Training & Facilitation
Trainings can be one-off, or multi stage. They can include a scalable “learn, then teach” model wherein training cohort members are tasked with training others in a business unit or organization. Longer training time scales aids in behavioral change when it comes to embedding new skills.
Some of my most popular offerings—remote or in person—include:
empathy
I especially focus on empathy training for sales teams and innovation work, and I’m great for teams of STEM-minded individuals. Per multiple studies e.g., by the MIT Sloane School, true empathy results in a 20-30% increase in sales. And evidence regularly suggests that empathy is a critical element of innovation, as well as for psychological safety on and thus maximum efficacy in teams.
I’ve trained a group of Fortune 100 executives on empathy, and my innovation contributions have yielded projects earning $200 million thus far for the client.
Difficult conversations
I regularly speak at conferences and work with client teams on having difficult conversations well.
Per a study by VitalSmarts, seven out of ten employees reported avoiding a difficult conversation in the workplace, and per Bravely’s research, 94% of managers who quit due to frustrations with direct reports said they avoided direct dialogues and feedback with those people. Avoiding difficult conversations in the workplace is linked by Bravely’s research to a 12x increase in employees commiserating with colleagues, and an 8x increase in employees leaving negative company reviews online, e.g., on glassdoor.com.
My difficult conversation work is sometimes part of a leadership retreat or a one-off workshop. Clients report feeling renewed energy and faith in the team, and in one case, a key executive on the brink of quitting decided to stay onboard and reinvest in the leadership team.
Leadership and team retreats
From short on-sites to multi-day off sites, contributing to one segment or the whole retreat, I customize my retreat facilitation and training content to the needs of each group.
Download a detailed “menu” of my offerings.
Speaking
I present talks, both remotely and in person, to teams, companies, and for conferences on topics ranging from why emotional intelligence matters to more specific topics under my purview (see the menu linked above). I prefer to make these interactive when possible, so that the audience gets a firsthand experience of why x thing matters, versus just a cognitive download.
Consulting
Team trust and rapport
Feeling out dynamics in a dyad or group, cleaning up misunderstandings and weak links in communication, and helping create psychological safety as well as relational skill building. A more robust and customized version of the team dynamics offerings in the trainings and workshops section.
issues assessment
Requires in-person presence. Done ideally over the course of days or one or two weeks, this “fly on the wall” observation and interviews yields an astute picture of what’s going on in an organization and the highest leverage components to address, which are often different than what stakeholders think needs fixing.
exit interviews
Using masterfully attuned attention and dialogue to get real and salient feedback so organizations can course correct before issues become more entrenched. The individual exiting is left feeling relieved; this may curtail negative ripples that would have otherwise been spread due to unheard frustrations. In some cases, the person feels so much better and such renewed trust in the company that they decide to not leave.
conflict mediation
Including conflict between founders: empathizing to de-escalate emotional charges, uncovering core interests and motivations, re-stating dialogue with less combative language, and tracking subtle, underlying relational dynamics between people who are in conflict. The relationship and outlooks are left with lasting improvement.
meeting clean up
Sitting in on company or board meetings and naming emotional dynamics / cleaning things up as they go along, so participants and thus groups are less run by implicit feelings. A number of dynamics that persist outside of those meetings will show up here.
Team Coaching, Embedded or Group
Usually done via a part-time contract. Heather coaches multiple people within an organization (typically leaders) to help each with their personal leadership development and goals as well as synergizing and synching to reach meta organizational goals. Embedded coacing can also be done as or in tandem with group coaching of the team.
Pricing
Prices can be negotiable for early stage startups, non-profits, or for projects that interest me.
For ongoing engagements, I may also accept equity as a payment supplement.