Please Join us on
Thursday, December 17th, 2015 @ 2PM
Scioto Downs Racino in the Grove Buffet Room
6000 South High Street
Columbus, OH, 43207
… As we welcome Steven R. Edwards, Professional Development Officer, OPERS to talk about “crucial conversations”
CRM Chat starts at 2pm
Meeting starts at 2:30pm
Buffet Meal & Networking Session at 4pm (Buffet included in Ticket price)
Registration Today (via Event Brite)
NOTE: In order to Pay At Door, during registration click the “Show Other Payment Options” link just under the “Register” button and click “Pay Offline”
December’s Topic
Crucial Conversations
Steven R. Edwards, Professional Development Officer, OPERS
Whenever you’re not getting the results you’re looking for, it’s likely a crucial conversation is keeping you stuck. A crucial conversation is a discussion between two or more people where the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. When these conversations are handled poorly or ignored, it will lead to strained relationships and dismal results.
Crucial Conversations teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional, or risky topics at all levels of the organization. By learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), you’ll begin to surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions, and then act on your decisions with unity and commitment.
Crucial Conversations teaches participants how to:
• Speak persuasively, not abrasively
• Foster teamwork and better decision making
• Build acceptance rather than resistance
• Resolve individual and group disagreements
Objective: Put Crucial Conversations principles and skills together, moving to healthy dialogue taking action and achieving results.
Get Unstuck: Spot the conversations that are keeping you from what you want.• Avoid moving to silence or violence during crucial conversations.• Share facts, ideas, feelings, and opinions candidly and honestly.
Start with Heart: Identify your own Style Under Stress and manage it.• Stay focused on what you really want and maintain dialogue.• Understand how motives change when conversations turn crucial.
Master My Stories: Stay in dialogue when you’re angry, scared, or hurt—“think” your way to the root cause of negative emotions. Discover your stories—how do you justify your behavior? Eliminate Victim, Villain, and Helpless Stories, and improve your results.
STATE My Path: Speak persuasively, not abrasively.• Get your meaning across even with potentially threatening messages. Share strong opinions without shutting down contrary views.• State your mind while making it safe for others to do the same.
Learn to Look: Spot the warning signs that indicate safety is at risk. • Notice various forms of silence and violence. • Step out of a conversation and notice how to make it work
Make It Safe: Take steps to rebuild safety and return to dialogue. • Talk about almost anything—without silence violence. Use specific skills to keep everyone sharing information. Establish and maintain mutual purpose and mutual respect.
Explore Others’ Path: Use exploring skills to make it safe for others to speak up. Get safely to the meaning behind others’ emotions.
Speaker Bio
STEVEN R EDWARDS, MA, CPLP, RCC
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICER • OHIO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM
Steven R. EdwardsSteve brings a wealth of knowledge in the area of leadership development. He is currently the Professional Development Officer at OPERS where he provides leadership coaching and development for organization leaders. Prior to his tenure at OPERS, he owned his own consulting/training/coaching/speaking business (EDWARDS and Associates), which he founded in 1994. He has traveled across the country with his theme; “You Hold the Ticket to Success!” and has been sought after as the “Communication Expert”. He also taught Public Speaking and Communication classes at Ohio University.
Steve holds the Certified Professional In Learning and Performance (CPLP) and Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) designations. He has a Masters degree in Interpersonal/Organizational Communication, a Bachelors in Human Resource Management, and an Associates degree in Mental Health/Counseling. He is also a certified trainer for Everything DiSC and Crucial Conversations.
Steve has experience in all facets of leadership coaching, including: strategic planning, improving organizational communication, staff development, goal setting, personal empowerment, customer service, 360 degree feedback tools, management assessment tools, personality and behavior tools, TEAM building, organizational quality programs, and ethics training.