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Michelle Ray

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business keynote speakers

Confidence, Composure, Credibility: Creating a Collaborative Space at Work

July 19, 2019 by Michelle Ray

Co-workers in a collaborative space

Do you ever feel like you spend more time with your coworkers than you do with your family?

A lot of us work long hours, day after day. The pressure of juggling tasks, doing more with less, and managing mounting stress can take a toll on our mental and physical health.

We spin our wheels when we know we need to be the best versions of ourselves, maintaining a helpful and pleasant demeanor with our internal and external clients alike.

Does that sound familiar?

[Read more…] about Confidence, Composure, Credibility: Creating a Collaborative Space at Work

Filed Under: Best workplaces, Communication, employee engagement, work-life balance Tagged With: attitude, business conference speakers, business keynote speakers, collaboration, drama at work, leadership speakers, Michelle Ray, Motivational Speakers, personal leadership, workplace

Passionate Leadership: 12 Key Traits That Distinguish The Best From The Rest

May 24, 2019 by Michelle Ray

This article was originally published on September 7, 2016, and has been updated.

Do you remember your first encounter with a passionate leader?

The reality is that any leader can be passionate…if they know what to do.

But first, let’s look at why this is so important. [Read more…] about Passionate Leadership: 12 Key Traits That Distinguish The Best From The Rest

Filed Under: Best workplaces, Business, Business Motivation, Happiness at Work, Leadership, Passionate Leadership, Self-Leadership, Uncategorized Tagged With: business keynote speakers, HR, leadership, leadership speakers, management, Michelle Ray, Motivational Speakers, trends, workplace

Three strategies to respond positively to negative feedback

June 30, 2015 by Michelle Ray

“You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar”…Anon

If you have ever been at the receiving end of criticism, either from a co-worker or manager, it is likely you have found yourself struggling to respond positively…or worse, have defaulted to apologizing when you have done nothing wrong. Even if the criticism is warranted or offered inappropriately, you cannot control the other person’s intention, words or delivery. What you can do is respond in a positive fashion while maintaining respect…for yourself and the bearer of disparaging comments. Whether the feedback pertains to your work, your relationship or a specific situation that transpired between both parties, your goal is to rise above the negativity and respond, rather than react. [Read more…] about Three strategies to respond positively to negative feedback

Filed Under: Business, Business Motivation, career, Communication, Conflict, performance reviews, personal leadership, professional development, Uncategorized, values in business Tagged With: business conference speakers, business keynote speakers, Lead Yourself First Institute, Michelle Ray

Four ways to deal with a bad boss

March 9, 2015 by Michelle Ray

A recent Gallup survey reported that 25 per cent of people would like to fire their boss, if they had the power. Interestingly, the majority of those 25 per cent were reported as the “highly disengaged” cohort.

On the other hand, those who enjoyed a healthy relationship with their managers were reported as “highly engaged” in their work and consequently had no desire to oust the boss.

The reasons for disengagement, however, aren’t necessarily a one-way street. Poor leadership plays a significant role in the engagement equation and it is a fact that managers and employees alike become disenchanted and disconnected due to the negative impact of mediocre leadership at the highest level.

[Read more…] about Four ways to deal with a bad boss

Filed Under: economy, Leadership, overcoming adversity, personal leadership, Uncategorized, work Tagged With: business conference speakers, business keynote speakers, Globe and Mail, Leadership Lab, leadership speakers, management, Michelle Ray, Motivational Speakers

The “Wow” Factor…Brought to you by the U.S. Post Office

February 27, 2015 by Michelle Ray

US Flag

Cynics may say that you would never expect a public servant to give outrageously good customer service. So let me prove you wrong. Ross, who works at the USPS located in Point Roberts, WA provided incredible service…so good that he puts many corporate retailers to shame.

Despite the fact that Canada Post has an outlet across the street from my house, I deliberately drove 45 minutes to the nearest U.S. border to mail my packages bound for multiple destinations across the United States. You may be asking “why”? Well, from past experiences I can tell you that not only are the savings enormous, the service that I have received at my Post Office across the border is second to none.

Last Friday, Ross delivered a customer service experience that I will never forget. As I placed my packages on the counter and waited for Ross to carefully weigh each envelope, he asked the game-changing question: “Can I offer you the “WOW” factor?” [Read more…] about The “Wow” Factor…Brought to you by the U.S. Post Office

Filed Under: attitude, best places to work, Business, customer service, economy, employee engagement, Uncategorized Tagged With: business keynote speakers, customer service, customer service trends, Lead Yourself First Institute, Michelle Ray, Motivational Speakers, personal leadership, positive thinking

Remembering the heroes in our lives – Tribute to my father

November 11, 2014 by Michelle Ray

image: MIchelle Ray's Dad August 2010

“My legs are swollen and I don’t feel like going up to the coffee shop today.”

As soon as I heard my father utter those words on the telephone, thousands of miles away from his bed in the nursing home in Sydney, I knew that everything was different, even though I didn’t want to believe what was happening. Dad was no longer able to dial my number, so I would call him instead, all too often finding him in his room. Time was slipping away.

[Read more…] about Remembering the heroes in our lives – Tribute to my father

Filed Under: Business Motivation, change, Leadership, Motivational Stories, overcoming adversity, Uncategorized Tagged With: business keynote speakers, changemakers books, Lead Yourself First Institute, Michelle Ray, Motivational Speakers, new books

The trouble with leadership: It’s Time to Lead Yourself First

September 23, 2014 by Michelle Ray

Leadership is always a subject that finds its way into the headlines. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a decline in the high standards that we expect to see from our leaders. Whether we are talking about sports, politics, business or religion, why are we so often profoundly disappointed in our leaders? Why do so many fall from grace and how does it come to pass that character becomes secondary to title?

[Read more…] about The trouble with leadership: It’s Time to Lead Yourself First

Filed Under: Business Motivation, change, economy, Leadership, personal leadership, Uncategorized Tagged With: business conference speakers, business keynote speakers, changemakers books, Lead Yourself First Institute, Lead Yourself First Institute. Leadership Keynote Speakers, leadership speakers, Michelle Ray, Michelle Ray author, Motivational Speakers, new books

Will I get the biggest bang for my buck? What meeting planners expect from professional speakers

March 31, 2014 by Michelle Ray

image: business people applauding

While preparing my presentation set-up for a keynote at a recent conference, the meeting planner ran toward me in a panic, apologizing for being pulled in ten different directions, simultaneously.  She explained that there were several items demanding her immediate attention. Her committee were in a time crunch, trying to locate the whereabouts of one of the panelists due to appear in a morning breakout session.

[Read more…] about Will I get the biggest bang for my buck? What meeting planners expect from professional speakers

Filed Under: Business, conferences planners, economy, Uncategorized Tagged With: business keynote speakers, meeting professionals, Michelle Ray, Motivational Speakers, professional speakers, top keynote speakers

Are you feeling the love? Five tips to be happier, productive and inspired at work

February 14, 2014 by Michelle Ray

image: boy and girl holding valentines

I will always remember the antics of one of my co-workers whose desk was beside mine at my first corporate job. Dan would saunter into the office whenever it suited him and immediately announce his arrival to the entire staff. In a bellowing voice, he would ask the same question every morning: “Who can I annoy today?”  [Read more…] about Are you feeling the love? Five tips to be happier, productive and inspired at work

Filed Under: attitude, Business, Business Motivation, career, change, healthy living, Motivational Stories, personal leadership, Quick Quips, Uncategorized, values in business, work-life balance Tagged With: business keynote speakers, Lead Yourself First Institute, leadership speakers, Michelle Ray, motivation, personal leadership, positive thinking, workplace

The fear of success is bigger than the fear of failure

November 29, 2013 by Michelle Ray

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough – Og Mandino

“My goodness! What would it be like if I had the life I always wanted! How would I cope if everything I desired to achieve actually came true! Wouldn’t that be terrible?” This kind of self-talk is an example of someone who possesses a “fear of success.” Sounds a little silly, doesn’t it? While “fear of failure” is an all-too-familiar term in modern-day ethos, we don’t often hear about the “fear of success.” At first glance, these phrases look different, but, in fact, they have similar interpretation. It is not unusual for people to be afraid of success because of the connotations attached to the word. The idea of success can elicit an equal, if not greater “fear” response as failure. Furthermore, many people cannot “cope” with success and, as a result, they unconsciously sabotage it. How does this happen? It is important to understand the ramifications of such thinking, as well as the rationale (or should I say the “irrational”) behind it.

Allowing your inner critic to surface on occasion in human. However, if it becomes a way of life and you continue to move in a downward spiral, your journey to success will become even more daunting. By interpreting setbacks as a sign of the universe conspiring against you, the potential risk of sabotaging your own success increases as negative thoughts intensify. Many of us maintain a personal belief system that keeps working against us, without understanding its origins.

The fear of success is based on three factors:

1. Regard we have for ourselves (self-concept)

A individual’s belief system cultivates either a positive or negative self-concept. Based on the internal lens we use to view ourselves, we attribute meaning to the terms “success” and “failure.” Self-concept goes beyond being placed under the “self-esteem” umbrella. Psychologist Albert Bandura says: “Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the sources of action required to manage prospective situations.” In other words, if you believe in your capabilities to manage and overcome whatever life throws at you, you will find success in your life . . . however you choose to define “success”.

2. Lack of clarification in relation to success values

Just as the word “money” is laden with values attachments, the same can be said about the word “success.”  It is essential to achieve clarity around your personal, uniquely individual definition of success in order to actually live it. There are widely held assumptions in our society that success and wealth are synonymous, almost interchangeable terms. It is at the core of many a values struggle! However, not everyone measures “success” and “wealth” in financial terms. Once we achieve clarity regarding what success actually means on a deeply personal level, the experience is invigorating.

3. The Impact of Conditioning

We are conditioned to think of ourselves, our values, and other people in terms of either/or. By polarizing our thoughts into society’s concept of good or bad, right or wrong, etc., it becomes difficult to discern our own unique value proposition regarding work, career, family, money, success, politics, institutions, etc. A powerful set of influencers have shaped our ideas throughout our lives, either subtly or otherwise. Examples of these influencers include our family of origin, culture, education system, religious credo, media, etc. When we are able to identify those influencers and in turn, recognize their impact, we can see our own version of the truth through a fresh set of eyes.

Now is as good a time as any to examine what you think about yourself, to look through that internal lens and focus on how you manage your life in the world. Change any self-perceptions that are fueling a fear of success.  Equipped with a healthy self-concept and clarity regarding your values, you will find success in your career, your business, and your life.

About the Author: Michelle Ray is the CEO & Founder of the Lead Yourself First Institute

Filed Under: attitude, Business, Business Motivation, change, economy, Leadership, Motivational Stories, overcoming adversity, resiliency, success, Uncategorized, uncertainty, values in business Tagged With: business keynote speakers, Lead Yourself First Institute, leadership, Michelle Ray, Motivational Speakers, personal leadership

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