MJAA and MJ West Joint Event: Conflict Communication Workshop

What:	To accelerate your own and your team’s success, leaders must confidently navigate the turbulent waters of conflict management—those often “dreaded” high-stakes, high-controversy, emotionally charged conversations with colleagues, vendors, and clients. Being “consciously competent” of specific communication techniques will help you smoothly guide difficult dialogs and be a better coach. About the speaker: Mary Etta Eaton, “the PitchDoc”, is a Silicon Valley leadership communications coach & instructor at Stanford University School of Engineering and Foothill College who advises business/technical/scientific managers & professionals in startups and public companies. RSVP: Seats are limited; please RSVP in advance.
When:	Monday, 11/07/2011 06:50PM - 09:00PM
Where:	DLA Piper, 2000 University Ave, East Palo Alto, CA
Contact:	service@montejade.org

Whether managing projects, programs, or people—as leaders, we are problem-solving decision-makers. IQ is merely the threshold for entry-level career success—EQ, or emotional intelligence, differentiates the “great” from merely ‘good” leaders. Emotional competencies such as communication are the biggest predictors of success the higher one rises in an organization: the skills that “got you where you are” are no longer enough to “get you where you want to go”. Without strong communication skills, you will likely hit an invisible glass ceiling.

To accelerate your own and your team’s success, leaders must confidently navigate the turbulent waters of conflict management—those often “dreaded” high-stakes, high-controversy, emotionally charged conversations with colleagues, vendors, and clients. Being “consciously competent” of specific communication techniques will help you smoothly guide difficult dialogs and be a better coach.

In this dynamic and interactive seminar, learn how to effectively plan for challenging conversations, create a supportive (versus defensive) communications climate, implement the “DESC” approach for assertive communications, and deploy active listening skills. Supported by communications theory and research, this hands-on workshop will include live practice sessions with exercises designed to reinforce principles learned. After rehearsing actual scenarios, you will leave with a “game plan” to confidently apply these verbal and nonverbal communication tips in the workplace.

About the speaker:

Mary Etta Eaton, “the PitchDoc”, is a Silicon Valley leadership communications coach & instructor at Stanford University School of Engineering and Foothill College who advises business/technical/scientific managers & professionals in startups and public companies. Before her leadership consulting and mentoring career, Mary Etta’s previous management experience included Marketing & Sales Development, Marketing Communications, HR, and Management Development & Training at Hewlett-Packard Company. She led teams of up to 75 professionals and managers responsible for various communications to worldwide sales and prospective or current customers including product strategy presentations to Fortune 500 companies. She also served as a Loaned Executive to the City of San Jose as well as taught at San Jose State and Purdue University. As a community volunteer, Mary Etta’s was featured in the San Jose Mercury News for launching numerous innovative educational initiatives in the Menlo Park public schools where she resides. Mary Etta received her BS degree in Speech Communication Education from University of Maryland and her MS in Organizational Communication from Purdue University. An avid hiker, she loves dancing, exploring, and all things entrepreneurial.

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