Be sure to arrive early and check in before 8:15am, where we'll begin with welcoming remarks and introductions from the Kirkwood Corporate Training team.

Time is precious. How you spend your days is important. What you do with your strengths, gifts and, talents is key. Being intentional, productive, and positive is fully within your control and care. Deciding who you want to be and are going to be at work is a decision that can uplift and change your whole life. It comes down to HOW you choose. Make your unique contributions count, make your life's work matter (no matter what you find yourself doing) and build a career life that fulfills YOU. This session is about owning yourself, enriching yourself and others and living your days in a meaningful way while leaving your special touch on the good work that you choose each day.

Speaker Bio

Heather Woody is a success coach who teams with individuals personally and professionally to help them experience their greatness. She has a passion for walking with people as they uncover their path to true success, goal achievement, and fulfilled lives. She conducts her coaching with individuals and in small team dynamics. Heather is a graduate of Coach U, one of the largest international training organizations for professional coaches, and holds a BA from the University of Northern Iowa in public relations and communications. She completed her Master Certification with the Certified Coaches Federation.

Creating genuine connections in the workplace is the cornerstone of a thriving culture and can be more challenging due to the diversity of multiple generations. Join us for an uplifting presentation, where we embark on a journey to explore the multiple generations at work, to create authentic human connections, and cultivate vibrant workplaces.

Key takeaways are:

• Defining each generation - how they grew up, strengths and challenges
• Understanding of unique differences and how each generation approaches work/life
• Creative ideas for team building and ways to increase positive workplace connections

Speaker Bio

As an entrepreneur, farmer, and human resource professional, Sarah has experienced firsthand the challenges of running a business and wearing all the hats. She has over 27 years of human resource and recruiting experience working with Iowa businesses. Sarah is a technical expert with an outstanding ability to connect, ascertain needs, and provide creative solutions. She loves utilizing her gifts of discernment and bringing people together to help create efficient processes, meaningful relationships, and healthy organizations. Sarah has always been a natural consultant and an expert at helping to guide conversations. She walks alongside her clients to help guide them and their teams to develop healthy, thriving, joy-filled workplaces. 

Leaders often find themselves under immense pressure, juggling numerous responsibilities while striving to serve their teams and organizations effectively. As humans, we are constantly being drained. Our bodies, like dams, manage the inflow and outflow of energy. By understanding and harnessing this concept, leaders can transform from burnout to thriving. Once we identify the leaks in our dam and discover the power of living in the present moment, we will be empowered to show up, level up, and thrive. As we learn to embrace the present moment, we are empowered to show up fully for our teams, organizations, and ourselves.

Learning Objectives:

• Self-Awareness and Energy Management
• Commitment and Focus Analysis
• #WinTheNow concept
• Combating Burnout and Creating Hope
• Strategic Forward Movement

Speaker Bio

Dr Eric Recker is a dentist, husband, father, keynote speaker, Elite Success Coach, author, pilot, mountain climber, and recovering triathlete. In his second half of life, he is committed to helping people shorten the distance to becoming their best version and learning to #WINtheNOW

Why does it seem so difficult to find good customer service?  When was the last time you experienced great service? Chances are, it has been awhile.  While expectations of quality service continue to rise, the ability to deliver that service seems to be diminishing. Skills like eye contact, face to face communication, and being others focused are challenging to find in the workforce. Organizations face high turnover, fierce competition, and changes in the buying habits of their customers more than they ever have in the history of the marketplace. The ability to move a customer up the ladder of loyalty to a raving fan is critical to the sustainability of an organization. Customers have more power than ever before to determine the fate of an organization, yet teams fall short of “Delighting the Customer” over and over. 

 During this session you will learn:

• How the landscape of service has changed
• What the ladder of loyalty is and strategies to move customers up
• Four components to embrace to become customer obsessed in your organization

Speaker Bio

With more than 25 years of operations, management, talent development and leadership experience, Heather Marquez understands the need for growth while managing limited resources. She uses a variety of tools to create customized solutions for business owners and leaders as they strive to compete for both customers and talent in today’s changing business landscape. Your priority is growing your existing customer base, inspiring loyalty, delivering value, and differentiating your product or service in a “sea of sameness”. To be successful, your team has to become an extension of you.  Heather equips individuals and teams with new skills, knowledge, and practical application to increase clarity, improve teamwork, develop leaders, and drive performance.

In today’s competitive business environment, mastering the art of effective employee training and fostering strong workplace relationships are pivotal for organizational success. This presentation will delve into the principles of Training Within Industry (TWI), focusing on Job Instruction (JI) and Job Relations (JR). Attendees will uncover systematic approaches to training employees for optimal performance and consistency. Furthermore, the session will explore methods to nurture positive workplace dynamics, enhancing team cohesion and overall productivity. By leveraging these proven TWI techniques, organizations can drive efficiency, reduce errors, and build a harmonious work environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Acquire a deep understanding of TWI’s Job Instruction and Job Relations, and their transformative impact on organizational dynamics
• Learn practical, step-by-step techniques for training employees to achieve high performance and uniformity in job execution
• Explore strategies to build and sustain positive interpersonal relationships within the workplace, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment

Speaker Bio

Dave Machovsky is the esteemed founder of Mindset Innovations Consulting, a leading consultancy specializing in empowering individuals and organizations through expert coaching, mentoring, leading and advanced TWI training. He has also been honored with the Patriotic Employer Award from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for exceptional support of employee participation in the National Guard and Reserve Force.

Co-founding a non-profit Young Professionals organization, Dave has demonstrated leadership in various roles, including Vice President, President, and Chair. Additionally, he was previously a Certified National Firefighter with government certifications and has trained entities, including ethanol plants on fire behavior and prevention, specializing in the protection of life and property. Currently, Dave is an emerging author, composing his first leadership book.

At Mindset Innovations Consulting, Dave Machovsky combines practical experience with a passion for continuous improvement, helping businesses achieve their highest potential.

As a leader, managing employee performance is our number one priority and one of the most dynamic responsibilities we have. Effective performance management starts with accurate identification of what’s really in the way of an employee’s performance.

By the end of this session, learners will be able to:

• Understand the variables that influence employee performance
• Apply a performance analysis framework to real-life scenarios
• Identify appropriate actions to effectively manage an employee’s performance

Speaker Bio

Robert Rathje is a purpose-driven, results-focused HR professional who is passionate about helping people and organizations achieve their full potential. Leveraging his diverse experiences in strategic and operational HR, he skillfully drives, designs, and deploys holistic end-to-end solutions that achieve positive outcomes for both profit and people. Throughout his career, he has consistently translated strategies into actions, theory into practical application, and solutions into meaningful results.

Robert has an MBA from the University of Iowa, Master Trainer certification from the Association for Talent Development (ATD), SHRM-CP certification from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and Change Management certification from Kotter International. Robert is also an active community champion who serves on various workforce and economic development boards, as well as contributes his time and talents through other community engagements.