Don’t Feed the Elephants! Overcoming the art of avoidance to build powerful partnerships
We can all agree that we want to work on teams where we feel safe, do work that matters, and make a positive impact. Yet sometimes we are stifled by known problems impacting our success that no one wants to acknowledge. Congratulations, we have an elephant in the room! In this session, we will explore how we can address the true elephant in the room: avoidance of what created it in the first place.
Guided by more than a decade of research and professional practice, Sarah will apply her Curiosity First approach to team conflict and avoidance. She will share strategies to increase ownership, practice conversations that are candid and compassionate, and build deeper levels of trust that results in more powerful partnerships.
Gain the knowledge, specific strategies, and confidence to free elephants by learning:
- Individual and group behaviors that signal an elephant is known and being avoided.
- The most common “elephant types” and the behaviors that create them.
- Key strategies and language to free elephants using the Curiosity First approach.
- Specific strategies for how to hold steady during uncomfortable conversations.
About the Speaker:
Sarah Noll Wilson is on a mission to help leaders build and rebuild teams. Her goal is to empower leaders to understand and honor the beautiful complexity of the humans they serve. Through her work as an Executive Coach, an in-demand Keynote Speaker, Researcher, Contributor to Harvard Business Review, and Bestselling Author of “Don’t Feed the Elephants”, Sarah helps leaders close the gap between what they intend to do and the actual impact they make. She hosts the podcast “Conversations on Conversations”, is certified in Co-Active Coaching, Conversational Intelligence, and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities. In addition to her work with organizations, Sarah is a passionate advocate for mental health.
Sarah creates a safe, honest environment, preparing people to deal with real-world conflict, have more meaningful conversations, and create purposeful relationships. Working with CEOs, Human Resources leaders, and organizations that care deeply about their employees and understand the connection between employee development, employee satisfaction and organizational success, Sarah specializes in transforming relationships from good to great.
With 15+ years in leadership development, Sarah earned a Master’s Degree from Drake University in Leadership Development and a BA from the University of Northern Iowa in Theatre Performance and Theatre Education – no wonder clients love the energy she brings to their teams! When she isn’t helping people build and rebuild relationships, she enjoys playing games with her husband Nick and cuddling with their fur baby, Sally.
