In my specialty as a virtual negotiation skills speaker, I have had the opportunity to teach negotiation skills training on an international basis. In fact, just last week I delivered a virtual keynote on negotiation skills to an international organization where 14 nations were represented. The amazing questions I received about negotiation skills from the virtual audience were equally excellent and insightful no matter where in the world the...
As an experienced virtual keynote speaker, I often have to explain the difference between a keynote speech and a motivational or inspirational speech. These days there are all kinds of people who claim to be virtual motivational speakers, and they range from former athletes to disgraced accountants to “B-list” actors. They may be funny or serious, finger pointing or podium thumping, but they are frequently like cotton candy. They...
As a negotiation listening skills speaker, I am often asked why so many negotiations don’t show positive results. My response is that participants often talk right past the important points. Listening Skills are The Hidden Element In my talks as a negotiation skills speaker, I often ask those who are participating virtually or in-person if anyone ever taught them how to listen? I’m usually met with blank stares. It’s a...
The Need for Virtual Negotiation Skills Speakers hasn’t changed, but the Times sure have!
My focus as a virtual negotiation speaker for accountants is not to teach you to “win.” In these difficult times called the new normal, my focus is to help your firm understand its negotiation aims without discouraging your present or future associations.
“Winning” a one-time negotiation may be fine if...
Don’t Just Build Your Team, Negotiate It In my view, the best way to go about team building is to understand that building great teams is an ongoing negotiation. Team building should never be a random process but an intentional progression where dissimilar staff members are brought together to achieve a common purpose. Team building can be a dream or a nightmare; the difference is negotiation. Stop with the...
Sheldon and Leonard Are Millionaires, So Why Aren’t They Happy? My greatest field of interest as an inspirational keynote speaker on team building and teamwork often leads to me explaining that putting a great team together is alot more than mugs, hats and T-shirts. Team building isn’t clever posters, inspirational quotes or funny GIFS and memes. I was recently reminded of that team building lesson while watching the...
You’re a Professional Manufacturer’s Rep, but Who’s Representing You? My negotiation skills keynote speaking for manufacturers’ reps and manufacturers’ reps workshops are based on real-life experience. I started my career as a manufacturer’s rep, then I successfully managed teams of manufacturers’ reps for a major corporation. As a negotiation skills speaker, my background as a manufacturer’s rep was invaluable and also eye-opening. One serious observation I made is...
How Much is Not Enough? In my work as a negotiation skills speaker for independent contractors and co-workers, whenever I deliver a keynote speech at an industry association, I am typically asked: “Why do we always feel we’re never getting enough for our work?” The question is increasing in frequency as the number of independent workers has skyrocketed. In 2018, The Brookings Institute estimated that there are 15.5 million...
Mike Hourigan, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Speaker As a national keynote speaker and breakout speaker helping people with their negotiation and conflict resolution skills, I am well aware of how words such as “negotiation” and “conflict resolution” are interchanged, even misused. When I present to corporate and association audiences on negotiation skills, I talk of two broad classifications. There is “hard negotiation,” for example, when customers walk into a...
Hiring and Motivating Administrative and Support Personnel in Your Practice As an inspirational keynote speaker for the healthcare industry on hiring and motivating administrative and office support personnel for healthcare practices, I know all too well the challenges you face. Heather Farley, M.D. writing for Delaware Business Times (April 5, 2019) stated that “Healthcare facilities tend to be among the highest-stress work environments of any profession—right up there with...
Change Management Speaker is critical when it comes to safety. As I deliver keynote speeches and lead breakout sessions to organizations on navigating safety change, I know the challenges but ultimately the benefits that change can bring. As opposed to many issues that affect companies, as a former production worker myself, I know what happens if safety regulations are ignored. Disregarding safety directly affects lives. Change management might be...
Whenever Las Vegas Keynote Speaker delivers a keynote speech in Las Vegas on Millennials in the workplace, he is often met with head-shaking. “Mike, you claim to like Millennials, what exactly do they want?” As a Las Vegas motivational speaker addressing the challenges and opportunities of blended workplaces, where Boomers, Gen-Xers, Gen Y and Gen Z have to get along, most of the older guys expect me to say,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Teams are the heartbeat of an organization. Team Building Managers are always looking for ways to get teams to work more harmoniously together and improve the quality of the teamwork at play so that the organization can become more effective. So, it's common for them to invest in team-building activities and retreats so that employees can learn how to work better together. But let's face it: "teamwork" and "team-building"...