Speeches & Workshops
Here are the most frequently requested topics for my speaking engagements and workshops today.
Leading a Multi-Generational Workforce
Four generations are working together in today’s workplace—and a fifth is on the way. Each brings unique assumptions to the job. As a result, events in the workplace are often interpreted differently by individuals in different generations. What may seem like good news to a Boomer might well be an unsettling and unwelcome development to a member of Generation X. Things that members of Gen Y love often seem unappealing or frivolous to those in older generations.
Global Generations
Geography significantly influences the formation of generational beliefs and behavior. Each country’s unique social, political, and economic events shape specific views and attitudes among today’s adults. Understanding these country-to-country differences is critical to creating employment deals that attract and retain the best employees in each geographic area. Western generational models cannot be applied broadly to a global workforce.
Get Ready for the Next Wave: The Re-Generation
The next demographic wave is almost ready to hit the shore. Children who are 15-and-under today are almost certainly not members of Generation Y. They’ve been influenced by a very different set of global events than those that shaped the ideas and preferences of people in their late teens and 20s today.
Ten Assumptions that Are No Longer True . . . But Still Shape Our Organizations Today
Today’s organizations are ripe for change. Over the next several decades, we’ll see very different business entities take their place. Why? Because today’s organizations were designed in response to conditions that no longer exist. They are predicated on a set of underlying assumptions that most of us quickly recognize are not valid today. Do you still think loyal behavior at work will lead to a lifetime of protection and care from the corporation? Of course not. But many of our cherished talent management practices, from pension plans to perquisites, like vacation, that are based on tenure, are holdovers from the days when this old assumption rang true.
What Does It Mean to Work Here? A Signature Experience for Extraordinary Engagement
A highly engaged workforce has never been more important. Much of the work today requires an individual’s discretionary effort – people have to choose to innovate, share knowledge, and provide extraordinary service. Many employees, particularly those in younger generations, are less motivated by money than the connection they feel to the work. And the lingering recessionary climate has left many employees demoralized – and in need of a significant emotional boost.
Innovation in the Intelligent Economy: Bringing People and Ideas Together
The heart of innovation is the combination of two previously unrelated ideas. Creating the capacity for innovation in your organization means encouraging collaboration: namely, sharing knowledge and working together to create new ideas. The paradox: many of the best ways to encourage collaboration work against innovation! How can you balance both?
Building Collaborative Organizations
New technologies are making their way into the workplace, offering significant improvements in generating, capturing, and sharing knowledge, finding helpful colleagues and information, tapping into new sources of innovation and expertise, and harnessing the “wisdom of crowds.” Over time, these collaborative technologies will change the way work is done and the way organizations function. They will shift the way we interact with people on our teams, find external expertise when it’s needed, and share ideas and observations more broadly.
Four Keys to Social Media Adoption
“We’ve spent a fortune on collaborative technology, but no one is using it . . . or if they are, it’s for purely social, non-productive activities.” Sound familiar? It’s a lament heard many times from organizations that have raced to bring social media in the workplace. Today most leaders are sold on the tremendous potential new collaborative technologies present to change the way work gets done: increasing productivity, stimulating innovation, and enhancing employee engagement. But realizing the benefits is proving to be a frustrating challenge for many.
For additional information on these topics, email Mel Blake at Monitor Talent, or call 617-252-2472.
Testimonials
Thanks again for a fabulous presentation and discussion. Very well done. Very informative and engaging. I really really appreciate the effort you made to engage the team on this topic. Many implications for our firm.
Steve Milovich
SVP, Human Resources
Walt Disney Company
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Thank you so much for presenting at our conference. We have and continue to receive great feedback on the conference overall, and in particular, your presentation. Out team appreciated your depth of knowledge and research, global focus, humor and wit. We consider ourselves fortunate to have been graced with your participation!
SR, HR Manager
Fortune 100 Company
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Your presentation received some of the highest marks we have ever seen at the IACPR. They loved your insights, your humor and, obviously, your expertise. And we appreciate how flexible you were as we kept coming against new surprises in the planning process! Again, thank you, thank you. Everyone wants your book so we’ll be doing a bulk order for the attendees.
Kay Kennedy
Executive Director
IACPR
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Tammy Erickson was a phenomenal success! Our President said it was the best presentation of that type that he’s ever heard and we are thrilled! We had people clamoring for copies of her presentation and it was a great idea to place her first on the program as she set the tone for the day and raised the bar considerably. It’s always a good sign when no one even gets up to grab coffee!
Mary Weekley
American Gas Association
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What an honor it was for me to introduce you at the conference! Your presentation set the tone for our agenda and I stopped counting the number of references that followed that was offered in your talk. I could not think of a better kick-off for the conference. Thank you again for your time and enthusiasm.
Eileen Finn
Eileen Finn & Associates
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I wanted to express our thanks to you again for speaking at our 2006 Partners’ Meeting. Your keynote session was extremely well-received, and garnering the highest points of the meeting on attendee evaluations. Some comments, in particular, I wanted to share with you were:
- Thought provoking
- Nice interplay with audience
- Very comprehensive, practical advice
- Very interesting and informative
- A program highpoint
Ian Fanton
Vice President
Harvard Business School Publishing
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My heartfelt thanks for joining us at the IACPR Conference and for a truly inspirational presentation! Positioning you as our first speaker was the smartest thing we did – you set the tone for the rest of the conference and every speaker that followed you made reference to your remarks. You got tremendous feedback from everyone in the audience. Personally, I sure felt the reality check!
We have decided to purchase a copy of your book for each member who attended the conference; we felt that you made an enormous contribution to each of us. I think we each believe we have a responsibility to educate our companies – with a sense of urgency – about how to take action for the talent market ahead.
You have an open invitation to join us for any IACPR conference in the future; it would be our pleasure to have you back anytime.
Nancie Whitehouse
Whitehouse Advisors LLC
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I had the privilege of hearing Tammy’s presentation to the International HR meeting in Houston last Wednesday. It was most thought provoking and challenging and her presentation and delivery were excellent. It was my first time to hear her talk and in speaking with colleagues, they commented that ‘they always go hear her wherever she is. She is great.’ Well, you now have a new convert. Many of her points resonate with what our senior HR management have been saying.
Donald D. Vincent
Sr. Manager, Human Resources
Washington Group International
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You did a great job. You hit all the objectives I had for your discussion. I look forward to working with you in the future.
Corey Seitz
Global Head of Talent Management
Novartis International
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Many thanks for the time you put into preparing this presentation. Responses I received from our members indicate how much they valued the information you shared and their interest in inviting you to present to our group again. Below are some of the comments I received:
- Outstanding! Great ideas, trends, conclusion and especially recommendations.
- Best session of the retreat!
- Very interesting. In addition to excellent research findings there were practical action steps that are immediately applicable.
- Great data and insights.
- Tamara was outstanding.
Linda Newton
Executive Director
HARRT at UCLA
