Linda Byars Swindling, JD

Do you ask for what you want? Or, do you simply take what you’re offered?

There is magic in asking. The strongest friendships, top sales teams, and most successful businesses have one thing in common – courageous people who feel the fear and still ask for what they want. People who achieve the best results are people who know how to ask outrageously . In this presentation, Linda Swindling shares tactics and strategies which help people show up powerfully and ask for what they really want. She’ll show how to spot the other people’s negotiation (DEAL) styles in order to communicate effectively and create outrageously great outcomes. Team members and their leaders will know how to negotiate the best deals at work and in life with confidence and integrity.

After attending, participants leave with strategies to:
● Turn negotiations into a conversation instead of a confrontation;
● Show up powerfully and communicate effectively so that others will listen;
● Reach winning results with integrity and confidence;
● Create significant connections with key people and attract support for their ideas;
● Spot other people’s negotiation (DEAL) styles; and
● Make confident decisions and embrace strategic risk taking.

IDEAL AUDIENCE : For all employees. Specific audiences have included: sales teams; governmental departments; professionals such as lawyers, doctors, financial advisors, and accountants; insurance and tech companies; women’s groups; associations; and more.

FORMAT OPTIONS : 45-60 minute keynote; or half-day to full-day workshop.

Have you ever planned a clear course of action and then discovered all your hard work is no longer relevant? Are you negotiating a change you chose or one that was thrust upon you? What would happen if you could adapt to change without the mental exhaustion?

Change is inevitable and arises from numerous sources. You may be experiencing new leadership, tackling a change in roles or position, losing members of your team, and/or tasked with transforming the way you do business. When you add personal challenges like illness, the death of a loved one, a divorce or even happy events like marriage and a baby, life can seem out of control. Whether the change was planned or a surprise, you often have more control and options than you think. Really.

TAKE AWAYS:
● Negotiate the learning curve and respond effectively to crisis, conflict and failure;
● Initiate, manage and champion change;
● Know the best questions to ASK when faced with a surprise or problem;
● Plan for anticipated situations and innovate when unanticipated issues occur;
● Encourage breakthroughs when others are breaking down;
● Let go of expectations of how it “should” be and embrace calculated risk-taking;
● Increase your tolerance for ambiguity and the unknown; and
● Influence others to commit even when the change is not fully defined.

FORMAT OPTIONS : 1 hour keynote or 2-3 hour interactive workshop.

IDEAL AUDIENCE : For everyone dealing with change. Specific audiences have included: leadership teams; governmental employees; professionals such as lawyers, doctors, financial advisors, and accountants; insurance and tech companies; women’s groups; associations; and more.

How Leaders Can Effectively Negotiate Anything from Big Deals to Workplace Drama

More than ever, leaders must know how to effectively negotiate in order to be successful. When you think about it, much of a professional’s day is spent negotiating: hammering out the terms of a deal, controlling costs, solving clients’ problems, and working with other departments. For some, negotiation can look like asking for additional headcount, mediating workplace drama, and negotiating change in the organization. For you, negotiation may mean influencing key decision makers and being recognized for the value you provide. Leadership is a constant negotiation.

In this presentation, Linda shows you how to become a better negotiator and leader through research-backed tactics and proven strategies that work in real life. From her experience in the courtroom and the boardroom, Linda inspires others to look at negotiations as a conversation rather than a confrontation. She equips high-performing leaders with the tools they need to help attract support for their ideas.

After attending, participants leave with strategies to:
● Harness the power of positive influence, persuasion and negotiation;
● Negotiate for the push and pull for resources while building win-win-win partnerships with stakeholders;
● Avoid over-committing and unnecessary compromise;
● Spot and identify others’ negotiation (DEAL) styles and effectively communicate to create desired, durable outcomes;
● Develop meaningful relationships with key people to attract support for ideas; and
● Reach winning results with integrity and confidence.

IDEAL AUDIENCE : For anyone who leads people, including project leaders, mid-level managers, and senior executives. Specific audiences have included: sales teams; governmental departments; professionals such as lawyers, doctors, financial advisors, and accountants; insurance and tech companies; women’s groups; associations; and more.

FORMAT OPTIONS : 45-60 minute keynote; or half-day to full-day workshop.

Constant complainers take up resources, time, and mental bandwidth in the workplace. When you change a culture of complainers to one of contributors, you boost morale, increase productivity, and promote effective communication. In short, you get more done with less drama. In this presentation, workplace communication expert Linda Swindling shares her expertise in negotiating tough situations at work and in life. Discover how to positively influence others to accomplish your purpose. Understand the reasons why people are creating drama so that you can diffuse conflicts and address problems productively. Linda uses scenarios, engaging questions, and original research to provide strategies that can be implemented immediately.

After attending, participants leave with strategies to:
● Identify and negotiate with specific types of energy drainers and complainers;
● Implement the #1 way to stop a Whiner;
● Maintain control of destructive conversations;
● Communicate powerfully with difficult people, including the Toxics;
● Self-assess to determine when you can be a Complainer and how to stop it;
● Learn concrete phrases to turn constant Complainers into productive Contributors; and
● Address disagreements successfully so everyone can get back to work.

IDEAL AUDIENCE : For anyone who leads people, including project leaders, mid-level managers, and senior executives. Specific audiences have included: sales teams; governmental departments; professionals such as lawyers, doctors, financial advisors, and accountants; insurance and tech companies; women’s groups; associations; and more. Linda offers a version of this talk for all employees as well.

FORMAT OPTIONS : 45-60 minute keynote; or half-day to full-day workshop.

How to Negotiate for a Climate of Collaboration, Trust and Innovation

High performers are committed, driven and focused team members who share similar attitudes and behaviors. They are motivated, dedicated self-starters who drive results no matter the circumstances. Their energy is contagious and engaging; and they make everyone’s job easy.

This presentation is based on Linda’s best-selling book, The Manager’s High-Performance Handbook: How to Drive Winning Performance with Everyone on Your Team , her original research, and 25 years of leading decision makers. Linda shares strategies for diagnosing breakdowns and negotiating roadblocks. She provides tools and solutions any leader can use to cultivate a team of high performers and influence better results.

Already have a solid team? Linda will share proven strategies for tapping into team members’  abilities, fine-tuning their effectiveness, and increasing their winning outcomes.

After attending, participants leave with strategies to:
● Align with a common purpose and operating practices;
● Encourage a climate of collaboration, trust and innovation;
● Deliver high-performance service as a competitive advantage;
● Recruit and promote high-performance team members;
● Focus on and produce winning results; and
● Create a personal action plan to fast-track as a leader.

IDEAL AUDIENCE : High-potentials, high-performers, and leaders across all industries.

FORMAT OPTIONS : 45-60 minute keynote; or half-day to full-day workshop. Wish to fast track your leadership team or grow your bench with essential leadership skills? Linda has a comprehensive, six-module consulting program on this topic as well.