Free Miscellaneous Topics in Chicago

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  • Questions That Matter

    Roger Breisch, Speaker / Provocateur, Dancing With Chaos

    In his book, Questions That Matter, Roger Breisch writes, “Putting aside deceitful questions—whose cadence and tone imply an answer—all questions matter. Sentences that end with the ubiquitous squiggle atop a period open the future to new possibilities. Sentences ending with just a period condemn the future to limitation and constraint. Answers have a way of ending discovery and learning; captivating questions open us to unimagined possibilities.” MORE >

    After spending more than 3500 hours answering calls on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Roger has learned a great deal about what questions truly matter in creating a life that matters.
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  • Carbon Pricing – What’s In It for You?

    Mike Zanillo, Illinois State Coordinator, Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL)

    There’s growing support for carbon pricing as a necessary step to address climate change. It’s supported by 88 countries and a broad array of public interest groups yet most Americans know very little about carbon pricing. MORE >

    The discussion related to Climate Change can be confusing to many. Often, there is uncertainty of what Climate Change is, what are its effects and what can be done about it.

    The Citizens Climate Lobby, is a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization that provides presentations to groups such as Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, League of Women Voters groups, college clubs and other local groups.

    The presentation will educate, enable, and entertain your group members. The presentation can include short videos, slides, stories and time for audience questions. While the length of the presentation is at your discretion, the following topics will be covered.

    Come to learn how Carbon Pricing:
    • Is viewed as the most effective policy for climate action
    • Will speed a transition to renewable energy
    • Considered as being a fair and just policy
    • Provides co-benefits of economic growth and jobs
    • Is gaining support on a bi-partisan basis
    • How you can support a carbon pricing policy

    After participating in our meetings, participants often feel more informed, energized and hopeful for a future stable climate. There will be no solicitation of donations or attempts to sell anything.

    Please contact me if you would like to discuss this opportunity for a presentation of this timely topic.

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  • Enhance Your Communications Skills

    Karin McNicholas & Dennis McNicholas, Mediation Services

    This husband/wife team has been successfully training individuals, families and groups in effective communications for 12 years.

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  • Travel Hacking

    Edwin Goitia, Founder and Visionary, I Am A Brand

    Often travel is seen as a luxury and an expensive hobby, but there is a way to access the world with less money or resources - travel hacking. Edwin dives into this incredibly hot and trending hobby that has picked up the pace globally with people of all ages and backgrounds.

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  • The Bible and the Ballot – A New Vision for Christian Political Engagement

    Ted Williams III, Political Science Faculty, City Colleges of Chicago/WYCC PBS

    Faith is an increasingly controversial topic in US politics. Can diverse faith and secular communities find common ground on our nation’s most pressing issues? Should faith remain personal or can people of faith contribute to US politics? Ted’s non-partisan and holistic conversation offers a new vision for faith-based civic engagement.

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  • Elder Mediation

    Karin McNicholas & Dennis McNicholas, Mediation Services

    Mediation allows families to explore mutually acceptable solutions to difficult problems with parents and elderly relatives. It encourages creative problem solving within the private family setting rather than relying upon the legal system to resolve these issues.

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  • Measuring Results From Training

    Bette Lawrence-Water, Founder and Principal Consultant, Spectrum Strategic Solutions

    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

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  • Unintended Impact: One Athlete’s Journey from Concussions an Amateur Football to CTE Dementia

    Jim Proebstle, Author

    Tragic CTE Dementia Outcome from Concussions in Amateur Football Inspires a New Book: As an athlete, Dick was revered; yet, success turned traitor as the concussions received in high school and Big Ten (MSU) football led to a world of confusion, poor decision-making, and confinement defined by a wheelchair in a long-term care facility. In his multiple levels of impaired functioning, the opportunity for Dick to “get it”—life, that is—was over. He just didn’t know it. Dick was my brother. MORE >

    Nobody will remember a backup college quarterback, but Dick’s story bridges the glamour of NFL football—its high-profile athletes and its $billion settlement for players with CTE dementia—and the millions of anonymous amateur football players who may suffer with the same concussion-induced devastation of CTE dementia. Unintended Impact covers the drama from childhood to adulthood, including numerous personal and business episodes that serve as warnings that something had been derailed. In 2015, with today’s focus on CTE, lack of knowledge is not acceptable. Yet in Dick’s life, lack of knowledge was just one of the underlying factors contributing to the heartbreak of his tragedy. How many other Dick Proebstles are there?
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  • Diamonds Are Forever …… Aren’t They?

    Chris LaTrobe, Founder, Diadem

    Join me for a brief journey into one of the greatest treasure hunts of all time - the story behind the phenomenal success of diamonds in the 20th century! People buy diamonds to celebrate happy occasions in their lives, but now less expensive lab-grown diamonds are attracting a new generation of buyers. Better resale values have become the rallying cry of the natural diamond industry just when the greatest diamond buying generation (the boomers) are getting ready to retire & sell. So what is your diamond's resale value? Learn the valuable insider sales strategies anyone who is thinking of selling or buying a diamond should know. MORE >

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  • Personal Safety and Self Defense

    Joe Rosner, Self-Defense Teacher, Best Defense of Illinois

    Joe will tell how to recognize and avoid dangerous situations and how to react to them if necessary. Programs are available for realtors, healthcare professionals as well as the general audience.

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