious in every argument. Elevate your communication prowess and transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Learning Objectives:

• Mastering the Art of Description: Develop the ability to accurately and objectively describe issues, concerns, or perspectives in a conflict, fostering clarity and understanding among team members.
• Acknowledging Diverse Perspectives: Cultivate the skill of acknowledging various viewpoints and emotions involved in a conflict, promoting empathy and creating a foundation for constructive dialogue.
• Effective Review and Analysis of Conflicts: Learn to systematically review and analyze conflicts, identifying root causes, patterns, and potential solutions to facilitate a thorough understanding and strategic approach to resolution.
• Engaging in Collaborative Problem-Solving: Acquire techniques for engaging in productive and collaborative problem-solving discussions, utilizing the DARE Model to turn conflicts into opportunities for team growth, innovation, and improved interpersonal relationships.

When was the last time what stood between you and some result you absolutely needed to achieve was the behavior of one or more people? If so, you had an influence problem.  The ability to influence others is at the core of true leadership - and it's crucial for driving positive change in any organization. Unfortunately, we often turn to a poorly designed incentive, persuasion tactics, or tinkering with processes and procedures to try and drive change.   Yet human behavior can't be altered with a singular strategy; instead, it's governed by six sources of influence. Leaders who know how to leverage these sources in favor of winning behaviors are exponentially more successful at securing change and achieving results. In this session, you'll learn how to harness these six sources of influence to create lasting behavior change and achieve results.

Learning Objectives:

• Focus on the vital behaviors that directly drive results.
• Use multiple sources of influence instead of chasing quick-fix tactics.
• Add the six sources of influence into your leadership strategy.

Did you know that facts are 22 times more memorable to an audience when delivered within the context of a story? With the rise of AI, the ability to communicate data effectively is important to bring to life the insights from the intelligence. This session equips HR professionals with the formula to solve the equation of data storytelling in a fast-paced, information-flooded world. You'll learn what a crosswalk countdown timer and a Roman tour guide have to do with effective storytelling, and leave with the ability to convey complex information in a compelling way to influence decisions and gain buy-in.

Learning Objectives:

• Transform data into engaging stories that resonate with stakeholders, enabling better decision-making.
• Master the use of visuals to convey HR metrics memorably.
• Leverage data-driven narratives to influence organizational strategy, from talent acquisition to retention to diversity and inclusion effort.
• Explore techniques to instill a data-driven mindset within your HR team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Repeated from Monday at 3:30pm.

A study from Gallup and Workhuman finds that recognition and well-being, together, can pave the way for improved business outcomes. But HOW do we do that?  What can we do to make the workplace more engaging? From the research and data findings within his research, Dr. Fockler found the 'secret sauce' to change, and this 4-step process for LEADing change in the workplace can support a vast array of business sectors.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the top five issues currently showing up in the workplace as per Gallup and Workhuman.
• Learn about LEADing change (an acronym used to foster change), which is grounded in theory (the science of using the concept).
• Utilize LEAD within your organization (art of using the concept).
• See how the issues presented by Gallup and Workhuman are opportunities for HR practitioners to LEAD change in their organization.

Repeated from Monday at 3:30pm

What if everyone in your organization could anticipate shifts in trends and embrace uncertainty? Strategic foresight can create that capability. In this session, participants will learn a technique for creating dynamic future scenarios that seamlessly connect strategic thinking training with real strategic planning processes and do so in a way that adapts as the world shifts around their organization. As a bonus, participants leave with a richer understanding of the future of human resource management.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the core uncertainties facing your industry and have a process for mapping how those uncertainties interact.
• Stress test short-term initiatives against a range of 'what if' scenarios and identify blindspots in short-term strategies.
• Lead conversations with leaders in your organization about the importance of developing strategic foresight skills.

In our fast-evolving business landscape, the role of Human Resources in nurturing and prioritizing leaders and managers has never been more critical. "Empowering Change: Why Prioritizing Leaders and Managers is Essential for HR in Today's Dynamic World" delves into the imperative need for HR professionals to foster a culture of leadership and management excellence. This session will explore innovative strategies for identifying and developing leadership talent, the importance of aligning leadership development with organizational goals, and the impact of effective leadership on employee engagement, innovation, and company resilience. Attendees will gain insights into actionable tools and practices that can transform their approach to leadership development, ensuring that their organizations are well-equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the modern business environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Align Leadership Development with Organizational Objectives: Learn how to seamlessly integrate leadership development programs with the overarching objectives of the organization, ensuring that leadership growth directly contributes to achieving business goals.
• Adapt Leadership Development to a Changing Business Environment: Explore how to adapt leadership development programs in response to the dynamic global business environment, focusing on agility, digital transformation, and resilience.

In this engaging and interactive session, Ash will teach participants how to build the skills of authentic communication in a safe and supportive environment.  Through a combination of instruction, small group work and large group discussion, participants will learn and practice the skills to efficiently and effectively tap into their own authenticity, share it in a way that resonates with others and empower those around them to show up more authentically.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the three areas of truth (factual, emotional and desire-based) that are necessary in accessing your own authenticity.
• Practice speaking from and listening for authentic communication cues with others.
• Explore how authentic communication can drive interpersonal connection.
• Discover how epic clarity about your authenticity can lead to the confidence and connection required for hard conversations.
• Learn how authentic communication creates more efficient and effective workplace cultures.

Explore the transformative impact of purpose in the workplace in this enlightening session. Learn how to leverage purpose as a key motivator to foster a more engaged, productive, and healthy work environment. This practical and insightful presentation will provide you with the tools to align your team's work with their intrinsic motivations, enhancing job satisfaction and organizational success.

Learning Objectives:

• Effective ways to integrate purpose in workplace practices.
• Aligning individual and organizational goals for greater synergy.
• Communicating purpose to enhance team cohesion.
• The role of purpose in employee wellbeing and organizational health.
• Maintaining a purposeful culture in diverse work settings.

Your ability to be influential within conflict resolution is one of the top skills required in 2024.  'Communication and Connection' will introduce the principle-based framework used in crisis negotiations and share how you can use this same framework to navigate tense situations, finding positive resolutions in even the most challenging moments.

Learning Objectives:

• Have an understanding of how emotions impact how people make decisions.
• Become familiarized with the FBI skills of active listening.
• Know the five aspects of the perfect delivery of the message.
• Learn four drivers of human behavior.

In the workplace, 'fitting in' is often seen as desirable, and it can be easy for an employee to feel like an outcast.  In this session, Dima Ghawi guides attendees to appreciate what makes them different, demonstrating the advantages of embracing individuality. Through personal stories drawn from her experiences as a Middle Eastern woman, she reveals the values of challenging conformity. Dima's actionable tips and engaging examples leave audiences prepared to liberate their inner misfit.

Learning Objectives:

• Best practices for facilitating and embracing one's individuality.
• Actionable tips for creating a culture of belonging.
• The practical benefits for leaders of letting differences shine in the workplace.

It has been said that 'Perception IS Reality.' We use our perceptions as a way to navigate through our world. Our perceptions form the foundation of what we call reality. But the reality is that many of our perceptions which we take for granted are in actuality illusions. When it comes to our relationships with people, our perceptions play an even more significant role. Our perceptions about others and ourselves can often create illusions, which hinder our success and our ability to perform at the highest level of achievement. How we perceive our co-workers, customers, teammates, and all the people around us has a profound impact on their morale, motivation, and performance.

Learning Objectives:

• Find out why our performance is actually a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• Understand how we unconsciously put people in a 'box'.
• Explore how people perform according to the perceptions we have of them.
• Learn to view conflict as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.
• Re-energize morale and workplace culture through untapped diversity.

Do you suffer from 'impostor syndrome'? Many of us struggle with this at work. Its the fear of being exposed as a fake, despite obvious successes and accomplishments. This self-doubt can hold you back, worsen your mental health, and lead to burnout. In this workshop, learn strategies to shift your thinking and behaviors to boost your self-confidence and step out of self-doubt. Get ready to embrace your true talents and achieve your goals.

Learning Objectives:

• Define 'imposter syndrome,' who might be at risk, and what it means to feel like a fraud.
• Discuss strategies to shift thinking in order for thoughts to not hold so much power over us.
• Ways we can shift out the behaviors that feed  fears and into behaviors that can help us own our abilities and talents/feel more secure in roles at work.
• Ways for managers to create safety, security, and belonging.

In an era where the only constant is change, HR leaders are the navigators of organizational transformation. 'Walk Unafraid' presents a bold, strategic roadmap for emerging HR professionals. This session will illuminate how data analytics, trend forecasting, business metrics, and personality trait mapping can forge HR leaders who drive value and embody the leadership mindset necessary for business growth.

Learning Objectives:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Gain proficiency in data analytics to make informed HR decisions, bolstering the confidence to contribute insights that shape organizational strategy at the highest level.
• Trend Utilization: Learn to identify and leverage HR trends to position oneself as a forward-thinking leader, ready to guide the organization through future challenges and opportunities.
• Business Metrics Communication: Develop the ability to translate HR metrics into strategic business narratives, enhancing credibility and solidifying one's role as a key voice in business planning sessions.
• Personality Insights Application: Acquire the knowledge to map and understand personality traits within the workforce, enabling the creation of dynamic teams and the fostering of a leadership pipeline that executives can rely on.
• Strategic HR Leadership: Craft a compelling, data-driven HR strategy to demonstrate an understanding of how HR contributes to business success, thereby asserting the necessity of the HR perspective in executive discussions and decisions.  

The past few years have served as a catalyst for many of us to pause and reflect, to reinvent and reimagine, and to show up more intentionally. In the midst of continued change, it's never been more important for us to reconnect to what matters most, both personally and professionally. We can start doing that by accessing the power of curiosity within ourselves and with each other to create an inspired, aligned, and compelling future.  Powerful questions ignite insight and help us get unstuck and gain clarity about what could be. Tapping into the combination of curiosity and clarity gives us the confidence and courage to unleash purpose, passion, and potential in ourselves and in the people we lead and serve. Now, more than ever before, we need that kind of fresh perspective and motivation, so we can have more impact and influence through our work.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover a replicable three-part process to help yourself, your team, and those you serve get unstuck and cultivate clarity about the future.
• Tap into the power skill and character strength of curiosity to activate self-awareness, insight, and innovation, both personally and professionally, so you can lead in a way that has greater impact and influence.
• Learn how to facilitate meaningful, upward-spiral conversations at your organization and among your leaders and teams to generate more creativity, connection, and trust.
• Experience reflective and interactive practices that will help you connect with purpose, possibilities, and your peers. You can immediately bring these questions and prompts back to your organization.

What are the factors which lead to success in life? Not just financially, but in all the areas of our life; in our relationships, in our health, and in our career. This is a question for which we would all like to receive some answers. In this fast paced and humorous seminar, you will explore a new dimension for success and discover the three pillars of emotional intelligence which are highly linked to personal and professional accomplishment. You will find out how well you manage yourself, motivate yourself, and manage other people.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to manage your mood under times of stress, transition, and change.
• Discover the essential ingredient for motivational success.
• Apply strategies for managing others during a meltdown.
• Implement practical tools for overcoming obstacles.
• Explore the key techniques for customer service, team effectiveness, as well as personal and professional relationships.

Companies invest massive amounts of money sending international assignees around the world, yet waste it when they return to their home office.  This can be easily avoided with good assignment planning up front, equipping leaders to apply the significant insights and value from the returning assignee plus structuring the roles for the returning executives that uses their cross-cultural and other skills acquired during the international placement.  SHRM's own statistics show that assignees leave their organizations more frequently than those who were never sent to a new geography, which is an avoidable cost.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn why international assignees leave their companies more often than those who have not been placed in another country.
• Hear which leadership and cross-cultural skills are developed via an international assignment.
• Discover ways to apply the returning assignee's insights and experience to their roles when returning to their country of origin.
• Create a corporate culture that invites assignees' broadened insights, experience and ways of viewing the world.

This session will explore how purpose-driven leadership can be a powerful catalyst for change and impact. Learn to harness the intrinsic motivation of purpose to inspire teams, drive meaningful initiatives, and create lasting change in your organization and community. Attendees will gain valuable insights into balancing mission-driven goals with operational sustainability, all while nurturing a culture of purpose and dedication.

Learning Objectives:

• Techniques to foster a purpose-driven culture in non-profit organizations.
• Strategies for aligning mission goals with team motivations.
• Communication skills to effectively convey purpose and inspire action.
• Balancing mission-driven objectives with organizational sustainability.
• Adapting purpose-driven leadership in various non-profit environments.

Join us for a panel discussion that delves into the transformative power of upskilling through education benefits and its profound impact on employee retention. Hear firsthand from HR Benefits Managers responsible for Learning & Development for their organization. This session will feature insights and success stories shared by industry leaders from Amazon Career Choice, KFC Foundation, and Brinker International.  In today's quickly evolving business landscape, attracting and retaining top talent is a strategic imperative. Panelists will explore how innovative education and upskilling programs contribute to not only improved skill sets but also heightened job satisfaction and loyalty among employees. Through the lens of these prominent case studies, attendees will gain actionable strategies to foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth within their organizations.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to attract and retain top talent.
• Hear how upskilling your employees contributes to improved skill sets, positive morale and loyalty among the workforce.
• Gain actionable strategies to foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth within your organization.
• Discuss real-world success stories that can be used as case studies to optimize your organization's retention through education-driven upskilling.
• Learn how major employers continue to advance their workforce within their organizations through education and upskilling offerings.

Stop miscommunication in its tracks. Whether your team is working in person, remotely or hybrid, an absence of understanding results in team problems. In this entertaining and practical session, learn to avoid these problems. Learn to command attention, listen proactively, and run more effective meetings. A particular focus is on written skills and more effective email communications. Using numerous stories and examples along with audience interaction exercises, this session teaches leaders how to create a team that practices open communication. Unlock the power of collaboration within your team – think, 'yes, and' like an improvisational actor. Create a more innovative team culture drawing on diverse opinions and ideas. Laugh, learn, and exceed your organizational goals.

Learning Objectives:

• Connect with people, keep their attention and gift them with your attention.
• Share control vs taking control during a face-to-face or virtual meeting.
• Tips for more meaningful conversations, effective listening, and email usage.
• Steps to create a team environment that affirms and builds trust.