All That Stinks Here Isn’t Cheese As a negotiation skills keynote speaker and breakout speaker who speaks nationwide on negotiation, I will admit two things upfront: I actually used the expression “all that stinks here isn’t cheese,” with a cheese-making ingredient client, and that I don’t know anything about cheesemaking. Well, Excuuuse Me As to the expression, it led to me helping the sales manager at the ingredient company...
Negotiation Skills Speaker Learning effective negotiation skills isn’t a talent reserved for an elite few. As a negotiation skills speaker, I often remind those who attend my negotiation skills keynote addresses and workshops, that 70 percent of the sale is made before you get there.“Well then, Mike, what is the other 30 percent?” It’s You! The unknown factor in any negotiation, especially for people in sales and marketing, is...
As a change management speaker and change management breakout session speaker my greatest passion is to help organizations manage change, and respond to change in challenging times. I think we would all agree that as a society, in the past decade, nothing has changed us as much as COVID. Clearly, we can always point to the rise of Facebook users, YouTube uploads, the appearance of Bitcoin, the increase in...
My passion as a workplace safety speaker has led me all across America to deliver keynote addresses and break-out training sessions as a keynote speaker and breakout speaker on safety to construction companies, food processing, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturing, trucking companies and similar organizations. I have seen the results of what happens when safety is ignored. As a workplace safety speaker, I frequently like to ask the question you see...
As a motivational safety speaker, there’s always one wise-guy in the audience who says: “I always hear you guys talking about safety first. So, what’s second, beer?” It’s always good for a laugh. The dismissive answer is: “Why, are you buying?” The subject is anything but lighthearted. In fact, when I as a safety speaker give my safety keynote speeches, I’m aware that in a year, workers might walk...
As a Keynote Speaker on Teamwork, Team Building Speaker and a Team Management Speaker, I realize there is a lot of confusion. To briefly point out the differences of the terms, Teamwork is a general term referring to the combined effort of a group of people. Teamwork can apply to the Navy SEALS, New York Yankees or the sales force of a pharmaceutical company. The premise of teamwork is...
My twenty-year mission as a change management speaker has led me to the conclusion that most people don’t want to embrace change management, they want to erase it. In my in-person and virtual training sessions, I note that managing change is never easy. However, organizational change is made more difficult when employees intuitively know they must accept the changes in their organization, and then refuse to expose themselves to...
A few years ago, I was asked in my role as a safety motivational speaker to speak at a major food industry tradeshow. One of the aspects of the tradeshow was that it was honoring women who had contributed to the industry. Indeed, as a keynote and break-out session speaker on safety I have met many women who have had outstanding careers in the safety prevention area. I am...
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,...