Bette Lawrence-Water
Founder and Principal Consultant, Spectrum Strategic Solutions
Free Business Speaker in Chicago
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10 Soft Skills Every Leader Needs
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Having the technical skills and knowledge to successfully execute your job duties is only one part of being the best you can be in the workplace. In addition to these “hard” skills, we also need “soft” skills. Soft skills are those skills which allow us to effectively work with others. No matter what your position, organization, or industry, you work with people! Taking the time to build effective soft skills can contribute to a more efficient, more harmonious, and more productive workplace, as well as to your own overall job happiness and satisfaction. MORE >
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Personal Productivity
Most people find that they wish they had more time in a day. This discussion shows how to organize their lives and find those hidden moments. It helps the audience learn how to establish routines, set goals, create an efficient environment, and use time-honored planning and organizational tools to the maximize their personal productivity. MORE >
Personal Productivity is a goal most of us have. Through this presentation participants will be on the right track in achieving that goal. Some people blame everything that goes wrong in their life on something or someone else, but during this discussion, with examples and exercises, audience will take ownership and begin to lead a more productive personal and professional life. -
The Power of Networking
TOPIC CATEGORY: Self-Improvement
According to Merriam Webster networking is “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business”. These and other events can become more easily managed with this great workshop. During this lively, and interactive Power of Networking (Outside the organization) discussion, participants will begin to see how important it is to develop a core set of networking skills to get things done. By managing and looking at the way people interact and seeing things in a new light, participants can improve on almost every aspect of their networking strategy.
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Women in Leadership
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
In the United States today, women make up half of the workforce. Unfortunately for women, their male colleagues are promoted at a much higher rate. Women offer great work ethnics, and bring something different from men to the workforce, but many times it goes unnoticed. In this workshop, you will learn about how organizations can develop women leaders, about the benefits of women in organizations, as well as advancements for the future of women. You will learn how women in the workplace cannot only benefit the women themselves, but also the organization. MORE >
Through this engaging, enlightening, and empowering discussion of Women in Leadership, the audience will learn how women are changing the workforce. The discussion helps participants gain a new perspective on the workforce, and uncover the benefits that come from hiring and promoting women to higher positions.Presentation Objectives:
• Discuss the leadership gap between men and women
• Learn about women in various powerful positions
• Discuss different traits associated with women in management
• Understand the different barriers facing women in leadership positions
• Learn about the benefits of having women in the workforce -
Measuring Results From Training
TOPIC CATEGORY: Miscellaneous
Although we all know that training can have many amazing benefits, sometimes it can be hard to prove those benefits and attach a dollar value to training. Some topics, like sales training or time management, might have direct, tangible benefits. Other topics, like communication or leadership, might have benefits that you can’t put a dollar value on. MORE >
Through this discussion participants will learn about the different ways to evaluate training progress, and how to use those results to demonstrate the results that training brings. Once the training has been evaluated the next step is to modify and updated the curriculum to create a content that is better suited for the participants.Presentation Objectives:
• Understand learning styles and learning cycle
• Understand levels of evaluation
• Be familiar with many types of evaluation tools, including goal setting, tests, reactionary sheets, interviews, observations, hip-pocket assessments, skill assessments, and learning journals
• Understand when to use each type of evaluation tool
• Be able to perform a needs assessment
• Know how to write learning objectives and link them to evaluation
• Be able to write an evaluation plan to evaluate learning at each stage of the training and far beyond
• Know how to identify the costs, benefits, and return on investment of training
• Be familiar with the parts of a business case -
Developing A Personal Brand for Career and Life!
TOPIC CATEGORY: Self-Improvement
Personal Branding is identifying your assets, characteristics, strengths, and skills as an individual. Understanding Personal Branding will provide advantages in your participant’s personal and professional lives. Branding is a mix of how you present yourself and how others see you. It is important to be aware of how you are viewed. MORE >
During this lively and enlightening personal branding discussion, participants learn to uncover their vision and passions for career and life. Then, find out how to utilize this knowledge through Social Media to define and influence how others see you. You are your brand so protect it. Live it.Discussion Objectives:
• Define your image.
• Control your image.
• Understand how to sharpen your brand.
• Use social media appropriately.
• Manage your brand in a crisis.
• Develop a professional appearance. -
Interpersonal Skills
TOPIC CATEGORY: Self-Improvement
We've all met that dynamic, charismatic person that just has a way with others, and has a way of being remembered. Participants will identify ways of creating a powerful introduction, remembering names, and managing situations when you’ve forgotten someone’s name.
The Interpersonal Skills discussion will help participants work towards being that unforgettable person by providing communication skills, negotiation techniques, tips on making an impact, and advice on networking and starting conversations. Bette will help audience to identify skills needed in starting a conversation, moving a conversation along, and progressing to higher levels of conversation. MORE >Discussion Objectives:
• Understand the difference between hearing and listening
• Know some ways to improve the verbal skills of asking questions and communicating with power.
• Understand what is ‘non-verbal communication’ and how it can enhance interpersonal relationships.
• Identify the skills needed in starting a conversation.
• Identify ways of creating a powerful introduction, remembering names, and managing situations when you’ve forgotten someone’s name.
• Understand how seeing the other side can improve skills in influencing other people.
• Understand how the use of facts and emotions can help bring people to your side.
• Identify ways of sharing one’s opinions constructively.
• Learn tips in preparing for a negotiation, opening a negotiation, bargaining, and closing a negotiation.
• Learn tips in making an impact through powerful first impressions. -
Increasing Your Happiness!
TOPIC CATEGORY: Self-Improvement
Increasing one's happiness can be done through the power of positive thinking. That is one skill that this presenttion will touch on to teach participants how to be happier. Happiness can spread throughout an organization, and have a positive effect on everyone.
During this interactive and energetic discussion participants will engage in unique and helpful ways to increase their happiness. This 45-60 minute presentation will have a robust effect on their professional and personal lives, improve their communication skills, increase productivity, and lesson absenteeism. MORE >Presentation Objectives:
•Discuss how planning ahead cultivates workplace happiness
•Create a nightly routine and daily plan
•Relate more effectively to others in the workplace
•Understand how the workspace environment impacts happiness
•Think more positively
•Take actions that will create greater workplace happiness -
Millenial Onboarding
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Onboarding new employees is a secure investment that will assist newly hired employees in developing their skills, knowledge, and value within the company. It will help match the technically skilled Millennial workforce with new and emerging needs of your company, which gives your company an advantage within the market. MORE >
Millennial Onboarding is a specialized type of employee onboarding. With Millennials we are seeing a need to tweak the onboarding process to better suit the needs of the company and new hires. It will increase productivity and produce a happier and more skilled workforce. The new hire phase is a critical time for the employee and company and having a structured set of procedures will make this time run smoother and produce a greater chance of success.Presentation Objectives:
• Define onboarding
• Discuss the characteristics of Millennials
• Create an onboarding process for Millennials
• Start action plans for working with Millennials
• Learn from introspection -
Civility in the Workplace During Turbulent Times
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
While a discussion on workplace manners and courtesy may seem like overkill, the reality is: rudeness is an epidemic costing industry millions a year. Indeed, what society seems to be gaining in terms of both knowledge and technological advancement, it’s losing out on basic social values that directly impact the bottom line. MORE >
This discussion introduces the concept of civility, its importance to an organization, as well as its typical causes and effects. Audience leaves with skills needed to effectively practice civil behavior, as well knowledge of different ways organizations can systematize civility in the workplace.