WORKSHOPS

YOUR NEW LENSES ARE READY FOR PICK-UP: Seeing Change In A Whole New “Light”

Susan offers some new ways of viewing and thinking about change that can help your group stay in the “positive energy zone” during times in life that typically lead us to experiencing chronic stress and chronic negative energy. This session will provide your group with a key set of SHIFTS IN PERCEPTION that can help them protect their health, maintain their energy, and feel more at peace when life and work throws them those inevitable “curve balls”. To enhance the learning experience, each participant will receive a journal to help them apply the messages of the session to their own life. Along with great tips and tools, Susan will also share her own experiences with change and her personal “perception transformation” that inspired her to create a program about changing the way change changes us.

This session offers 3 main strategies:

Attention: The practice of paying greater attention to our perceptions and thoughts

Acceptance: Choosing to see and think about change in ways that helps to foster acceptance (inspired by the idea that stress is arguing with what is)

Appreciation: Fostering an attitude of gratitude for all the experiences that come our way (one of the most powerful shifts in consciousness one can make!)

Your Group Will Take Away:

  • A clear understanding of how change changes us
  • A stronger sense of empowerment over their experience with change
  • A higher awareness and understanding of the role that perception and thoughts play in the classic “stress pathway”
  • A set of new perspectives and thought processes about the role of change in our lives and why change happens
  • A set of changes to make within the self the next time change unfolds at work or in life
  • Information and tools that will help them contribute to to a peaceful, healthy, vibrant, and high performing organization

* this program can also be delivered as a 45 min. – 90 min. speech

“It’s not often that a speaker engages her audience as Susan did and left them wanting more. There were many laughs and “ah-ha” moments. Our audience left our event relaxed and better prepared to manage change and challenges as a result.” - Diana Zanin, DBM Canada

THE CAFFEINE-FREE “AWAKENED” WORK DAY: Managing Changes & Challenges Through Awareness

Susan will provide your group with a light-hearted and interactive program about the powers of “waking up” at work without the aid of any extra coffee or tea, but rather, through being more aware (and responsible) for the energy they bring to each moment of their busy days! Your group will explore the powerful role their perceptions and thoughts play in their daily experience. Through a combination of messages, dialogue, and activities, your group will be equipped with tools that will help them consciously choose to see and think about typical work-related challenges and changes in ways that will protect their health, foster positive energy, raise their spirits, increase their engagement levels, and strengthen their relationships with those they work with and serve!

This program explores 3 main strategies to enhance your group’s experience at work:

Awareness: A guided tour of the “Stress Pathway” (Observation, Perception, Response) and overview of the mind-body connection. Your group will become more aware of the fact that despite popular opinion, we create our experiences with stress and peace along with the fact that stress hormones are released in our system when our bodies respond to real danger and perceived danger – our bodies can’t tell the difference between the two!

Mindfulness: The practice of consciously choosing to see and think about challenging events, situations, and people in ways that creates peaceful feelings and positive energy rather than triggering the stress response and creating negative energy.

Stillness: The powerful habit of regularly creating space and time to still the mind through wordless action that triggers the relaxation response if and when stressful thoughts and tension sets in. Your group will explore the relaxing and re-energizing powers of deep breath meditation, laughter, and play.

Your Group Will Take Away:

  • A greater understanding of the role our perceptions and thoughts play in how we experience changes and challenges
  • A higher awareness of the direct relationship between our thoughts and our wellness, energy, and performance levels
  • A sense of empowerment over and accountability of the stress they experience when changes and challenges unfold at work (and in life)
  • A set of key shifts in how they see and think about the changes and challenges that come our way at work and in life – change our thoughts, change our experience!
  • Habits that reduce physical and mental tension and trigger the release of endorphins which result in that oh so beloved calm feeling

*a non-corporate/personal development version of this program is available as well – that program is called “The Caffeine-Free “Awakened” Life: Reclaiming Your True Nature Through Higher Awareness 

“Susan’s presentation was bang on! Her use of humour and real-life moments added greatly to her very serious topic.” - Kathy Bouma, Fanshawe College

THE CAFFEINE-FREE “AWAKENED” WORKPLACE: Building Stronger Connections And Creating A Positive Culture Through Awareness

A highly interactive and fun-filled exploration of how a team’s dynamics improve and its performance level rises when its members remember and exude their true nature at the workplace! Our true nature is JOY. When we enter this world, joy, excitement, laughter, playfulness, and wonder was standard equipment. As we grow up, get jobs, and take on all kinds of responsibilities, our “mind-chatter” (negative thoughts, expectations, judgements, fears, and assumptions slowly but surely lead us away from our light-filled true nature. To reclaim who we really are, requires “waking up” and consciously peeling away all that low-energy “mind-chatter” and reclaiming the present, peaceful nature that is innately ours.

Being awake at work doesn’t necessarily have to involve caffeine, but rather, being more conscious of our thoughts which can place us in the relaxed, joyful mindset that can enhance our performance, contribute to a positive workplace culture, form strong connections with others, and produce genuine, functional teamwork! Through fun exercises and sharing her practical messaging, Susan will help your group of busy professionals exude their true nature through offering 6 powerful shifts in consciousness that can transform their workplace relationships and enhance their overall experience at work. It was easy when we were babies, but being relaxed and joyful at work (and in life!) is still possible…it just takes awareness.

*THE CAFFEINE-FREE “AWAKENED WORKPLACE FOR LEADERS is also available! 

Your Group Will Leave Equipped To…

#1 FOCUS ON THE PRESENT MOMENT: When people are communicating with you, make a conscious to BE THERE…fully. In a bigger sense, let go of what people have said or done in the past and resist the urge to predict the future…put down your crystal ball…because you don’t know what they’re going to say or do, anything is possible!

#2 BE AUTHENTIC: Respectfully communicate what you REALLY think and how your REALLY feel. Let people know when you have concerns and openly admit your errors/shortcomings. Resentment is the most effective way to create a false sense of harmony.

#3 CHOOSE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE: Tell people they rock and do it often in person, by email, by voicemail, or hand-written note! Be sure to celebrate behaviours and attitudes as much as achievements.

#4 ACCEPT & EMPATHIZE: When the team is struggling or someone has messed up, arguing with what is does nothing except raise the stress hormones in your body. Empathize with their humanity of being imperfect and move on because shame and blame do not serve the team well…not one bit.

#5 EARN TRUST: Be yourself and be your very best each day. You do those two things with consistency, people will trust you.

#6 LAUGH & PLAY: Socializing and having fun (reclaiming our true nature!) with others creates rapport, strengthens bonds, tears down tension and fear…and makes the 6 other things above this point much, much, much easier

“The team debriefed afterwards and it was unanimous – a workshop that was both thoughtful and thought provoking. It was the right mix of light-heartedness with the more serious underlying principles of operating as a team. Your style and presentation skills are unmatchable.” - Lorrie Pella, Ministry of Culture

Putting The Powers Of Humour To Work…At Work: Providing Uplifting Customer Service  In This Wild, New World

Success is about relationships! Based on her extensive experience serving clients in her successful speaking business and providing humour to audiences for over 10 years, Susan offers insights, messages, and best practices that can help your group deliver effective customer service through forming a connection with their clients/customers. This light-hearted program will provide your group with a set of practical tips and tools to help them use humour/playfulness/light-heartedness to deliver the uplifting, positive experience that your customers/clients are now craving more than ever and take their careers and your organization/business to the next level of success!

Your Group Will Take Away:

  • A greater appreciation for the powerful role right-brain skills play in providing effective and memorable service to customers/clients in this “age of affluence”
  • Understanding that “whole-minded” service is a combination of technical ability and  any actions, behaviours, and attitudes that create a positive and uplifting experience for people
  • Inspiration to be responsible for the energy they bring to each person they support and serve throughout their busy days
  • 6 main benefits of injecting lightness and fostering a personal connection into professional conversations/customer service interactions
  • 5 key ways to instantly put humour to work and form a connection with another human being (Susan will share the golden rules of comedy and apply those principles to enhance your organization’s service delivery)

“Susan’s humour was completely engaging and at the same time, the take-away value was substantial.” - Margo Vanderland, Canada Colors & Chemicals Ltd.