Karin Hurt

Courageous Cultures: How to Help Your Team Solve Problems Faster and Surface Remarkable Ideas

Based on ground-breaking new research in innovation and problem-solving, you’ll learn what leaders like you are doing to build more creative and solutions-oriented teams. Teams who don’t just bring you more ideas, but practical ideas you can use to make work, work better.

You’ll explore the root causes of FOSU (fear of speaking up) and ways to turn your team’s fears and frustration into practical innovation. You’ll learn easy-to-use tools and techniques to empower solutions-thinking and customer-focused problem solving; how to respond to wacky ideas without crushing your team’s hearts and spirits; and techniques to encourage courage and deeper dialogue up, down, and sideways.

Your audience will leave with:

• Inspiration to be a role model of innovation and problem solving.
• Researched-based, practical techniques to inspire more confidence and competence sharing ideas.
• Tools to lead make it easy for team members to share practical, remarkable ideas
• Techniques to respond to ideas (even if you can’t use them) in a way that inspires future innovation and problem solving

Based on our award-winning book Courageous Cultures: Building Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers and Customer Advocates (Harper Collins 2020)

Courageous Leadership: Practical Ways to Be More Daring

As a leader, you’re barraged with problems every day, and sometimes it’s easier to take the path of least resistance. You don’t speak up because it might rock the boat. You procrastinate on a decision or don’t try that new idea because you’re afraid of failure. Or, you don’t invite feedback because you might not like what you hear.

In these moments, you’re missing opportunities, you’re wasting money, and you’re eroding your team members’ trust.

Building your reputation as a courageous leader doesn’t necessarily mean making big, bold, game-changing moves. It happens every day, little by little, as you own your team members’ strengths, speak up, stand out, and dare to take appropriate risks.

The audience will leave with:

• Inspiration to own their strengths and contribute at a deeper level.
• Practical tools and techniques to present their ideas with confidence.
• Techniques to prepare for and hold difficult conversations up, down, and sideways, including our I.N.S.P.I.R.E. approach to performance management.
• Tools for gathering and responding to feedback.

Based on our award-winning book Courageous Cultures: Building Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers and Customer Advocates (Harper Collins 2020)

Navigating Workplace Conflict: How to Have More Influence, Less Drama, and Better Collaboration

When there are problems to solve, and people who care (and there are so many things to care about) you’ll face conflict. And if you want to have more success, influence, and joy in your work, you’ve got to navigate it well. But conflict is hard. You weren’t born knowing the perfect words to say when you’re angry, dealing with a jerk, or when someone calls your game-changing idea “stupid.”

This highly experiential program is based on findings from our expansive World Workplace Conflict and Collaboration research (5000 participants in 45 countries) and our new book, Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict (Harper Collins, May 2024).

You’ll leave with the courage, confidence, and competence to navigate even the trickiest conflict scenarios and build better, lasting collaboration.

You’ll learn:

• Researched-based reasons why conflict is so hard now– and inspiration to have the conversation you would rather avoid.
• The 4 Cs of more productive conflict and how to apply them to even the most challenging scenarios.
• 12 Powerful Phrases for navigating any workplace conflict.
• Practical techniques and tools to foster deeper trust and collaboration.

Respectful Rebellion: How to Say No for a Bigger Yes

Every time you or your team says “yes” to something or someone, you’re saying “no” to something or someone else. Balancing this challenging cocktail of conflicting priorities and demands on limited resources can get tricky. You want to be viewed as a highly collaborative team player AND a results-focused leader making an impact on your organization’s most strategic priorities.

In this highly interactive keynote, you’ll learn practical tools and techniques to say “no” with poise, assurance, and tact, positioning you as a leader who effectively balances demands with overarching organizational goals.

You’ll gain confidence and courage by focusing on your bigger “yes,” propelling innovative solutions and fostering a collaborative environment.

The audience will leave with:

• Practical tools and techniques to gain better clarity and communicate what matters most
• Communication strategies to navigate competing priorities and conflicting goals
• Powerful phrases to communicate in even the most difficult workplace scenarios