What Would Robert Kennedy Think of Twitter? It was Robert Kennedy Jr. who said “Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies.” Though RFK would have been 94 on this date, he would have easily understood the need to champion change in today’s society and modern workplace. I would venture that had his life not been cut so short, RFK would have...
Found: The Darkest Bulb in the Chandelier! As a keynote speaker, I am honored speak to professional associations nationwide on the many challenges of managing change. One important aspect I talk about in regard to change is that the organizations that are most successful in navigating around challenges are those that give their people the permission to think. Giving employees the go-ahead to think about how to work out...
Is Workplace Safety an Ethical Duty? Most people might agree with the commonly used definition of workplace safety as “keeping yourself and others free from harm or danger.” It is an “adequate” statement, but as a former factory worker myself in addition to a workplace safety keynote speaker, I know that for those who work in factories, construction, transportation and other potentially dangerous jobs, safety is often seen in...
Safety Speaker “I’ve got your back, even if you don’t like it!” Data recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2017 showed the number of claims for serious back injuries to be 148,780. In addition, there were 311,330 claims for muscle tears and strains injuries. In studies of workplace-related injuries, overexertion from improper lifting and moving of objects accounts for more than 25% of all workplace injuries. In...
Are You Prepared to Start Negotiations on an Airport Bus? As a negotiation skills speaker one question I often get is “At what point in a meeting does the real negotiation stuff take place?” My answer is, “Yes.” By the one-word answer, what I mean is negotiation skills can start even before the actual meeting, on the plane prior to the meeting, or in a taxi or Uber to the hotel....
Mike Hourigan: Your Next Keynote Speaker for New Orleans, LA Why Meeting Planners Choose New Orleans New Orleans is one of the Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the United States, and for good reason. With more than 22,000 sleeping rooms, a vibrant cultural, music and food scene, this easily walkable, exciting, diverse city also boasts some of the nation’s best convention centers. For example, The Ernest N. Morial...
Where’s My Assigned Parking Space? There’s a supposedly true story about the corporate officer who called all of her organization’s department heads together for a serious meeting. Pounding the table to emphasize key points, she said “We must immediately make sweeping changes to our culture. Everyone must be valued. No one, and I mean no one, is better than anyone else!” The next day, she just about lost it...
“How Many Bananas per Bunch?” One of my great joys as a negotiation skills speaker is to meet with meeting attendees both before and after my keynote addresses and seminars. Sometimes the meetings are casual and informal, sometimes as part of a question and answer session. I really like these interactions because I had real-life experience myself starting with manufacturing and sales and working my way into upper management....
Safety Speaker How a Safety Speaker can benefit your Organization. Ensuring the safety of the employees, as well as the premises, is one of the primary components of running a successful organization. It is not merely about wearing the right safety gear and operating machinery as per the safety guidelines. In fact, it is much more than simply adhering to the safety best practices. Creating a safe work environment...
Why should you choose Houston, TX to host your next sales meeting or keynote speaker event? As America's fourth-largest city, Houston manages to be a bustling metropolis that has a small-town feel to it even though it's home to an incredibly high concentration of Fortune 500 companies and over 90 languages are spoken in Houston. Houston is also an event planner's dream with four different convention centers to choose from...
Human Resources Keynote Speaker Human resources Keynote Speakers are expected to be experts on just about everything that keeps an organization's heartbeat in check. Finding the right people for the organization and making sure that quality talent and recruiters are on the same page on an ongoing basis is just the first part. Human Resources (HR) professionals are also tasked with resolving disputes, arranging training, the bureaucratic aspects of managing...
You're planning an event or meeting and need to hire a keynote speaker. You could potentially arrange that with just a few clicks but if you haven't worked with a professional keynote speaker before, communication skills training is key if you're going to email them. Here's what you need to include in your keynote speaker invitation email. The most important information you need to mention upfront is what type...
With a rich history that has attracted music lovers for decades, Nashville, TN has become an up and coming city for travel & tourism programs, events and of course you Nashville Keynote Speaker. As Tennessee's largest city and main metropolitan area, Nashville is a hospitable small city that has seen rapid growth since bouncing back from the 2008 recession. Being conveniently located between the Deep South and Midwest, Nashville...
Why hire a keynote speaker? Just ask your event planner: putting together that sales management training program, company-wide meeting, or conference is an exciting but also stressful endeavor. You may want your employees or leaders to show their accomplishments or give a speech, but a professional keynote speaker puts their unique fingerprint on your event while delivering the message you want to communicate. The term "keynote speaker" actually comes music. It's...
Today's traveler and tourists drives a hard bargain. Cheap fares and a plethora of information are widely available in just a few clicks or swipes, why would they select your brand over another? Are convenience and location alone the other only factors driving those decisions or are your communicating skills lacking the kind of value you can deliver so you both get what you want? The travel and tourism industry...
Why hire Safety Speaker Mike Hourigan? As a Safety Speaker, Workplace Safety is a concern whether employees require tactical gear or a desk and computer. And ensuring that workplaces are kept safe isn’t limited solely to regulations for uniforms and equipment in more physical jobs. Safety Speaker Mike says that there are so many other aspects of workplace safety such as A Safety Speaker can improve employee communications and encouraging...
In this three-part series, Safety Speaker Mike Hourigan will be examining everyday decisions that affect workplace safety. Part 3: Last time, we got into workplace safety and why fostering an organizational culture that prioritizes employee safety and inclusion is one of the best decisions that managers can make. There's many different facets of safe workplaces like encouraging open communication, following physical safety compliance procedures, and ensuring that employees don't feel...
In this three-part series, Safety Speaker Mike Hourigan will be examining everyday decisions that affect workplace safety. Part 2: Last time, we got into how managers often face risky decisions when it comes to workplace safety. There's concerns not just for very physical jobs and complying with laws as well as procedures, but also in creating and fostering a culture that values employee safety. Are your decisions creating a...
In this three-part series, Safety Speaker Mike Hourigan will be examining everyday decisions that affect workplace safety. Part 1: Workplace safety isn't solely about making sure the right tools and protective gear are on hand and staying compliant with all regulatory and organization-wide compliance procedures. Making sure that people are safe at work also isn't limited to workplaces with highly physical aspects and their subsequent regulations like construction sites and restaurants. Managers...
...to a lot of people, that is. Having difficulty with negotiations certainly doesn't mean that you or your employees aren't intelligent, capable, or good people. Many people who face challenges when it comes to negotiation often place the blame on shyness and being introverted, or simply disliking confrontation and preferring an easy and agreeable way out of a sticky situation. Which are definitely good reasons one may find themselves being...