Here are some of the key messages I touch on during this presentation. And not to worry, I’ll work with you to tailor the presentation so it’s focused on the areas you need the most, and yes, I can mix and match messages from my other presentations as well.

Key messages for Inspiring Workplaces:

• Why work matters! It’s far more than just a paycheck!
• The attitude choice we all make every day that contributes to a more positive workplace.
• How do you define your culture and does culture really eat strategy for breakfast? (Spoiler alert: Your culture seriously impacts every aspect of your business!)
• Leaders leading leaders: Why everyone in your workplace needs to step up and take personal responsibility for how they contribute to your culture (Fun fact: a study showed that some employee’s presence at work causes the rest of their teammates’ blood pressure to rise! We should probably talk about that.)
• Valuing your values: Actions speak louder than words and talk is cheap! How great companies live their values out loud and treat them as lines in the sand.
• Creating a purpose-driven culture: Connecting employees to the most powerful and influential motivator there is.
• Communication is everything and everything is communication: Busting silos, strengthening collaboration, creating space for meaningful conversations, and getting your meetings right!
• Money isn’t always honey! Creating a “want to” vs. a “have to” workplace that truly engages employees and turns lifelong employees into loyal, raving fans (there’s a huge difference between the two).
• Creating a service-first culture: Why phenomenal customer service starts on the inside and why some of your most important customers are also known as your teammates.
• Work is hard enough as it is without making it any harder! Why great organizations embrace a spirit of fun and how humor both creates more humane, resilient cultures, and reflects humane, resilient cultures.
• Keeping the culture message alive. You don’t build a rocking culture through a 1 or 10 times a year event. Get ready to walk away with inspiring ideas that will keep your culture conversation alive.

As with all my presentations, the messages are all connected to creating great places to work. So, my take on leadership differs from other leadership thought leaders in that I focus more on the following two themes:

1. Culture leadership: The critical role leaders play in shaping culture (as I’ll share with your audience, everything a leader does either builds or detracts from your culture).
2. Leading with laughter: Why so many effective leaders embrace a spirit of humility and humor.

This keynote or workshop is for employees who are in managerial or supervisory roles, however, there’s also a “frontline leadership” version that focuses on instilling an attitude of personal accountability and leadership in your frontline employees who have no supervisory responsibility. So I’ve got you covered either way! For the frontline leadership version, please hop on over to The Jerk-Free Workplace presentation.

Key messages for Leaders Leading Leaders:

• Why YOUR leadership matters. And not just to your company, but to your family and your own success and well-being.
• The leadership mindset: The 6 key differences between being “the boss” and being a leader that makes a real difference.
• Leadership isn’t about what’s on your business card, it’s about who you are being at work. (Fun fact: If you saw the messages outlined in my Inspiring Workplaces presentation, the blood pressure study was really talking about senior managers!)
• Leadership is people-centered, it’s not about “the stuff.” (Spoiler alert: No one wants to be managed, but employees are hungry for inspiring leadership).
• Leading change at work: How effective leaders embody a continuous improvement mindset that embraces change.
• Breaking down silos: Why leaders must think about what’s best for the entire organization and work across departments.
• What if it IS my fault? Being accountable and taking responsibility as a leader.
• Leading cultures: Why leaders must take on the role of culture champions.
• Leading on purpose: Why we need less vision statements, more visionaries.
• The power of values: How to value your values and live them out loud.
• Leading conversations: Why inspiring leaders have less meetings and more meaningful conversations.
• Well, this is awkward! Frameworks for mastering challenging, uncomfortable conversations.
• The power of purpose, pride and progress: Free your employees to be their best.
• Leading with laughter: How so many great leaders use their sense of humor to build trust at work, strengthen relationships, and boost morale. (And no, you don’t have to become a stand up comedian.)

To get the most impact out of this presentation and make sure everyone goes home armed with as many ideas as possible, it only makes sense that we should also talk about making sure everyone gets a signed copy of my book, The Jerk-Free Workplace – How You Can Take the Lead to Create a Happier, More Inspiring Workplace, as a parting gift and memorable, idea-packed souvenir of the event!

Key messages in The Jerk-Free Workplace include:

• Choosing your attitude: How attitude at work drives success in so many ways.
• Is it me, or is it them? What if there is an “I” in teamwork?
• Resiliency boosters: Simple ways to embrace a more resilient mindset and a more positive attitude at work.
• You don’t need a degree in kindness to be kind: Behaviors that require absolutely no talent or skill that anyone can do to step up and contribute to a happier workplace.
• Embracing a leadership mindset: The difference between just being an employee vs. stepping up as a leader that everyone looks up to. (Fun fact: Being looked up to is way more fun than being looked down upon!)
• Leading minds: The six leadership mindsets that frontline employees need to embrace. (Well, only if they want to be happier, and more successful and create a happier more successful workplace.)
• Who’s responsible for this? Why stepping up and being more accountable and responsible makes for happier, less stressed-out employees. (Spoiler alert: It’s also extremely important when it comes to creating trust at work and a more collaborative workplace.)
• Creating “French fry” moments at work: Why frontline leaders must embrace a service-first mindset and why some of your most important customers are also known as your teammates! (Spoiler alert: French fries not included during this talk.)
• Talk, don’t squawk! How to avoid being a seagull at work, communicate more thoughtfully, and manage difficult conversations. (Yes, even with Bob.)
• Humor me! Why frontline leaders always bring their sense of humor along for the ride.

As I stress to audiences, it’s not about telling jokes, being the office joker, or even about being funny. It’s about finding the funny in your everyday work lives, being more authentic at work, laughing at the things you have no control over, and especially, about laughing at ourselves.

When you infuse your entire culture with a spirit of safe humor, it’s one of the most powerful tools there is that truly can help you energize your culture and drive outrageous results!

Key messages in The Humor Advantage include:

• Choosing your attitude: The attitude choice we make every day coming into work.
• Laugh all the way to the bank: Why (and how) so many businesses are leveraging their humor advantage to laugh all the way to the bank.
• The humor/culture chicken and egg relationship: How humor both creates and reflects a vibrant, healthy culture.
• Why humor at work is no joke: The many ways humor can help you succeed at work.
• Finding the funny in life: How anyone can grow their sense of humor.
• Healthy vs. harmful humor at work. (Spoiler alert: it’s not funny if you’re annoying the heck out of your teammates.)
• Standing out from the herd: How humor helps your messages stand out from the herd to be heard.
• Ha + Ha = AHA! Why humor is a catalyst for creative thinking and innovation at work.
• More funny = more money: Creating memorable customer service experiences with humor. (Fun fact: Yes, humor really can boost your sales and help you turn long term customers into loyal, raving fans.)
• Putting humor to work for less stress: The 3 R’s of tapping into your sense of humor to be more resilient and manage stress more effectively.

In order to wrap your arms around change and show change the love it deserves, you need the right mindset, the right tools, and the right culture that supports creativity, resiliency, and innovation.

Key messages in Inspiring Change at Work include: 

• Embracing change: Four important reasons to embrace change with open arms.
• It’s so 1990s: Seriously, can we please stop calling it “change management!” (Spoiler alert: It’s just good management!)
• Why ideas are the currency of success: The importance of instilling a 1% improvement mindset.
• Is work where ideas go to die? Why you need to be intentional when it comes to getting innovative ideas. (Spoiler alert: Surveys really do suggest that the workplace is the LAST place people have their light bulb moments!)
• Creating a culture of curiosity and questions: How smart questions drive better conversations and innovation.
• THE key to unlocking change: Discover the #1 factor experts say is the key to creating a more innovative workplace culture than champions change (and no, it’s not those cheesy motivational posters).
• Brainstorming on steroids: How to energize your meetings to get more ideas and better ideas.
• Why Ha + Ha = AHA! The power of humor to spark creative ideas.
• Neutralizing the seagulls: Eliminating idea-killing attitudes, language, and behaviors at work.
• You’re simply the best: Simple strategies to help ensure the best idea wins the day.
• Flip failure on its head: Why innovative companies celebrate their smart failures.
• Turning ideas into action. And turning resistors of change into champions of change!
• Change isn’t a one-time event: How to keep ideas flowing through your workplace.

Inspiring, remarkable customer service MUST begin on the inside of your company, which is why, once again, there’s a deep connection to your culture. You need to create a culture that is infused with a service-first mindset; where it is second nature to provide remarkable customer service on the inside, where everyone treats their teammates like their most important customers.

And of course, we know that not only do happy employees create happier customers, but the reverse is also true as well! By focusing on better customer service, you’ll also be creating a winning culture at the same time.

This high-energy, humor-filled presentation is packed to the brim with real-life examples of businesses that have become outrageously successful by doing something different. Or funny. Or outrageous. Or just something really, really simple that ended up making an enormous difference to their customers.

Key messages for Creating a Service-First Culture include:

• What an experience! Understanding the difference between customer service and customer experience and how embracing a customer experience mindset can inspire and engage ALL your employees.
• Stop providing good service: Why good customer service isn’t good enough – especially, now!
• Why service matters, a lot! Seven reasons why you and everyone on your team needs to embrace a service first mindset.
• Service starts on the inside: Some of your most important customers are sitting right next to you! Why inspiring customer service has to start on the inside.
• Creating “French fry” moments: Embracing a partnership mindset by anticipating customers’ needs. (Spoiler alert: Yes, I will explain the concept of French fry moments.)
• Yes, and? Lessons from theatre improv for a “Yes, and…” approach to service.
• Going the extra inch: How to consistently go the extra inch with your customers.
• Going the extra mile: The power of going the extra mile to stand out from the herd.
• Can we have a do-over? Making amends when your service goes sideways.
• Can a pet frog increase sales? Surprising customers with humor. (Spoiler alert: According to one study, a pet frog really can make a difference!)
• Following up and following through: The importance of following up and following through with customers – often the weakest, yet most critical link in the customer service cycle.

Although this presentation makes for a great keynote for HR managers or recruiters, most audiences select this topic as a follow-up breakout session to complement one of Michael’s keynotes. 

And of course, let’s chat about making sure everyone gets a copy of Michael’s book Hire, Inspire, and Fuel Their Fire. This way, everyone leaves armed with even more inspiring ideas they can immediately implement!

Key messages in Hire, Inspire, and Fuel Their Fire: 

• What’s the future look like? The hottest trends in recruitment and onboarding.
• Creating culture champions: Are your employees raving ambassadors for your company?
• Defining your culture: Six culture questions to help you rate and define your workplace culture.
• Less “blah, blah, blah” and more “rah, rah, rah” 10 creative ways to promote your culture. (Spoiler alert: You can have the greatest culture in the world, but if no one knows about it you aren’t going to attract fantabulous employees!)
• Culture fit or culture growth? Why hiring for a culture fit isn’t always the best approach.
• What’s with the attitude? Why and how you need to hire for attitude first and foremost.
• So, a penguin walks into the interview room: Why hiring with humor and for humor can transform your culture. (Spoiler alert: I’ll explain the penguin reference.)
• You had me at hello! How to connect with new hires and teach your culture before they even step through your front door.
• You’re welcome! Fun and effective ways to welcome new employees to your team.
• Culture boosters: The top-10 strategies to immerse new employees in your culture so they live your vision and values out loud.
• Live your culture out loud: How to keep your culture messages alive and continuously foster an inspiring, innovative, service-first culture that drives outrageous results!