CLICK HERE to access the 57 minute audio recording (mp3).

If you’re a leader, you’re the narrator. Today, more and more organizations are recognizing the power of narrative and story as a core leadership discipline.

Are you building a brand? Tell a story. Speeding the change process? Tell a story. Are you looking for powerful ways to preserve your culture, archive knowledge, and engage your people and your marketplace? Tell a story!

Storytelling is the engagement secret of great leaders.

In this fun TeleSeminar, bestselling business author David Hutchens will introduce you to the fast-growing body of theory around organizational narrative. You will learn how organizations are using narrative to more purposefully create meaning and engagement with their many stakeholder groups; and you will explore ways that stories can be presented as collaborative tools that generate learning and shared meaning.

Then, you’ll be ready to start identifying the narrative assets that define your leadership and your organization.

About the Presenter

David Hutchens is an author, business writer and learning designer who creates communication solutions for The Coca-Cola Company, Wal-Mart, IBM, GE, Nike, Bank of America, and others. He served as chairman of Storytelling in Organizations, a special interest group of the globally renowned National Storytelling Network.

He speaks to organizations and leadership teams all around the world on the topic of storytelling as an organizational capacity. His new book is “Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers,” Wiley & Sons 2015

He is creator of the Learning Fables -- a book series that uses narrative and metaphor to illustrate principles of organizational learning. With titles that include "Outlearning the Wolves" and "Shadows of the Neanderthal," the popular business fables have have sold more than a quarter-million copies in over a dozen languages.

He is author of the book "A Slice of Trust: The Leadership Secret with the Hot & Fruity Filling,” which features a foreword by Stephen M.R. Covey.

In partnership with The Conference Board, he is creator and lead facilitator of The Team USA Leadership Experience, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado springs; and he also facilitates The Apollo Leadership Experience at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

A nationally recognized developer of innovative learning products, David's work has been recognized with distinctions such as Training & Development's "Training Product of the Year" award; ASTD's prestigious "Excellence in Practice" award; Brandon Hall Gold award, and more.

David's newest product is "GO Team: Powering Teams to Perform," a just-in-time team training resource. GO Team's library of 18 team-related topics allows you to build your own learning agenda tailored to your team's needs.




This TeleSeminar is for you if:

• You're a leader
• You want to learn how to use narrative to create deeper meaning on your team
• You want to more fully engage your team members

Ask your questions and get answers in this live interview! 

Event Details

TITLE

"Telling Stories and Making Meaning"

DATE

Thursday  September 10, 2015

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone) and runs 55 minutes

SPEAKERS

David Hutchens, author of "Circle of the 9 Muses"

Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

COST

This event is FREE.

REGISTER

No need to register. Simply call 828-380-4393 (no "pin" needed). We'll also be live on the web at www.uberconference.com/tomheck

NOTE: There is a 100 person limit to this event.

PHONE / How To Participate

This will be an interactive interview. You'll get to ask David Hutchens questions via a chat window and via audio!

At the time listed above, simply call:

Phone: 828-380-4393  (no "pin" needed)

or join via the web from anywhere in the world: www.uberconference.com/tomheck

Recording

CLICK HERE to access the audio recording (mp3). 

CLICK HERE to listen to the 55 minute recording (mp3) of the interview.

In this interview we'll explore the delicate and complicated relationship we have with ourselves.

Unfortunately, many of us struggle to make peace with ourselves and to be kind, compassionate, and loving towards ourselves, which can lead to a number of challenges in our lives, our work, and our relationships.

In this interview Mike Robbins will share truths, important insights, and valuable knowledge that can transform your relationship with yourself, as well as your relationships with others and with life itself.

This TeleSeminar is for you if:

• You're a leader
• You want to live with more passion, courage, and vulnerability
• You want to make peace with yourself, others, and life
• You want to accept yourself and those around you with compassion
• You want to remember how powerful and resilient you are

Ask your questions and get answers in this live interview!

Mike Robbins is the author of three books: Nothing Changes Until You Do, Focus on the Good Stuff, and Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken. He's a sought-after keynote speaker who speaks to groups of all kinds throughout the world.

Some of his clients include Google, Wells Fargo, Twitter, Gap, eBay, Charles Schwab, Adobe, Chevron, Citibank, the US Department of Labor, Stanford University, the San Francisco Giants, and many others. 

Mike and his work have been featured in Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, as well as on ABC News and the Oprah radio network. He's a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and his books have been translated into fourteen different languages.

“This book is filled with quick, compelling, and actionable ideas. Mike Robbins uses his personal experience to help all of us see how we can take small steps toward a better life. Reading this book will give you a new way to think about how you interact with the world.”

 – Tom Rath, New York Times best-selling author of Eat Move Sleep and StrengthsFinder 2.0

CLICK HERE for more information about the book.

 Event Details

TITLE

Nothing Changes Until You Do -- a conversation about self-compassion and getting out of your own way.

DATE

Wednesday  July 22, 2015

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone) and runs 55 minutes

SPEAKERS

Mike Robbins, author of Nothing Changes Until You Do

Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

COST

This event is FREE.

REGISTER

No need to register. Simply call 828-380-4393 (no "pin" needed). We'll also be live on the web at www.uberconference.com/tomheck

NOTE: There is a 100 person limit to this event.

PHONE / How To Participate

This will be an interactive interview. You'll get to ask Mike Robbins questions via a chat window and via audio!

At the time listed above, simply call:

Phone: 828-380-4393  (no "pin" needed)

or join via the web from anywhere in the world: www.uberconference.com/tomheck

Recording

CLICK HERE to listen to the 55 minute recording (mp3) of the interview.

 Video

Watch the three minute video below of Mike Robbins speaking about the importance of self appreciation.

Authors and Thought Leaders Interviewed for the IATF Community

==>  NOTE: Click on the name to go to the interview (recording).

Seth Godin -- Author of multiple NY Times Best Sellers (interviewed Seth multiple times)

Dan Pink -- Author of the NY Times best seller A Whole New Mind and DRIVE

Dr. Ken Blanchard -- Author of multiple NY Times Best Sellers

Jack Canfield -- Coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and author of The Success Principles

David Allen -- Author of the NY Times best seller Getting Things Done

Parker Palmer -- Founder of the Center for Courage & Renewal and author of multiple best sellers including Let Your Life Speak - Listening for the Voice of Vocation and The Courage to Teach

Stephen M.R. Covey -- Author of The Speed of Trust

Joe Frontiera -- Coauthor of Team Turnarounds

Neil Howe -- Coauthor of The Fourth Turning

Dr. Relly Nadler -- Emotional Intelligence expert, author of Leading with Emotional Intelligence (multiple interviews)

Gretchen Rubin -- NY Times best selling author of The Happiness Project

Michael Goldman -- Facilitation expert, author

Dave Gray -- Author of Game Storming - How Games At Work Inspire Creativity

Susan Gerke & David Hutchens -- Creators of GO Team Resources

 Les McKeown -- President and CEO of Predictable Success

Brian Biro -- Author of Beyond Success (interviewed Brian multiple times)

Dr. Steven Simpson -- Author of The Leader Who Is Hardly Known

Ali Brown -- "The entreprenurial guru for women" ~ Business News Daily

Dr. Lance Secretan -- Author of multiple best sellers on the topic of inspired leadership (interviewed Lance multiple times)

Michael Bungay Stanier -- Author of Do More Great Work

Bruce Tulgan -- Author of Not Everyone Gets a Trophy

Robyn Benincasa -- Firefighter, Adventure Racer, Speaker

Cynder Niemela -- Author, Teamwork & Leadership Coach

Dave Buck -- Author, CEO of Coachville.com, Leadership Coach

Barry Rellaford -- Author, Senior Trainer at FranklinCovey (multiple interviews)

Gregg Levoy -- Author of Callings - Finding and Following an Authentic Life

John David Mann -- Coauthor of the NY Times best seller The Go-Giver (multiple interviews)

Thomas Koulopoulos -- Author, lecturer, leading innovation consultant

Bea Fields -- Author, Leadership Coach

Kevin Eikenberry -- Author, Leadership Coach

Phil Lawler -- Author and noted leader in the Physical Education arena

Ron Clark -- Author of The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules For Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child

 Dr. Haydn Hasty -- Author and noted expert on Emotional Intelligence

Dr. Edward Hallowell -- Author of multiple NY Times best sellers

Michael Herman -- Author and noted expert on Open Space Technology

Dr. Chris Cavert -- Author of multiple books and noted expert on Adventure Learning and Experiential Learning

Dr. Laurence Martel -- Author of multiple books on learning and teaching including The 7 Secrets of Learning Revealed

Andy Stefanovich -- Founder of PLAY (now known as PROPHET) the creative ideas company

Dr. Jasper Hunt -- Author and Experiential Learning thought leader, professor at Minnesota State University

Dr. Paul Pearsall -- Author of multiple NY Times best sellers including The Heart's Code

Randy Siegel -- Author, consultant, trainer and thought leader in communications

Dr. Roger Greenaway -- Author and Experiential Learning thought leader and owner of the popular blog for facilitators and trainers Active Reviewing

Laurie Beth Jones -- Author of multiple NY Times best sellers including Jesus, CEO

Sam Sikes -- Author, trainer, and noted expert in Experiential & Adventure Based Learning

Dr. George Kohlrieser -- Negotiations expert and author of Hostage at the Table

Marc Kielburger -- Coauthor of Me To We - Finding Meaning in a Material World, cofounder of Free The Children

Dr. Jim Cain -- Author of Teamwork & Teamplay, noted expert in Experiential and Adventure Based Education

John Taylor Gatto -- Award winning educator, author of multiple books including The Underground History of American Education

Mark Victor Hansen -- Coauthor of Chicken Soup For The Soul, the best selling series of books of all time.

Dr. Michael Gass -- Author of multiple books including "Essential Elements of Facilitation" and "Book of Metaphors", professor at the University of New Hampshire

Michael Port -- Author of multiple books including Book Yourself Solid, leadership coach, speaker

Ron McMillan -- Author of multiple books including the NY Times best seller Crucial Conversations

Liz Cornish -- Author of Hit the Ground Running: A Woman’s Guide to Success for the First 100 Days on the Job

Dr. Dan Garvey -- President of Prescott College and noted expert in the field of Experiential Education

Dr. Joe Vitale -- Author of multiple books including The Attractor Factor

Ernest Oriente and Judy Feld -- Authors of Smart Match Alliances, coaches, thought leaders

Michelle Cummings -- Author of multiple books on Experiential Learning

Rick Tamlyn -- Leadership coach and coauthor of The Bigger Game

Doug Silsbee -- Leadership coach and teacher, author of Presence-Based Coaching

Rabbi Shais Taub -- Spiritual teacher and leader, author of God of Our Understanding

Merrick Rosenberg -- President and Chief Learning Officer at Team Builders Plus, speaker, trainer, coach, author of Taking Flight

Scott Hartl -- President & CEO of Expeditionary Learning

Susan Gerke -- Virtual Teams expert and author of The I in TEAM

Ed Manning -- Leadership coach, trainer, author of Alchemy for Leaders

John Birch -- Leadership coach, trainer, consultant

Katherine Crowley & Kathi Elster -- Authors of Working for You Isn't Working for Me

Bill Treasurer -- Author of multiple books including Courage Goes To Work   (multiple interviews)

Pat Richie -- Senior leadership trainer with The Table Group / Patrick Lencioni

Anthony Sillard -- Leadership coach and author of Full Alignment

Mike Cardus -- Team and leadership coach, author, director of Create-Learning

Christine Martell -- Facilitation expert, author

Karen Valencic -- Leadership expert, trainer, author of Spiral Impact - The Power to Get it Done With Grace

Alex Scordelis -- Founder of Improv Everywhere and author of Causing a Scene

Melanie Benson Strick -- Virtual Teams expert

Brian Burt -- Founder of Maestro Conference and Virtual Teams expert

Jenn Sramek -- Virtual Teams expert, Project Manager and Partner at CivicActions.com

Shaun Callahan -- Virtual Communities expert, Chief Involvement Officer at Groupsite.com

Jessica Lipnack -- Virtual Teams expert, author of NetAge.com

Charles Feltman -- Trust at work expert, author of The Thin Book of Trust

Mark Silver -- Small business expert, leadership coach, trainer

Michael Losier -- Best selling author of Law of Attraction, guest on Oprah

more coming soon...

View this entire video in the IATF Members Only Area HERE.  

Membership information is HERE.

If you work in (or for) a group or team you'll be more than aware of the frustrations that come when we inevitably and frequently hit gridlock.

Why is it that sometimes we enter a state of high-performing flow but that often we stutter, stall and fail?

In this informative, entertaining, and interactive Webinar (Google Hangout), Les McKeown, President and CEO of Predictable Success will explain why this happens and how to get to, and stay in, a sustained period of effective teamwork.

Les McKeown has spent a lifetime helping people achieve this state of effective teaming. As a serial entrepreneur and consultant he has worked with literally thousands of people on their team interactions and communication.

By the end of our session you will know how to:

- Consistently make and implement high quality decisions individually and as a team.

- Dramatically improve existing relationships with the people you work with every day.

- Exponentially increase the effectiveness of your interactions at client, peer, manager, and direct report level.

- Improve personal productivity to achieve more each day, every day.

- Understand your value within your organization and the impact that the work you each day has on your organization's combined success. 

Event Details

TITLE

Transcendent Leadership -- How To Lead Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime

DATE

Thursday   June 20, 2013

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone) and runs 60 minutes

SPEAKERS

Les McKeown, President and CEO of Predictable Success

Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

REGISTER

CLICK HERE to register. Free and open to the public. [registration is now closed]

COST

This event is FREE.

RECORDING

This Webinar was recorded and is archived in the new IATF Members Only Area. Become a member for FREE and watch the video for FREE.  Membership information is HERE.

Preview

Watch the video below for a preview of what you'll learn in this Webinar.

 When you experience a breakthrough...

        When your team experiences a breakthrough...

it is a spiritual experience

I'd like you to meet my good friend Brian Biro who is known internationally as "America's Breakthrough Coach."

Companies and organizations who are truly committed to bringing out the best in their people use Brian's amazing energy and passion to create a shared experience that is literally life-changing.

A major client described Brian best when he said, "Brian Biro has the energy of a ten-year-old, the enthusiasm of a twenty-year-old, and the wisdom of a seventy-five-year-old."

I've had the great pleasure of knowing Brian Biro for many years and he is all these things - - Energetic, Ethusiastic, and Full of Wisdom.  Most of all, Brian is one of the most spiritual centered people I know.

I'm convinced that Brian is able to help people experience transformational breakthroughs because he operates from and teaches spiritual principles that, if followed, produce amazing results for anyone.

In this TeleSeminar Brian will share insights gained from helping thousands of people experience breakthroughs.  We will explore how he incorporates the spiritual in his work with teams.

  Brian Biro is one of the nation's foremost speakers and teachers of Leadership, Possibility Thinking, Thriving on Change, and Team-Building. He has delivered over 1,200 presentations around the world over the last 20 years. Brian is the author of multiple best sellers including Beyond Success -- The 15 Secrets to Effective Leadership and Life Based on Legendary Coach John Wooden's Pyramid of Success

This TeleSeminar will be interactive - - you'll be able to talk with our special guest speaker and ask him your questions directly (or send them in as text).  It's "just in time" training and development! 

Dial in, share your experiences… and then start unleashing even more team power in your organization.

Call Details

TITLE

The Spiritual Nature of Team Building -- SESSION # 2 with special guest Brian Biro

DATE

Wednesday,   March 21, 2012

TIME

Starts at 1 pm  Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 60- 70 minutes

PRESENTERS

Brian Biro -- Best Selling Author,Teamwork Expert, Breakthrough Coach, Father, Husband www.BrianBiro.com 

Tom Heck -- President & Founder of the IATF

REGISTER

  CLICK HERE to register. It's FREE. Registration is closed.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

This call was recorded and is archived in the IATF Members Only Area. Not yet an IATF member?  Join HERE.

Watching Brian Biro in action here:

Many who work in the field of team and leadership development are searching for ways to introduce a spiritual element in their work.  (I'm being purposeful in my use of the word "spiritual" and not "religious".)

We are, as Dr. Wayne Dyer says, spiritual beings immersed in a human experience. 

By thoughtfully including a spiritual component in our work with teams and leaders we begin to touch a part of the soul (the individual's and the team's).  This is where the Tao comes in...

Do you know what the Tao has to teach you when it comes to team and leadership development?

Tao (pronounced "dow") is a Chinese word meaning 'way' or 'path'.

When you understand the Tao, you understand the primordial essence or fundamental nature of the universe.

The workings of the Tao are described in the Tao Te Ching.

Taoist philosophy can have deep meaning for experiential educators because of its focus on natural spontaneity and unself-conscious learning and teaching.

The Tao in Teambuilding...

In his 2003 book The Leader Who is Hardly Known, Dr. Steve Simpson compiled a series of essays that begin with a brief story focusing on the experiences and lessons of a teacher called the Leader Who is Hardly Known. Following the story, the essay shares Taoist quotes and the Steve's thoughts that relate back to the story. This book serves as an effective way to understand the Tao as it applies to our work with teams and leaders.

Dr. Steve Simpson will be my special guest at the IATF monthly VIsiting Faculty Member call and he will share how you can incorporate teachings from the Tao into your training programs.

Steve is professor of Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.  He is the former editor of the Journal of Experiential Education and has written over 50 articles on experiential education, outdoor recreation, and environmental ethics.  In addition to authoring Leader Who Is Hardly Known, Steve has written "The Processing Pinnacle: An Educator’s Guide to Better Processing"

This TeleSeminar will be interactive - - you'll be able to talk with Steve and ask him your questions directly (or send them in as text).  It's "just in time" training and development! 

Call Details

TITLE

The Leader Who Is Hardly Known -- Self-less Teaching From the Chinese Tradition

DATE

Thursday   July 14, 2011

TIME

Starts at 1 pm  Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 60- 70 minutes

PRESENTERS

Dr. Steven Simpson, author of "The Leader Who Is Hardly Known"

Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

REGISTER

CLICK HERE to register. It's FREE. Registration is closed.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

Get the recording HERE for a limited time.

This call was recorded and is available in the IATF Members Only Area. Not yet an IATF member?  Join HERE.

Tao Te Ching

Read the entire Tao Te Ching  HERE.

Are you still charging what you were in 2007?  If yes, you may need to rethink this.

Are you starting a business and have no way to determine how to set your fees?

Good news for those in the IATF community who own a business (or plan to start one)!

Entrepreneur Business Coach Ali Brown is our special guest speaker for this event and she will share some powerful quick tips on evaluating how much you should be charging, as well as a special strategy that can help you generate quick cash while you raise your rates!

On this call you will learn: 

• How-to determine if you’re selling yourself short and missing out on thousands of dollars worth of hard-earned profits!
• Simple strategies for increasing your rates – and how to set them in the first place
• Your key factor in commanding a dramatically higher rate
• How-to introduce your new rate with success. (There’s a positive way and a negative way to announce an increase.)
• How to handle client complaints with any rate change.  (it’s inevitable, so prepare how to turn it around into a win.)

The psychology you're currently using to determine your pricing structure may be outdated and thus, limiting the amount of prosperity you're truly capable of experiencing.

Come join us and explore how to charge what you're worth on this interactive TeleSeminar with Entrepreneur Business Coach Ali Brown.  

Ali is the founder and CEO of media company Ali International, LLC, which includes the Millionaire Protégé Club, Ali Magazine, Ali Boutique, and Shine Events.

In 2009, Brown's company Ali International ranked #263 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in the nation. In 2010, Brown was a recipient of the Enterprising Women of the Year award.

This is your chance to join a live call and ask Ali questions about your business pricing situation.

Call Details

TITLE

 Are You Charging Enough? Strategies for the New Economy

DATE

Thursday, September 30, 2010

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 70 minutes

PRESENTERS

Ali Brown, founder and CEO of Ali International LLC
Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

This call was recorded and is now archived in the IATF Members Only Area HERE .  Not yet an IATF member?  Join HERE.

FACT:  Inspired teams have a stronger bottom line than "average" teams.

No surprises there.

But HOW do you build and lead inspired teams?

This question is best answered by inspiration in the workplace expert Dr. Lance Secretan who is the author of the new best seller "The Spark, The Flame, and the Torch"

Dr. Secretan's much anticipated new book is broad, effective and extraordinarily inspiring. The Spark, The Flame, and the Torch  is Dr. Secretan's masterwork in which he has taken 35 years of intellectual property—which he calls Higher Ground Leadership—developed through his research, client engagements, coaching and teaching experience, and integrated it into a unified theory of inspired leadership, that offers a comprehensive approach to being an inspiring person and therefore an inspiring leader.

You will learn how to be a transformational leader and how to be the change the world needs for a brighter future. It is a brilliant work that helps leaders:

• rethink the role of modern organizations
• reassess our personal contribution
• develop greater meaning and fulfillment
• overhaul performance management and coaching practice
• become clearer about future visioning
• build stronger personal relationships and teams
• rethink leadership, and
• focus on inspiration

We all long for greater authenticity, integrity, and inspiration from our corporations and institutions. The Spark, the Flame, and the Torch reveals a leadership path that will forever change your perception of yourself, others, your organization and the world around you—enabling you to live a more effective, purposeful, and inspiring life.

Call Details

TITLE

How To Build & Lead Inspired Teams with Dr. Lance Secretan

DATE

Thursday, June 17, 2010

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 70 minutes

PRESENTERS

Dr. Lance Secretan, IATF Visiting Faculty Member
Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

This call was recorded and is available in the IATF Members Only Area HERE.

Non IATF members can get the recording HERE free for a limited time.

CLICK HERE to register. It's free!  After you register, we'll send you the secret phone number and "PIN".  Registration is closed.

You’re up to your eyeballs answering email, returning phone calls, attending meetings, scrambling to get things done. But when did being busy become a measure of success?

It’s time to do more of the work that means something to you, stretches you and makes a difference.

This is true for you AND your team!

Our guest for this special interactive TeleSeminar is "Great Work" expert Michael Bungay Stanier.

In our last call with Michael, we talked about the fundamentals of Good Work and Great Work and shared a tool that can be used individually and for a team to help them do more Great Work.

In this class, we'll tackle...

• The greatest barrier to doing more Great Work
• The three fundamental attributes you and your teams need to do more Great Work
• A tool and a process to help any team have more impact in their work

Please join us for an interactive, fun and practical TeleClass that will give you new tools and insights for the work you’re doing with teams and leaders.

Do More Great Work: Stop the busywork and start the work that matters

In Michael Bungay Stanier’s Do More Great Work you’ll find fifteen ‘maps’, practical exercises to help you identify how to find, start and sustain more Great Work. Amongst other things you’ll learn:

• Where to find clues to your own Great Work. (They’re all around you.)
• How to locate the sweet spot between what you want to do and what your organization wants you to do.
• Tactics to best manage the overwhelm.
• How to double the likelihood you’ll do what you want to do.

There are also original contributions from leading thinkers like Seth Godin, Dave Ulrich, Michael Port, Penelope Trunk, Leo Babauta and Chris Guillebeau on how to do more of the important stuff.

To do more Great Work you need focus, you need courage and you need resilience. Do More Great Work will help you find all that and more.

Do More Great Work TeleClass

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 70 minutes

• Michael Bungay Stanier, IATF Visiting Faculty Member
• Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

The recording is archived in the IATF Members Only Area.  Not yet a member?  Join HERE.

CLICK HERE to register. It's free!  When you register we'll send you the phone number and your secret PIN.  Registration is closed.

Seth Godin's new book "Linchpin - Are You Indispensable?" is amazing (215 reviews at amazon with a 4.5/5 avg rating).  If you work in the field of team and leadership development you MUST read this book.  I downloaded the audio version from audible.com and I'm on my third listen and each time I get something new.

What is a "Linchpin" and how do they transform teams and organizations?

Some people are valuable, but if you want to be invaluable, or even indispensable, you have to be a linchpin. Linchpins are so vital to the organization that you wouldn’t be able to replace them. They hold it all together.

In TRIBES, Seth encouraged us to lead. In Linchpin he goes further, pleading with the reader to be the indispensable member of a Tribe.

Seth says Linchpins are artists and THE primary attribute of the artist is her ability to do "emotional work". 

Artist Hugh MacLeod comments on "emotional work"...

The only people who have a hope of becoming linchpins in any organization, who have any hope of changing anything for the better in real terms, are those who have the capacity to do “emotional work” at a high level—to be true artists at whatever they set their minds on doing. The guys who just plod around the office corridors, just turning up for their paycheck.... Well, those guys don’t have a prayer, poor things. The world is just too interesting and competitive now.

Linchpins don’t worry about what’s in it for them, but instead focus on giving gifts that change people.

If you are to be successful, if you are going to change the world through your work as a Teamwork Facilitator, you must be doing emotional work and giving gifts.

In this interactive TeleSeminar Seth will help us understand the role of the Linchpin in teams and organizations.  We'll explore how you can cultivate Linchpins on your team and how best to lead them.

 This live TeleSeminar represents an amazing opportunity to spend time with Seth Godin to learn first hand about Linchpins and teamwork so I urge you to come to this call prepared.  Study some of the Linchpin material HERE before the call.

>>> NOTE:  We will likely exceed our phone line capacity for this call so arrive early to secure your spot!

CALL DETAILS

TITLE: 

PROGRAM LEADERS:

DATE:

TIME:

As a leader, do you understand the difference between Motivation and Inspiration?

Your understanding of the difference between these two concepts is an indicator of the degree to which you and your team will experience success.

Clearly, the world needs more Inspirational leaders.

And how does one become an Inspirational leader?  What is the path?  Where is the path?

These questions are best answered by Dr. Lance Secretan, author of nine books, adviser to leaders, keynote speaker, and a recipient of the International Caring Award.

In this TeleSeminar, Dr. Secretan shares insights from his upcoming book "The Spark, The Flame and the Torch - How to be inspired and inspiring – everywhere, with everyone, all the time".

• The Spark – Knowing Who We Are: The Why-Be-Do; 5 Dynamics, Having ONE Dream
• The Flame – Living Higher Values : Practicing the CASTLE Principles; The Metaphor of Skiing
• The Torch: Promethean Leadership; Paying it Forward; Making the world a Better Place Than We Found It.

Call Details

TITLE

The Spark, The Flame and the Torch - How to be inspired and inspiring – everywhere, with everyone, all the time.

DATE

Thursday, December 17, 2009

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 70 minutes

PRESENTERS

Dr. Lance Secretan, IATF Visiting Faculty Member
Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

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In the 90 second video clip below, Dr. Secretan shares insights on Inspiration.

Dr. Cathy Greenberg and Dr. Relly Nadler of the Voice America Radio Program "Leadership News" interviewed Tom Heck, President and Founder of the International Association of Teamwork Facilitators.

CLICK HERE to listen to the recording or download the audio file.

Free 30 minute audio interview recording!

Leadership trainer, author, executive coach and Gen-Y expert Bea Fields interviews IATF President Tom Heck about issues impacting the work of Teamwork Facilitators.

Some of the topics covered included:

• The IATF has members from around the world.  Are there challenges common to all Teamwork Facilitators regardless of where they live or who they work for?

• The IATF promotes a type of team and leadership development based on the "Coach Approach".  What is the Coach Approach and can you give us an example of this in action?

• How does the Leader As Coach differ from a traditional leader when it comes to how they relate to the Gen-Y team member?

• What does it mean to be a roll model (as a leader) instead of settling for an "expert manager"?

CLICK HERE to listen to or download the free 30 minute recording (mp3 file).

Did you get the message about leading Gen-Y ?

If you want to recruit, retain and manage Gen-Y employees (the under 30 crowd)  with any success then you’ve got to model your company after Google.

WRONG!

Turns out, research shows most of the so-called ‘experts’ on Generation Y have been leading managers in the wrong direction.

Google is NOT the model you should be following!

What style of leadership DOES work?

Think of the United States Marine Corps.

We’re talkin’ strong (not forceful) management that’s needed to help Gen-Y be successful:

• NEVER undermine your own authority;
• NEVER pretend that the job is going to be more fun than it is;
• NEVER suggest that things are up to GenYers when they are not;
• NEVER gloss over details;
• NEVER let problems slide;
• NEVER offer praise or reward for less than excellent performance.

On Wednesday March 4, 2009, bestselling author of the new book “Not Everyone Gets A Trophy -- How To Manage Generation Y”, Bruce Tulgan was the special guest at the IATF leadership TeleSeminar. 

Bruce Tulgan is an internationally recognized expert on young people in the workplace.  He’s the author of numerous books including It's OK To Be The Boss. 

In this TeleSeminar Bruce debunked some of the common Gen-Y in the workplace myths including:

• MYTH:  Gen Yers are disloyal.
• MYTH:  They won’t do the grunt work.
• MYTH:  They need work to be fun.
• MYTH:  Money is the only thing that matters to them.
• MYTH:  They don’t respect their elders.
• MYTH:  They want to learn only from computers.

Tulgan has a message for all who manage Gen-Y.  Although they are the most high-maintenance workforce in history, they also have the potential to be the most high-performing if they are managed the right way.

The recording of this TeleSeminar is archived in the IATF Members Only Area.

During the program you'll hear Bruce mention the importance of managing Gen-Y using a "coach approach" because this is the style of leadership Gen-Y is most responsive to.  You can learn how to lead using a coach approach in the 10-week program from the IATF entitled Leader As Coach Fast Track Program

One question - - and if you find it difficult to answer then you’re not living up to your potential...

If you hesitated AT ALL then I’ve got good news!

Seth Godin, the worlds most famous marketing guru, visited the International Association of Teamwork Facilitators on November 19, 2008 to share the key lessons from his newest book:

“TRIBES -- We Need You To Lead Us”

Instant National Bestseller

What is the one thing Seth wants you to learn from TRIBES?

You can lead. You must lead. If you care about something, you can do something about it, right now, with no money and no connections. That's the way it almost always happens, and it can happen that way for you.

Learn from Seth Godin in this live and interactive TeleSeminar.

Seth Godin is famous for his cutting edge out-of-the-box thinking on marketing so I was both surprised and delighted to read TRIBES which focuses on leadership.

TRIBES is unlike any book on leadership you’ve ever read.

It hits the mark in a unique way -- a way only Seth Godin could do.

--->  CLICK HERE to access the recording of this informative 60 minute TeleSeminar.

Access more great audio interview recordings insdie the IATF Members Only Area.

Other TRIBE resources:

Seth's Squidoo "lens" on TRIBES HERE (mentioned in the audio above)

The TRIBES "Case Book" is HERE

TRIBES Q&A e-book is HERE

Watch Seth Godin deliver a 73 minute PowerPoint presentation on TRIBES in NYC -- video is HERE

TRIBAL Leadership Skills

Learning how to build and lead a high performing team is easy.  So why aren't their more high performing teams?  One word:  IMPLEMENTATION

There are plenty of people who know what to do but can't pull it off.  They have the book knowledge and then stumble when it comes time to implement the ideas.

And I want to emphasize this - - I'm talking about building and leading HIGH PERFORMING teams.  The world is filled with mediocre, average and run-of-the-mill teams.  Poor implementation produces poor (or average) teams.

To build and lead a high performing team you must have a "force of will" that will carry you through the tough times (and there WILL be tough times). 

Another name for "force of will" is ATTITUDE.

To build a high performing team you must show up with a different attitude (different compared to what you'll find from leaders of mediocre teams). 

I recently interviewed Robyn Benincasa who is an expert when it comes to having the right attitude for both leading and being a member of a high performing team.

Robyn is a firefighter in California and she is a professional adventure racer.  During the interview we focused on the lessons she's learned about teamwork through her exploits in adventure racing.

A little background...

Robyn has completed six Ironman races, with two podium finishes in her age group in Kona, Hawaii. In the past 10 years, she has completed over thirteen “expedition length” adventure races (7-10 days, non stop), and has earned World Champion honors in both the Eco-Challenge (Borneo, 2000) and the Raid Gauloises (1998). In addition to her work as a full time firefighter, Robyn runs a training and development business called World Class Teams and is a sought after motivational speaker.

Our interview focused on one of her most popular keynote speeches entitled “8 Essential Elements of Human Synergy”.

The 8 Essential Elements of Human Synergy are an acronym of TEAMWORK:

T -- Total commitment

E -- Empathy and awareness of teammates

A -- Adversity management

M -- Mutual respect

W -- "We" versus "I" thinking

O -- Ownership of the project

R -- Relinquishment of the ego

K -- Kinetic Leadership

To access the recording of this informative 60 minute TeleSeminar login to the Members Only Area of the IATF.  Not a member?  CLICK HERE to join.

Are you ready to become the ULTIMATE TEAMBUILDER?

Check out the new virtual leadership development program Leader As Coach Fast Track Program.  Over the course of this engaging 10-week program you'll make the shift from a traditional (command and control) model of leadership to a more powerful model of leadership based on a "coach approach".  Does it work?  YES!  And we're so confident in the results you'll experience that we offer a powerful guarantee.  CLICK HERE for details.

Watch the video clip below of Robyn talking about Element "K" - Kinetic Leadership

Over the past couple of years a profound and important shift has occurred in the way effective managers and supervisors lead their teams.

The Old Way:  Lead through command and control (my way or the highway).

The New Way:   Leadership based on empowerment and possibility thinking.  This new model of leadership is referred to as the "coach approach".

One of the masters of this new coach approach to leadership is Cynder Niemela who authored "Leading High Impact Teams -- The Coach Approach to Peak Performance" and during the summer 2008 Cynder was a guest speaker at the IATF "Leader As Coach Fast Track Program"

Some of the topics Cynder covered included:

• Defining "authentic leadership"
• Systems approach to working with teams
• Best assessments to use with teams
• Why it's imperative to coach the leader of the team (one-on-one)
• and more!

Cynder has more than 25 years of experience in coaching executives and business teams worldwide.  Her clients include Ernst & Young, Lucent Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, 3Com Corp, and Oracle Corporation.

Get instant access to this audio when you become a member of the IATF.  Learn more about IATF Member Benefits CLICK HERE

Where are you on your Career Path as a leader of teams?

If you think the strategies, tactics and tools that got you here will get you there then you must become aware of a major shift that's happening right now in our economy (or you'll be left behind).

As you'll hear in the audio program below, we're evolving as a society and therefore your leadership style must evolve. 

The evolutionary progression started with an economy based on agriculture which gave way to the "Industrial Age".  From there we moved into the "Information Age". 

Now, Dave Buck the CEO of Coachville.com, and IATF Visiting Faculty Member suggests we are rapidly evolving again - - this time to the "Inspiration Age". 

Our economic prosperity will soon be based on Inspiration.  You can see this now - - people want to engage in activities that are both economically viable AND meaningful. This trend is particularly obvious among Gen-Y (under 30 crowd).

When it comes to leading teams, motivation is out and inspiration is in.

What's the number one skill for team leaders working in the new Inspiration Economy?

COACHING!

You must learn how to lead using the coach approach and in this recording Dave Buck shares 5 (of the 15) proficiencies required of team leaders who want to make the shift to building and leading teams using a coach approach.

Click on the link below to download and listen to the 60 minute audio recording of Master Certified Coach Dave Buck

Download dave_buck_1.mp3

Have you ever worked on or with a low trust team?

When trust is low, how do you establish, build and nurture trust on the team?  This is the question Stephen M.R. Covey answers in his best selling book

The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything

The world's number one trainer of the Speed Of Trust material is Barry Rellaford who was a guest speaker at the summer 2008 session of the IATF Leader As Coach Fast Track Program. 

Every leader I've ever met understands the importance of trust and yet, many struggle with how to create a culture high in trust.

This is where Barry Rellaford comes in - - he has a gift for presenting the complexities of the Speed Of Trust material in an understandable, memorable, and actionable manner.

In this recording you'll hear Barry talk about:

• What is the relationship between character and competence relative to trust?
• What happens when you mandate high trust?
• How are trust and integrity related?
• How do you pay a "trust tax"?

Click on the link below to download the 60 minute recording of master trainer Barry Rellaford talking about The Speed Of Trust:

Download barry_rellaford_2b.mp3

Here's a simple truth for you team leaders out there...

Your strength as a leader is defined by the degree to which you're following your Calling. 

• Weak leaders are unclear when it comes to their Calling.
• Strong leaders have great clarity about their Calling AND are following it!

A Calling is any leap you want to make in  your personal or professional life that will align or re-align you with your passion and sense of purpose, with  your deepest values, with a fit between who you are and what you do. 

A Calling is an urging from the deep Self that tells you what's needed to make your life come true.

When it comes to finding, clarifying, and following your Calling,Gregg Levoy is the go-to man.  He is the author of "Callings: Finding And Following An Authentic Life" and it's a must read for anyone ready to take their life (personal and professional) to an entirely new level.

Gregg recently visited the summer 2008 session of the Leader As Coach Fast Track Program and shared insights from his work helping people find their Calling and I recorded the call for you.

I recorded the 60-minute call where you'll hear Gregg answer these questions:

• What is the relationship of Callings to leadership?
• What is an authentic life?
• What are the symptoms of not following your Calling?
• What is life like when you ARE following your Calling?
• How do you find your Calling?
• How do you follow your Calling if your Calling is something other than what you're doing now?

Click on the link below to download the recording of Gregg Levoy speaking at the Leader As Coach Fast Track Program:

Download gregg_levoy_1.mp3

Why do thousands of leaders from around the world access the teambuilding resources here at the IATF?

The answer is simple.

They're all looking for strategies, tactics and tools for building successful teams.

If there is one key principle to building and leading successful teams it is found in the pages of this new book by Bob Burg and John David Mann entitled:

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea

This book is short, easy to read and understand and absolutely compelling which is why I contacted one of the authors John David Mann and asked him to share the wisdom of this book with the IATF community through an audio interview (link below).

In the interview, John shares "The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success" and how you can use them to experience more success in your own life while helping your team become more successful.

The Go-Giver offers a highly accessible exploration on what it means to give -- to be generous.

Take a look at the front page of nearly any newspaper (if you dare) and you'll see mention of "economic downturn".  In such an environment you might be paying closer attention to how you, your team and your organization are compensated.

What determines your level of compensation?

In this audio interview (link below) John David Mann explains one of the laws shared in The Go-Giver called "The Law of Compensation" which states "Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well  you serve them". Your understanding of just this one law could change your life and the team you lead forever.

Within the pages of this book are the five secrets that will help you tap into your true business potential.  Yes, it's that powerful of a book.  Listen to what these business luminaries have to say about this book:

“The Go-Giver does everything I would wish a good book to do. Read it to the very end.”
—Michael E. Gerber, author, The E-Myth

“This terrific book wonderfully illuminates [the] principles of contribution, abundance, service, and success.”
—Stephen M. R. Covey, author, The Speed of Trust

“Most people don’t have the guts to buy this book, never mind the will to follow through and actually use it. But you do. And I’m certain that you’ll be glad you did.”
—Seth Godin, author, The Dip

I found author John David Mann to be fun and energetic during the interview.  He provides excellent examples of how to apply the Five Laws in real life situations.

John has been writing about business, leadership and the laws of success for twenty years.  He really does know what it means to build and lead teams and has been doing it for a long time (he created his first business as a teenager!). 

In the past few years John has worked with Paul Zane Pilzer (my favorite economist) writing The Next Millionaires, with Jeff Olson writing The Slight Edge and with John Assaraf and Murray Smith writing The Answer.  John is also the coauthor of You Call The Shots:  The 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship.

Click on the link below to download the 44 minute audio interview with John David Mann:

Download John_David_Mann_1.mp3

What is the relationship between teamwork and spirituality?

Why is it that teaching team skills through experiential learning activities (games, simulations, etc.) that people learn at a deeper, more heart centered level?

What will happen when we come together as one on a global level?  What will be different?

I answered these questions and more when Linda Pannell of ConsciousAlliances.com interviewed me for her TeleSeminar series entitled "Healing The Heart of the Earth and Her Children". 

CLICK HERE to listen to the 60 minute interview (mp3 file).

Innovation is inherently dangerous.

Innovation is always the enemy.

Innovation is an outsider.

Innovators are lone wolves.

Innovation is the same thing as inventing.

These are just some of the misconceptions about innovation that Tom Koulopoulos says run rampant in our society and are likely holding you and  your team back.

Tom is president and founder of The Delphi Group, Executive Director of the Babson College Center for Business Innovation, Managing Director of one the worlds leading Innovation Labs, one of the industry's six most influential consultants according to InformationWeek, author of seven books, lecturer at the Boston College Graduate school of management, and frequent contributor to national and international print and broadcast media.

Tom Koulopoulos is an EXPERT when it comes to innovation.

In this audio interview Tom will addresses these questions:

What is innovation?

How do you innovate on a team?

What organizations are most innovative and why?

How can we teach and foster innovation on our team?

What are the ramifications for teams / organizations that fail to become innovators?

CLICK HERE to download the audio recording (mp3 file) of this interview.

If you're in a position to hire members of Generation Y then this audio interview is for you!

Meet Gen Y expert Bea Fields who coauthored the new book:

Millennial Leaders: Success Stories from Today's Most Brilliant Generation Y Leaders

Bea is an Executive Coach and specializes in Leadership and Team Coaching and she is a consultant to businesses that need to understand how to best work with Generation Y.

In this special audio interview we will answer the following questions:

1. Who is Gen Y?
2. What are the Gen Y young workers looking for when joining a company?
3. What are the turn-offs when being recruited to a team or company?
4. Since Gen Y has been born and raised on teams, what are they looking for in a team?
5. What are some examples of companies who are doing well when it comes to Gen Y teams and why are they doing well?

Click on the play button below to listen to this audio interview.

"It was a remarkable experience that I will never forget"
-- Anna O., a LeadAmerica Participant

Imagine a teen leadership program where participant comments like that are the norm.  Imagine having 50,000+ teenagers make comments just like that one. 

If you can imagine this then you can begin to understand what it feels like to experience the world of Chris Salamone, the founder and chairman of Lead America, the nation's most respected youth leadership organization.

Lead America is a cutting edge summer leadership program for teenagers that takes place in universities across the US.

I've known about the work of Lead America for five years and am very much in alignment with their mission and purpose which is to transform our world's next generation of leaders by educating, empowering and instilling in them ethical and principled leadership values, attitudes and skills.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Lead America founder Chris Salamone who has 19 years of experience designing and delivering teen leadership programs serving thousands of people in multiple locations simultaneously. 

• What role does experiential learning play in the Lead America curriculum?
• What have you learned about working with young people on leadership that might surprise educators or the general public?
• As you work with young leaders, what concerns are they expressing?  How do they want to influence the world?
• What actions steps can people who work in youth development take to help the youth they serve become better leaders?

Click on the link below to play the 45 minute audio interview with Chris Salamone of Lead America:

Download chris_salamone.mp3

Kevin Ekenberry is an expert in helping organizations, teams and individuals reach their potential.  He is the author of Remarkable Leadership - Unleashing Your Potential One Skill at a Time and is a contributing author to over 20 other books.

Kevin's impact on the field of team and leadership development is extensive having worked with Fortune 500 companies, smaller firms, universities, hospitals, and government agencies.

Kevin believes that extraordinary potential exists in each of us and this philosophy allows him to help clients bring that potential to reality.

In this audio interview we discuss the thirteen core competencies that define a remarkable leader.  We pay special attention to life-long learning, the core competency that Kevin says is the overarching competency that will make you a truly remarkable leader.

Click on the play button below to listen to this 34 minute interview.

If you saw the award winning 2004 documentary entitled Super Size Me  then you saw - at least for a few minutes - an amazing man by the name of Phil Lawler.

Super Size Me explains why Americans are so fat.  At one point in this powerful documentary, the main "character" (and he IS a character) Morgan Spurlock visits the Chicago suburb of Naperville where things are different.

Different?

Most of America (and most students) are somewhere between 30-40% overweight and obese.  And we see the results of this sickness in heart disease and diabetes and...

HOWEVER, in the Naperville school system only 3% of the students are overweight and obese.

How could that be? 

What's happening in the Naperville school system?

The answer:  Phil Lawler

When you watch the documentary you'll have to pay close attention because they don't spend long with Phil.  But he caught my attention so I called him.  That's Phil and me in the photo.

If you have kids or work with kids then you owe it to yourself to listen to the new 50 minute audio interview with Phil (below). 

Most school systems in the US are cutting back on Physical Education (PE) or completely eliminating it.  Where I live elementary kids get PE once a week for 40 minutes. 

Why is PE being reduced or completely removed?  Administrators believe PE is "extra" and kids need to focus on "academics" (to raise test scores).

So the kids get fatter and fatter.  And one would assume the pay-off would be smarter and smarter kids.

NOPE!  It's a fallacy.  Kids aren't getting any smarter with the reduction or removal of PE.

The kids in Naperville, Illinois have PE class EVERY DAY (K-12) and they have as high or higher test scores than any school you want to compare them to.

I walked through the halls of Naperville High School and I didn't see any fat kids.  That might sound kind of cruel but it's true.  When I visit other schools around the country I see what has become the new "normal" which is 1/3 of the population is overweight and obese. 

Are Naperville PE teachers a bunch of old school "whip them into shape" types?  Not even close.  Phil used to be an "old school" type but he saw the light and now teaches a brand of PE that is so innovative that he was asked to testify before Congress.

And would you be surprised if I told you that Phil's curriculum is heavy on teaching team skills through fun and engaging teambuilding games?

If you knew what was going on in Naperville you would DEMAND the same happen in your kid's school. 

Click on the link below to listen to the audio interview with the most amazing PE teacher you'll ever meet, Phil Lawler:

Download phil_lawler_interviewed_on_sept. 25, 2007 by Tom Heck of TeachMeTeamwork.com.mp3

Phil Lawler is recently retired from teaching and is now sharing his amazing Physical Education program through a company called PE4Life.

I'm going to be presenting two workshops at the one-day conference for PE teachers held every year in Naperville, Ill.  The date is Friday February 29, 2008.  For more information about this event contact Mary Hirth with the Naperville school system.

Ron Clark was a classroom teacher who ended up on Oprah - - not just once but a couple of times. 

How does a classroom teacher get on Oprah?

It wasn't because he had a great PR team.

It is because he is a masterful teacher of children who achieved remarkable results in what many would consider to be less than an optimal learning environment.

And now he has something to tell YOU.

You're a teacher (of team skills) and this teacher knows a thing or two about what it takes to get people learning.  You probably won't be surprised to learn that Ron believes in creating a strong sense of family (community) among his team (students).

In this audio interview we discuss Ron's book entitled:

The Excellent 11: Qualitites Teachers and Parents Use to Motivate, Inspire, and Educate Children

What are the "Excellent 11"?

• Enthusiasm
• Adventure
• Creativity
• Reflection
• Balance
• and...
  

Even if you work with adults you'll want to listen to this interview.

CLICK HERE to listen to this audio interview.  You will be taken to a password protected "Members Only Area".  Membership is free with your subscription to the free TeachMeTeamwork.com e-newsletter. 

Details about the Members Only Area HERE.

Leaders in the field of team and leadership development know the difference between a marginal leader and a great leader is often boiled down to one thing:  Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

Most have heard of IQ and too many people believe that a leader with a high IQ is what's going to save your team.  Not even close.

IQ won't save you.

EQ will.

What is the difference between IQ and EQ?

Dr. Haydn Hasty is President of MindSpring Consulting and is an expert in the area of Emotional Intelligence and teamwork. 

I've seen Dr Hasty in action.  He's a gifted trainer who can transform an individual or a team in a matter of moments.

In this audio interview you'll hear Dr. Hasty describe how he uses an EQ assessment when working with a team.

CLICK HERE to listen to this audio interview.  You will be taken to a password protected "Members Only Area".  Membership is free with your subscription to the free TeachMeTeamwork.com e-newsletter. 

Details about the Members Only Area HERE.

Dr. Hasty has just published a fantastic 8 CD training set entitled "Mind, Intention, and Outcomes."  CLICK HERE to learn more.

Our culture and our teams are focused on achievement. 

But it's not our accomplishments that sustain us either individually or as a team. 

What sustains us is the connections we make along the way.

Dr. Edward Hallowell has authored a book entitled "Connect - The Twelve Vital Ties That Open Your Heart, Lengthen Your Life, and Deepen Your Soul" which addresses the power of connections.  If you work with teams then this book is a must read.

Connections are the feelings of being part of something that matters - - something larger than ourselves.  When team members feel connected you tap into their inspiration which is TEN times more sustainable than constantly motivating your team (motivation is an external force and inspiration is an internal force).

In this interview you'll hear Hallowell, a noted Harvard psychiatrist, outline the steps we can take to make or reaffirm the connections that nourish the hungry heart (and the hungry team). 

Download the interview here:

CLICK HERE to download the audio interview

This interview is now archived in the IATF Members Only Area HERE.

Learn more about the benefits of IATF membership HERE.

It's been called meeting methodology, organization transformation, intentional self-organization and surfing the chaos.

Since Harrison Owen described it, more than 20 years ago, it has enabled all kinds of people, in every kind of organization and community, to create inspired meetings and events - and to post phenomenal business results.

It's called Open Space Technology and it can create inspired organizations where ordinary people work together to create extraordinary results with regularity.

Michael Herman is a world renown expert in Open Space Technology and in this audio interview you'll learn how Michael uses this powerful approach to help  teams:

• Resolve important or difficult issues and get the work flow back on track.
• Rally people and resources around new opportunities, or into new situations.
• Move strategic projects forward with broad, cross-functional wisdom and support.
• Re-energize everyone's contribution to achieving strategic objectives and realizing most desireable futures.
• Channel the power of existing, organic systems into fast, effective results.

Here's a true story of Open Space Technology in action:

Rockport Shoes held a 3-day, 300-person company-wide strategy conference in one of their warehouses and stumbled onto a cople of brand new product lines that netted $18 million in their first year of sales.  The idea came from the security guard and made the previously skeptical CFO very happy.

This audio interview is available in the IATF Members Only Area.  Join the IATF HERE.

A new book is out and you need to know about it.  It's entitled "The More The Merrier - Lead Playful Activities WIth Large Groups" and it's written by three of the top leaders in teambuilding games and experiential learning - - Sam Sikes, Faith Evans, and Chris Cavert.

The More The Merrier is 422 pages long (8.5 x 11 inches) and contains so much valuable information for group leaders that I consider it a MUST HAVE. 

"The More The Merrier" is the bible for large group game leaders.  Not surprisingly, you'll find over 100 teambuilding games that you can lead with large groups.  What IS a surprise is the team theory that you'll find at the beginning of the book.  The theory section of the book is so well written and thorough  that the authors could have made a book out of that information alone.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Cavert about the book (that's Chris in the photo).  We discuss such topics as: Programming Techniques For Large Groups, Large Group Processing Strategies, "The Dilemma of Voice", and  several other cool big group gaming ideas.

CLICK HERE to download the recording of this interview.

The recording of this interview is archived in the IATF Member Only Area HERE.

Learn about all the IATF member benefits HERE.

One of my great joys is having the opportunity to meet and spend time with wonderful, brilliant, and generous people.  This describes Dr. Laurence Martel who authored "The Seven Secrets Of Learning Revealed  -- What Your Teacher Never Taught You, Because Your Teacher Never Knew".

I met Dr. Martel at the Anthony Robbins Foundation "Discovery Camp" program in the summer of 2001.  Our job was to train the 100 teachers enrolled in the program.  We were brought back again to work with the teachers at Discovery Camp 2003. 

Dr. Martel has helped thousands of educators learn how to teach more effectively and always with more fun.  It was an honor to work with Dr. Martel on several school staff training projects.

I am sad to report that Dr. Martel passed away on January 7, 2007 from heart complications.  I will miss his joyful spirit.

I am happy to report that I had the great fortune of interviewing Dr. Martel about his book The Seven Secrets of Learning Revealed.  In this interview Dr. Martel reveals his seven key concepts for creating a dynamic learning environment.

  Click on the following link to listen to the 57 minute interview I did with Dr. Martel in December of 2004. 

Dr. Laurence Martel MP3 lg 2

Andy Stefanovich is the founder of Play and has been called one of the most disruptive and effective advisors in business.

Andy is an entrepreneur who leads what some would call the "uncompany". Part company, part community, part movement, Play brings creativity to business.

Andy and his team have helped companies like Mattel, Nationwide Insurance, Sara Lee, and General Motors reinvent the way they work and generate breakthrough ideas, brands, products and strategies.

The Center of Creative Leadership (CCL) evaluated Play using a tool that rates a company's ability to foster creativity -- Play not only beat CCL's benchmark model, it also beat all of the companies in CCL's database.

In this interview, Andy will share why creativity is vitally important to the success of your business and he will provide strategies and tactics that will help you build a creative community.

This audio interview is available only to IATF members HERE.  Become a member of the IATF HERE.

Brian Biro is a teambuilding and leadership development expert and is the best-selling author of Beyond Success -- The 15 Secrets of Effectdive Leadership and Life Based on Lengendary John Wooden's Pyramid of Success.

I really enjoyed this conversation with Brian because he's a friend of mine and I've had the great pleasure of seeing him on stage delivering a powerful and life changing presentation.

I'm also excited to share this interview because Coach John Wooden is one of my all time favorite heroes and Brian shares wonderful insights about how Coach Wooden became such a powerful teacher.

Brian travels extensively speaking to groups around the US and the world.  He has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN's Business Unusual, and the Fox News Network and is a featured speaker at the Disney Institute in Orlando, Florida.  He is also one of the most joyful people you will ever meet.

CLICK HERE to listen to this audio interview.  You'll be taken to a password protected "Members Only Area".  Membership is free with your subscription to the free TeachMeTeamwork.com e-newsletter. 

Details about the Members Only Area HERE.

How big is the gap between traditional education and experiential education?

What roll can (should) experiential education play in a traditional education system?

In this interview I explore these two questions with Dr. Jasper Hunt, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Minnesota State University.  He has written extensively on ethical and philosophical issues surrounding the field of experiential education.

I first heard Jasper at an Association of Challenge Course Technology conference in 2005 when he was a panelist along with the top names in experiential education. 

What I love most about Jasper is his passion for experiential education and the depth of his insight.

CLICK HERE to listen to this audio interview.  You'll be taken to a password protected "Members Only Area".  Membership is free with your subscription to the free TeachMeTeamwork.com e-newsletter. 

Details about the Member Only Area HERE.

True or False: Stress is good for you.

Conventional wisdom insists that the statement is false, that stress is a thief robbing us (and our team) of our joy and creativity (and money!).

But for centuries, poets and philosophers have celebrated the ups and downs of life as the very essence of living, the spice that enables us to taste life fully.

So who's right?

Dr. Paul Pearsall, author of several New York Times bestselling books (including one of my favorites entitled "The Heart's Code") stress is not the problem.  Rather, it is our negative reaction to stress that does the damage.

Pearsall says that rather than shrinking from adversity, we must become engaged by it--and thrive through it--before we can savor all the sweetness life (and teamwork) has to offer.

Listen to this 20 minute audio interview as famed clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Pearsall shares how you can use stress to live a more fulfilling life as a leader of teams.  Click on the link below to listen to the mp3 file.

Download dr. Paul Pearsall mp3.mp3

Since ancient times, man has attempted to categorize the different personality styles.  In this interview with Randy Siegel, we focus on understanding personality styles relative to communication. 

Teams that communicate better are more successful.  This is obvious.  The problem is that most systems for understanding communication styles are too complex to easily use in a real, everyday (team)work environment.

Randy Siegel presents an easy to use communication model that helps teams become stronger, more creative, and more competitive.

Randy is a specialist in professional development, self-branding, communications training and executive positioning.  He is the author of High Voltage Communications -- Electrify Your Career and Transform Your Life.  His articles have appeared in Integrated Marketing, PR Journal, PR News, Washington Post, Atlanta Business Chronicle, and the Atlanta Journal and Constitution.

Get instant access to this audio when you become a member of the IATF.  Learn more about IATF Member Benefits CLICK HERE

During the interview Randy mentions a free downloadable handout describing the details of his communication styles system.  CLICK HERE to download this 9 page document.

Dr. Roger Greenaway is a master at maximizing the debriefing (processing) of teambuilding exercises.  Roger calls his approach "active reviewing" and he's earned his reputation by helping educators and trainers from around the world learn how to maximize the benefits of experiential learning.

In this 30 minute audio interview Roger shares his unique perspective on teamwork activities and how you can get the most out of them through "active reviewing".  Roger tells you how to best transfer the learning from the activity so the lessons learned are useful and memorable.

The recording of this TeleSeminar is archived in the IATF Members Only Area.

Laurie Beth Jones is the author of many best selling books that teach how to effectively blend our spiritual life with our life as leaders and team members.

I was introduced to Laurie Beth's while working as a faculty level trainer for the YMCA of the USA in the mid 90's.  Her first book was entitled "Jesus, CEO - Using Ancient Wisdom For Visionary Leadership" and I was handed a copy by a workshop attendee and then I promptly placed the book on my book shelf (unread).  When I finally got around to reading it I enjoyed it.  This led me to Laurie Beth's second book entitled "The Path - Creating Your Mission Statement For Work And For Life". 

I enjoyed The Path so much that I became a nationally certified facilitator of the program and even appeared along side Laurie Beth in a nationally distributed video based home-study course. 

In this audio interview, Laurie Beth Jones shares insights on spirituality, leadership, and working with teams.

Click on the link below to listen to the 30 minute audio interview.

Download laurie_beth_jones_mp3.mp3

Note:  The first minute or so of the interview is a little garbled. 

Sam Sikes is one of the most creative teamwork trainers I know. He has an amazing gift for finding everyday items and turning them into powerful teambuilding games props and so this is what I'll be talking with Sam about in this interview.

Sam has worked with small, medium, large and extra large groups in the US and beyond. He is a prolific writer of team building games books (I own them all), and a master team facilitator. He has been awarded both the “Practitioner of the Year Award” and the “Karl Rohnke Creativity Award” by the Association of Experiential Education. In addition to all of this, Sam is flat out one of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet.

Topics we’ll cover in this interview:

• What is a team building “prop”?
• What makes a good prop and what makes a bad one?
• Can you have too many?
• Common props
• Unusual props
• Sam’s favorite props

Click on the link below to listen to the 37 minute audio interview (4.6 MB):
Download sam_sikes_mp3_sm.mp3

Be sure to visit Sam's website www.DoingWorks.com

When you think of conflict, what comes to mind? 

Fighting? Aggression? Hatred? Fear? Struggles? Battles?

This is how most think of conflict.

But hostage negotiator turned professor of leadership Dr. George Kohlrieser says effective leaders (and hostage negotiators) have trained themselves to look at the positive side of conflict:  opportunity, energy, passion, creativity, and engagement.

Not only that, Kohlrieser says you’ve got to learn to like dealing with conflict.  He goes so far as to say teams must be able to have intense arguments (constructive fights) if they are to make the shift from “good team” to “great team”. 

Kohlrieser is the author of “Hostage at the Table – How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance”

In this audio interview Kohlrieser shares an empowering view of conflict and then explains where conflict comes from and how you can lead your team through it and enjoy – and benefit from –  the process.

Click on the link below to listen to the 45 minute interview:

Download dr. George Kohlrieser sm.mp3

Here's what others are saying about this book:

"George Kohlrieser's brilliant book offers a unique and penetrating perspective on how people can free themselves from being held hostage to their self-imposed limitations. Hostage at the Table is filled with inspiring stories and the depth of Kohlrieser's insights that will enable the reader to become a fully empowered leader. It is a must-read."
-- Bill George, author, Authentic Leadership; former chairman & CEO, Medtronic

"In Hostage at the Table George Kohlrieser brings his unique expertise in the emotional land mines of negotiation to the challenges of leadership. Leaders everywhere will find much of practical use in this smart and engaging look at the emotional undercurrents that make or break an organization."
-- Daniel Goleman, author, Emotional Intelligence

I recently interviewed marriage vow experts Shonnie Lavender and Bruce Mulkey.

You must be wondering why I would interview marriage vow experts on a website dedicated to all things teamwork.

What could marriage vows possibly have to do with teamwork?

The answer is simple:  COMMITMENT

In their book "I Do!  I Do! The Marriage Vow Workbook" Shonnie & Bruce share how to create inspiring marriage vows that will sustain your marriage now and into the future.

A marriage vow is a commitment to the relationship.  But what does it mean when you make a commitment? 

Do you know individuals or teams that struggle with this idea of commitment?  As in, they say they are committed to the relationship or team project but at the first sign of difficulty (or challenge) the commitment is quickly forgotten.

We in America are well practiced at bailing out of our marriage commitments.  Approximately 2.4 million people get married each year and about half of those marriages end in divorce.  Is it any wonder that some of these same people bring this willingness to bail out of commitments with them to the teams they belong to?

To help us explore this idea of commitment, Shonnie & Bruce created a thought provoking "Scale of Commitment" which you'll hear us talk about in the interview.  CLICK HERE to view the Scale of Commitment.

Click on the link below to listen to the 44 minute audio interview (mp3 format)

Download shonnie_lavender_and_bruce_mulkey_sm.mp3

How old do you need to be before you start doing your life's work?

How old do you need to be to change the world?

If you're Marc Kielburger you're going to answer the above questions a little differently than most. 

Marc is a 29 year old Canadian who is an accomplished social advocate, leadership specialist, best selling author, and sought after speaker whose work has been featured on Oprah, CNN, 60 Minutes, BBC and profiled in numerous magazines and newspapers.

For 12 years Marc and his brother Craig (age 23) have been running the world's largest network of children helping children through education and - - literally - - saving thousands of children's lives every year through their organization Free The Children.

Yep. Do the math.  These guys started playing big on the world scene when they were young teenagers.

And now Marc and Craig have coauthored a new book entitled Me To We -- Finding Meaning in a Material World.

This book that will change the way you view the world.

Me To We inspires readers to improve their lives, communities and the world by thinking "we" in order to gain a level of fulfillment and happiness that cannot be acquired through materialistic means.

I recently interviewed Marc about this book and he said:

"Having spent time with world leaders such as Mother Teresa and street children all over the world, we discovered one undeniable pattern.  When individuals have a strong involvement in the betterment of their community, they show increased levels of meaning and happiness in their life."

Listen to the entire interview by clicking on the link below (it's an mp3 file)

Download marc_kielburger_1006_sm.mp3

In this interview you'll hear Marc share some statistics that wil shock you (I was shocked) that point to how our personal values impact people living around the world. 

Marc also shares simple action steps you can take that help bring about positive change on a local, regional, national and international level.  This is what I love most about the message Marc and Craig are sharing in their book Me To We - - that we don't have to wait on someone else, some government agency or head of state, to decide when it's time to bring about positive change.  Marc and Craig teach NOW IS THE TIME and WE ARE THE ONES who are fully capable of doing what's needed.

Don't wait.  Take action now.  Be empowered.  Read this book.

Every Monday at noon Michael Port hosts the Think Big Revolution telephone conference call.  Michael shares ideas, tips and strategies for thinking bigger about who you are and what you offer the world.  It's free to participate and Michael has had some amazing guests on the show including Michael Gerber, author of "The E-Myth", a book virtually every entrepreneur has either read or knows about.

Michael recently invited me on the show to discuss the power of teams.

CLICK HERE to listen to the 60 minute program.

Dr. Ken Blanchard's impact as a writer in the field of management is far-reaching.  The One Minute Manager (1982), coauthored with Spencer Johnson, has sold over 9 million copies and has been translated into more than 25 languages. 

In this interview, Dr. Blanchard talks about the principles outlined in one of his latest books High Five - The Magic of Working Together.  Dr. Blanchard shares why teams are important and what individuals and organizations can do to build successful ones. 

Click on the link below to listen to the interview
Download kenblanchard_mp3_sm.mp3

"Teambuilding is nice but we've got work to do around here."

Have you ever heard that statement or a variation of it?

Dr. Jim Cain has.  He's an award winning team skills trainer and author of many books including Teamwork & Teamplay.

Dr. Cain travels widely training educators of all types.  Many of these educators need to "make the case" for experiential learning when they return to their facilities.  To help people in this situation, Dr. Cain has authored a detailed article entitled "In Defense of Adventure-Based Education and Active Learning Opportunities".  Download the article by clicking on the link below.

Download InDefenseOfAdventureBasedEducation.pdf

Click on the link below to hear Dr. Jim Cain make the case for Adventure Based Experiential Learning.

Download dr. Jim Cain mp3.mp3

What does it mean to be a teacher (trainer)?

How much can you trust the students (training participants) with the learning process?

I have a teaching degree from Virginia Tech and when I graduated in 1986 I thought I knew the answers to these questions.  And then reality hit me square in the face.

I was a classroom teacher in Manassas, VA (just outside of Washington, D.C.) during the 1990-91 school year.  This was one of the hardest and most frustrating jobs I've ever had.  And it wasn't difficult because of the kids - - I had learned how to work with difficult to teach kids when I was a juvenile corrections officer.  What was the source of my frustration?  I couldn't seem to put my finger on it exactly. Until I found John Taylor Gatto.

Just after I resigned my teaching position, I read a speech written by Gatto.  The speech was entitled Why Schools Don't Educate and was delivered when he received the New York City Teacher of the Year Award (he taught in the classroom for 30 years).   Reading the speech caused me to stop in my tracks.  I felt as though Gatto was speaking directly to me.

Gatto spoke about teaching and learning in terms I had never heard before.  Gatto helped lift the fog I was in and provided me with a clear and hard hitting explanation of what it really means to be a teacher.

I began reading everything I could find by Gatto.  His writing has changed the way I look at the world of teaching and learning. 

Now, 15 years later, I have the great pleasure of sharing an audio interview I did with John Taylor Gatto.  I interviewed him today and I found him to be a generous and gracious man.  And did I mention he is brilliant?  I love the way he uses the English language - - I think you'll enjoy hearing him speak as well.

Click on the link below to listen to the 70 minute recording (mp3 file)

Download john_taylor_gatto_sm.mp3

During the interview you'll hear Gatto mention several of his books.  I encourage you to buy a copy of his latest book entitled "The Underground History of American Education".  Buy it at JohnTaylorGatto.com

If you like what you hear in the interview you will likely enjoy this archive of Gatto's articles HERE

There are many many YouTube videos of John Taylor Gatto. Here's one of my favorites:

A couple of years ago I had the great opportunity to work as a lead trainer at Discovery Camp, a leadership program for teens created by the Anthony Robbins Foundation.

My job was to help train the teachers who accompanied the students to the camp.  I taught the teachers how to use experiential teambuilding games to build community in the classroom.  I also taught how to integrate the games into the existing curriculumn so as to drive home important lessons.

It was a powerful and transformational camp filled with teachers and students who were committed to improving themselves and the world.  Be sure to watch the video clips when you visit the link to the camp.

One of the people I met at Discovery Camp was Scott Chesney.  Scott is a motivational speaker and success coach who now has an internet radio program entitled "Maximizing Life with Scott Chesney".  Scott interviewed me today with the topic being "Maximizing Teamwork".

It was my first time being interviewed on live radio.  Having to pay attention to commercial breaks was fun.

Listen to the interview here.

I have a confession to make: I made Mark Victor Hansen angry and I tried to cover it up.

If you don’t know who Mark Victor Hansen is then you’ll know his books.  He’s the coauthor of the Chicken Soup For The Soul series - - the best selling books of all time according to Guinness Book of World Records.

In December 2005 (six months ago) I interviewed Mark about his latest book entitled Cracking The Millionaire Code – Your Key To Enlightened Wealth. It’s everything you need to know to create a more abundant life without sacrificing your health, spirituality, freedom, or family.

I’m a big fan of Mark’s and was really excited to interview him, especially because I knew of his beliefs around teams.  Mark believes building a team is critical to building an abundant life.

As someone who is working with teams, you may get a whack upside the head from my interview with Mark as well...be sure to have a listen as I include the recording below.  Did you know the best selling book author *of all time* believes so very strongly in teamwork?

It was the concept of abundance that I got stuck on towards the end of the interview.  You’ll hear it.

Mark was talking about abundance.  He was sharing how we need to get clear on the gift we have to share with the world and then give it away.

“Give it away?!” I said.

How is that possible?  I thought.  I like the idea of abundance thinking, but give it away?

I challenged Mark.  I wanted to know why he wasn’t giving his book away.  Was it the way I asked the question?  Was I being difficult?  Slow?  Anyway… you’ll hear it - - this is when I angered Mark. 

I’m curious to know if you hear the shift in energy in the interview.

You’ll definitely hear it at the end of the interview because you’ll hear a loud “CLICK!” as Mark hangs up his phone BEFORE I have a chance to fully wrap up the interview.

I was so embarrassed with the loud click that I edited it out (I've since put it back in).  I was reluctant to share the interview with you at first, but rethought it.  If I was meant to learn this lesson by upsetting Mark, then you deserve to learn from it too.  Because you don't want to have to go through what I did with Mark to figure it out for yourself, do you? So I've decided to share it, raw as it is.

The fact is, the interview may have changed the course of my life.

You see, Marks message of abundance stuck with me for days.  I kept hearing Mark talk to me about “giving it away so you can receive more”.

Mark had given me a present: A whack on the side of the head.

Mark's message was that of a "Go-Giver" and at the time, it was hard for me to hear because I wasn't "there".

With the help of a great coach I was able to make the necessary shift which has allowed me to operate from a new place.

Maybe now is a good time for you to receive the support you deserve - - the support you need to make an important shift. 

I invite you to join the IATF and receive this support.

To your success!

Tom Heck
President & Founder
International Association of Teamwork Facilitators

PS  Thank you Mark.  Thank you for the whack on the side of the head.  Thank you for helping me think more abundantly.

Click on the link below to listen to the 32 minute recording (mp3 format):

Download mark_victor_hansen_mp3sm.mp3