Keynote Speaking

Leadership Lessons with a Twist

The Dog Ate My Homework

Remember when teachers gave zeroes for missing homework? Remember when the neighbors expected you to work off the repairs when your baseball came crashing through their window? Remember when your co-worker didn’t have that report ready and your boss made it seem like it was your fault?

We will examine common misunderstandings about responsibility and give leaders new ways to think about holding others to account. Whether your organization is challenged by gossip, misalignment, turf wars, or back-talk, we will show you how leaders take responsibility for the future and outperform people who blame their circumstances.

How to Listen Like a Dog - Lessons from Man's Best Friend

Ever spilled coffee down your front just before your annual review or been told to start over when you thought the project was 99% done? At the end of your worst day, your dog will greet you with a tail wagging hard enough to knock books off the coffee table. And suddenly the interesting, funky, clever ideas you could have shared at work come flooding back.  

There’s a way people can listen that can be just as restorative. Learn why listening for what others need will increase your power and effectiveness. What would they contribute if they didn’t have to worry about “what other people are thinking” about them? What could you accomplish if other people knew how to bring out the genius in you?

Working Like a Dog: Taking Action

There’s nothing like a squirrel to set a dog into action. It doesn’t matter if he’s chased the squirrel 100 times or 1000. The only message in the dog’s brain is “squirrel” and he’s a force to be reckoned with. Hurdles and objections are irrelevant in the face of vision.

Demonstrating mastery is all about being in action. Children master walking by falling down. Actors increase their range by taking roles that don’t come naturally. Man on the moon? President Kennedy sounded ridiculous even suggesting it. What would be possible if you threw yourself into the fun and daring that comes with saying  yes to something bigger than you know how to do?

For scheduling information, contact vbrien@dorrierunderwood.com