Executive Educator & Speaker

Inspired by Google's groundbreaking Project Oxygen, which revealed that the best managers are exceptional coaches, this course teaches leaders how to shift their leadership style from advocacy to inquiry. Learn how to guide your team members to solve their own challenges by asking powerful, thought-provoking questions and practicing deep, empathetic listening. Discover how to foster a safe, supportive environment where your direct reports feel empowered to think critically and take calculated risks. Rooted in Connie’s Forbes article - Be Curious, Not Judgmental. 

Research reveals that only 21 percent of teams are high-performing, and the remainder are average or mediocre at best. As leaders in your organization, you know that you cannot force greatness upon a team. However, you can create the conditions under which teams thrive. Understand what these research-based team conditions are and how to assess a team on its strengths and weaknesses. Leaders walk away with practical insights for making their teams even more effective. Drawn from Connie’s article in TD Magazine titled Restoring Broken Teams.

In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, leaders must transcend boundaries—working across departments, organizations,  continents, and more. In this research-backed course, you’ll explore the concept of cross-silo leadership, learn why it’s essential, and gain practical skills for overcoming collaboration barriers. Through interactive discussions and exercises, participants will develop perspective-taking, cultural brokerage, and powerful questioning techniques to foster greater collaboration. You will walk away with actionable strategies to apply these skills back in the workplace.

In today’s VUCA world, it is not enough for organizations to hire and retain the best and brightest talent. They must also create spaces where employees feel safe asking questions, sharing concerns, and making mistakes. This discussion targets leaders who play essential roles in establishing safe climates on their teams. In this hands-on session, you will experiment with psychologically safe behaviors and language that can improve learning and innovation in your organization. Based on Connie’s article in TD Magazine titled Safety At Work. 

Difficult conversations in the workplace are expected, but that doesn’t make them easy. In this presentation, we will work to understand what makes conversations difficult and the importance of perspective-taking. You’ll also be introduced to a proven approach for having a difficult conversation and key enablers that, when skillfully applied, improve outcomes for all involved. In the end, you will gain confidence in your ability to participate in difficult workplace conversations and be ready to bring your best self to each one.

How can I make my MBA relevant? This question is loaded with enormous amounts of time, money, and energy that MBAs invest in earning their degrees and massive expectations for a substantial return on these investments. The answer to this question has been elusive as the typical paths for MBA relevance-making have been largely unknown – until now. Attend this workshop to learn the four types of MBA relevance-making and what that means for you. See Connie’s article in Harvard Business Review - How to Make the Most Out of Your MBA.