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Diana Morris  

World-class speaker/trainer with a passion for business and the people who make it happen.

We live in challenging times, and today's professionals have to deal with tough issues: conflicts, setbacks, communication blunders, lack of recognition, low visibility. How can they stay focused and motivated, and sharpen the skills they need to excel? By learning how to break through barriers, use setbacks to create momentum, and build on the strengths they already have. Easier said than done--except with breakthrough ideas and inspiration from a skilled speaker/trainer who knows how to turn touchy issues into tough assets...and do it with a light touch, great stories, and lots of fun.

**A Breadth of Business Experience

**In the Spring of 1989, I left my consulting job in Manhattan to start my own communications practice. Years passed, and as the clients got larger, the projects got more challenging. I started advising senior leaders in Fortune 500 companies as they faced mergers and acquisitions, workforce reductions, business turnarounds, and reorganizations. At the same time, I was the lead communicator on initiatives such as brand launches, IT implementations, diversity programs, and more.

As a business writer/editor with an honors degree in English from Harvard, my articles were featured in business magazines around the world. I coached CEOs and managers, mentored workers, and advised officers at companies like Novartis, American Express, Ingersoll-Rand, Cushman & Wakefield, The CIT Group, Prudential, Pfizer, New York Life, Dun & Bradstreet, and MetLife as well as a number of nonprofit hospitals and foundations. In the process, I wore almost every hat in business: salesperson, account manager, businessowner, entrepreneur, lead consultant, HR expert, strategist, motivational coach, and strategic advisor.

But the most fun, energizing, and rewarding role I played was that of speaker and workshop leader, running meetings and giving talks to hundreds of business people on success-critical topics like leadership, teambuilding, presentation skills, business writing, active listening, and conflict management.

**A Speaker and Workshop Leader Who Helps People Break Through Barriers

** Today, as a seasoned speaker and workshop leader, published author, and member of the National Speaker's Association, ASTD, and SHRM, my absolute passion is to give people the skills and inspiration to break through the barriers--visible and invisible--that are holding them back, and--this is key --I want them to enjoy the process. Growth and change mean vitality. They keep us in the game. I want people to remember the feeling of being alive and excited, the rush of adrenalin at trying something new or reaching for a must- achieve goal. I want them to wake up without an alarm clock, forget to eat lunch because they're so engrossed in what they're doing, or rush out of the shower in search of a pen and paper to write down an idea they just had. That kind of excited. And I see it happen all the time. I watch as the energy in the room when I'm speaking surges, and people's faces become alive and animated. I can see the hope and sense of brand new possibilities in their eyes.

I've co-authored eight books on breakthrough communication, conflict management, and leadership, including Step Out of the Box with a Bang! The Positive, Proactive, and Excuse-free Work Life, Hot Situations, Cool Heads: How to Thrive When Conflict Arrives, No Doubt About You: The Art of Skillful Self Promotion (available February 2010), Notes to Self: Bring Your Best Ideas to Life!, Words that Work: Business Writing at Its Best, and The THINK! Workbook, A Guided Brainstorm About the Future of Your Life's Work.

In these books, readers find the voice of a trusted colleague and friend. Co- author Doug Davin and I have used our combined 45 years of experience working with thousands of business people to do two things: 1) show our readers just how critical people skills are to their success and happiness at work, and 2) give them hands-on practical advice (and occasionally, a little "tough love") about what they can do to make sure these skills--polished and powerful--help them soar beyond even their own expectations.

**Listen to what they're saying...

**People cheer, "Wonderful!" "Empowering!" and "BEYOND my expectations!" at my talks and hands-on workshops on the 7 Breakthrough Skills. Here are a few recent comments:

"You wowed them again! Thank you from the bottom of our collective hearts!"

-Kate Pandolpho, Employment and Training Director

Women's Rights Information Center

"Diana created a terrific agenda-totally customized to the needs of our business-with on-target presentations, breakout sessions, and discussions. Her empowering and positive approach...helped us develop outstanding leadership skills that turned into real bottom-line results."

-Suzanne Biszantz, CEO, La Perla North America

formerly CEO, Greg Norman Collection

"I've known Diana Morris for many years and have used her services as a speaker and meeting facilitator for two of my leadership teams. I've also recommended her to my colleagues. Diana's style is very interactive. She creates a solid agenda and gets the audience involved quickly. She's also a strong, motivating speaker who helps people see the issues they've faced for years in a brand new light and then gets them to take action and reach beyond today's limits to their full potential."

-Terry Pillow, President and CEO

Tommy Bahama

**Inspiring Keynotes

**Feature topics like these at your next conference or leadership meeting:

  • Going for Great: Seven Keys to Breakthrough Success (Whether Business is Booming or Busting!)

  • Unstoppable: Using Setbacks to Build Momentum

  • Ahead of the Curve: Be Powerfully Proactive in a Rapid-fire Business World

  • Out of the Question: The Amazing Persuasive Power of Positive Questions

  • Step Lively: How to Think on Your Feet

  • ...And the Crowd Went Wild! Wow Your Audience at Your Next Presentation

  • Hot Situations, Cool Heads: How to Thrive When Conflict Arrives

  • Get Heard, Get Results: Five Simple Ways to Have Greater Impact-Right Now!

  • No Doubt About You: Keys to Skillful Self PromotionHigh Impact Leadership Meetings and Offsites

High Impact Leadership Meetings and Offs**ites

**Focus and motivation are the essential components of my Leadership Offsites. From initial planning to creating a meaningful and performance driven agenda, to creative and engaging breakout sessions, to promoting the event and facilitating the entire meeting, my expertise is full service, strategic, and indispensible for the CEOs and Leadership Teams of companies like Rockport, Greg Norman Collection, Ralph Lauren Footwear, and Tommy Bahama.

**A Full Spectrum of Workshops and Breakout Sessions

** My streamlined, time- and cost-efficient workshops and breakouts are designed for maximum impact in a minimum of time. In an exciting, rapid-fire format, participants learn to break through barriers and leave each session with new insights, stronger skills, and breakthrough strategies for doing outstanding work-starting that day. (Available as breakout sessions during longer meetings or standalone workshops in a "Breakfast Cafe" or "Lunch & Learn" format.)

**Expert Focus Group Facilitation

**Clients have called my focus group skills "absolutely top notch" and "the best available today." Companies like American Express, Ingersoll-Rand, Valley Hospital, Novartis Oncology, Tommy Bahama, and others have relied on my skills to plan and lead powerful, focused discussions and find out what key people think about the issues that matter.

If you need a seasoned speaker/trainer with a track record of motivating people to reach for breakthrough success, please contact me.

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