The world is chaotic and doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. Ever wish for some pragmatic strategies to fight the madness and perform at your best? Look no further: in this lively talk Melissa Swift illuminates some unexpected but highly actionable ways to navigate the turmoil with verve and grace. Leveraging an array of research insights plus her own experience debugging large, complex organizations (as a consultant and a leader in her own right), she offers a toolkit participants can use the next day they’re back at work. 

When lives are on the line, people work differently. In this research-based talk, Melissa Swift shares the practical lessons for all of us in how high-stakes careers, including firefighters, air traffic controllers, and emergency room physicians do their jobs – and do them well. Participants learn skills like being good at being interrupted, tackling crises calmly, and saying the right thing in the toughest conversations.

Knowing what makes you good at your job is a superpower – but many of us struggle to nail that down and communicate it to others. In this talk, Melissa Swift explains how to zero in on your source of power within her insightful Effectiveness Architecture, and how to double down on that strength to both work better and be more valued for what you do. Whether you’re a facts-immersed Knowledge person, an operationally-strong Methods person, great at working with people, or terrific with technology, this talk will help you lean in to what makes you amazing.