Morning Keynote

Cy Wakeman is a dynamic national keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling author who has spent over 20 years cultivating a revolutionary approach to leadership and work. Her Reality-Based Philosophy helps leaders and their teams ditch the drama, turn excuses into results, and find opportunities in every challenge they face.
 
Cy’s professional journey began when she was promoted to her first management position in the late 1980’s. Rather than forcing ineffective, traditional management practices into her workplace, she began developing and teaching her employees a reality-based mindset. What she found was inspiring. Her employees were not only motivated to succeed, but they were also driven to deliver results, adapt to change, and emanate happiness on the job.
 
Inspired to help others transform their company and their work, Cy began consulting, training and speaking—empowering employees and executives alike to take control of and invest in their work.
 
Named one of the “Top 100 Leadership Experts to Follow” on twitter, Cy’s influence continues to build. Her groundbreaking ideas have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Post, The Washington Post and SHRM.org. She is a favorite expert blogger on FastCompany.com and Forbes.com. She was also the recipient of the prestigious World HR Congress Leadership Excellence award for her innovative thought leading contributions in the HR community.
 
Cy Wakeman has written two books, Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, & Turn Excuses into Results (Jossey-Bass; 2010) and The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace: Know What Boosts Your Value, Kills Your Chances, & Will Make You Happier (Jossey-Bass; 2013).
 
As a keynote speaker, Cy is a highly sought-after conference headliner and holds a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speaker’s Association, placing her within the top 3% of speakers worldwide. Her programs are consistently ranked by participants as the single most impactful training they have ever received.
 
 

Breakout Session 1

Fraudulent workplace claims involving FMLA and workers compensation have effects beyond HR and management. Allowed to go un-checked, this type of abuse sours co-workers and impacts moral. It also can breed a culture that encourages similar behavior. Martin will present options and strategies to help detect and detour these production robbing claims.
Learning Outcomes:
 

• How do lies help your FMLA investigation?
• Knowledge is power and surveillance video is first-hand knowledge that is undisputable.
• Problem employees; nature or nurture?
• When the ability to take action is frozen by good intentions.    

Paul Herr received his MBA from the University of Chicago’s famed Booth Graduate School of Business and is a prominent author, speaker, researcher, and expert on employee engagement.
Herr’s critically-acclaimed book, “Primal Management: Unraveling the Secrets of Human Nature to Drive High Performance”, was published as a featured book by the American Management Association in 2009. A review in the Journal of Personnel Psychology stated, “Herr’s book is clearly written, strongly and convincingly argued, insightful, provocative, stimulating, and interesting to read”.
You can think of Paul as Wisconsin’s answer to Dan Pink (author of “Drive”), Dan Goleman (author of “Emotional Intelligence”) and Tom Rath (author of “Strength Finder 2.0” and “Vital Friends”).






 

1-C Grief in the Workplace: How to Compassionately Support Coworkers or Clients Through Loss,  Sheri Milton, LFMT, CT, Agrace HospiceCare Inc.

Chéri Milton is a Community Grief Counselor and educator for Agrace HospiceCare Inc. in Madison, WI.  Agrace averages a daily census of over 700 patients and serves 10 counties in southern Wisconsin. 

Chéri attended UW Madison for her bachelor’s degree in family studies and went on to receive her master’s degree from Edgewood College in marriage/family therapy. Her experience includes 20 years of pastoral ministry and counseling. Chéri holds a certification in Thanatology, the study of death and dying, from the Association of Death Education and Counseling.

In 2013, Chéri has published her first book, Before You Go: Stories for a Better Life From Those Facing Death.  She resides with her husband Mitch in Pardeeville WI where she enjoys waking up each day to the sunrise over Park Lake.  Chéri and Mitch have one son Derek.

Afternoon Keynote

Cy Wakeman - Reality-Based Accountability – Hardwiring Accountability into Your Workforce and Coaching for Great Performance 

 
Cy Wakeman is a dynamic national keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling author who has spent over 20 years cultivating a revolutionary approach to leadership and work. Her Reality-Based Philosophy helps leaders and their teams ditch the drama, turn excuses into results, and find opportunities in every challenge they face.
 
Cy’s professional journey began when she was promoted to her first management position in the late 1980’s. Rather than forcing ineffective, traditional management practices into her workplace, she began developing and teaching her employees a reality-based mindset. What she found was inspiring. Her employees were not only motivated to succeed, but they were also driven to deliver results, adapt to change, and emanate happiness on the job.
 
Inspired to help others transform their company and their work, Cy began consulting, training and speaking—empowering employees and executives alike to take control of and invest in their work.
 
Named one of the “Top 100 Leadership Experts to Follow” on twitter, Cy’s influence continues to build. Her groundbreaking ideas have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Post, The Washington Post and SHRM.org. She is a favorite expert blogger on FastCompany.com and Forbes.com. She was also the recipient of the prestigious World HR Congress Leadership Excellence award for her innovative thought leading contributions in the HR community.
 
Cy Wakeman has written two books, Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, & Turn Excuses into Results (Jossey-Bass; 2010) and The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace: Know What Boosts Your Value, Kills Your Chances, & Will Make You Happier (Jossey-Bass; 2013).
 
As a keynote speaker, Cy is a highly sought-after conference headliner and holds a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speaker’s Association, placing her within the top 3% of speakers worldwide. Her programs are consistently ranked by participants as the single most impactful training they have ever received.

Breakout Session 2

2-A Create your Dream Team or Unleash your Super Powers, Megan Watt

Megan Watt is a highly sought after speaker, author, career coach, and facilitator who speaks to audiences on the impact of strengths and the Power of Connection in the pursuit you goals. Her new book, Discover. Act. Engage is a 60-Day Catalyst Guide to Accomplishing your Someday Goals. Megan is a member of Forbes Coaches Council, an invitation-only community for top business and career coaches. In 2016, she was awarded the Urban League’s Trailblazer award.  Megan’s professional journey includes higher education, ESPN, and entrepreneurship, and currently serves as the Chief Dream Maker of Dream Catalyst Labs, where the mission is to inspire others to think big, and tenaciously go after those Someday Goals today!

2-B  Driving Business Value for HR, Tracy McEachern

2-C Employment Law Update, Jennifer Mirus 

Breakout Session 3

3-A   Business Readiness – Ensuring Our Teams Are Ready for What’s Next, - Cy Wakeman

Cy Wakeman is a dynamic national keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling author who has spent over 20 years cultivating a revolutionary approach to leadership and work. Her Reality-Based Philosophy helps leaders and their teams ditch the drama, turn excuses into results, and find opportunities in every challenge they face.
 
Cy’s professional journey began when she was promoted to her first management position in the late 1980’s. Rather than forcing ineffective, traditional management practices into her workplace, she began developing and teaching her employees a reality-based mindset. What she found was inspiring. Her employees were not only motivated to succeed, but they were also driven to deliver results, adapt to change, and emanate happiness on the job.
 
Inspired to help others transform their company and their work, Cy began consulting, training and speaking—empowering employees and executives alike to take control of and invest in their work.
 
Named one of the “Top 100 Leadership Experts to Follow” on twitter, Cy’s influence continues to build. Her groundbreaking ideas have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Post, The Washington Post and SHRM.org. She is a favorite expert blogger on FastCompany.com and Forbes.com. She was also the recipient of the prestigious World HR Congress Leadership Excellence award for her innovative thought leading contributions in the HR community.
 
Cy Wakeman has written two books, Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, & Turn Excuses into Results (Jossey-Bass; 2010) and The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace: Know What Boosts Your Value, Kills Your Chances, & Will Make You Happier (Jossey-Bass; 2013).
 
As a keynote speaker, Cy is a highly sought-after conference headliner and holds a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speaker’s Association, placing her within the top 3% of speakers worldwide. Her programs are consistently ranked by participants as the single most impactful training they have ever received.

3-B Fearless Coaching Conversations: Building Supervisory Coaching Skills that Reduce Fear while Building Commitment to Performance

Jeffrey Russell, co-director of Russell Consulting, Inc., specializes in helping organizations achieve great performance while successfully responding to the challenges of continuous change. With a focus on leadership, strategic thinking, leading change, and performance coaching, Jeff has worked internationally with organizations as diverse as Fortune 500 firms, public and social sector organizations, and small family businesses. Jeff has a Masters in Industrial Relations from UW-Madison. Jeff served on the GMA SHRM Board for 6 years.

3-C Employment Law Update, Jennifer Mirus and Andrew DeClercq