Conference Speech Summaries

Psychological Safety Starts with Leadership: Inspiring Your Team to Speak Up and Learn From Struggle

In this transformative session, Dr. Dye explores how leaders can cultivate an environment where team members feel secure enough to take interpersonal risks. Drawing from cutting-edge research developed during her dissertation at The University of Southern California and real-world case studies, we examine the critical role leaders play in establishing psychological safety – the shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. The presentation demonstrates how psychological safety drives innovation, learning, and performance by enabling honest dialogue about mistakes and challenges.

Key takeaways include practical strategies for leaders to model vulnerability, encourage constructive dissent, and frame failures as learning opportunities. Through interactive scenarios, participants learn to recognize and address behaviors that undermine psychological safety while developing techniques to foster open communication and mutual trust. The session concludes with actionable steps for building team resilience and creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique perspectives.

Human-Centered Risk Management: A New Strategy for Preparedness

This groundbreaking approach to risk management places human factors at the core of organizational preparedness. Moving beyond traditional compliance-focused frameworks, we explore how understanding human behavior, decision-making patterns, and social dynamics can dramatically improve risk assessment and mitigation strategies.

The presentation introduces an innovative human-centered risk management framework, Dr. Dye’s ID4 model, that integrates behavioral science with conventional risk analysis. Through detailed case studies, we examine how organizations have successfully implemented this approach to create more effective and sustainable risk management programs. Special attention is given to the role of communication, engagement, and cultural factors in building organizational resilience.

Participants will learn practical tools for identifying human-factor risks, developing targeted interventions, and measuring their effectiveness. The session provides actionable insights for creating risk management strategies that resonate with and empower employees at all levels.

Sensitive Disclosure: From Intimate Partner Violence to Neurodiversity – Giving Employees What They Need to Succeed

This crucial session addresses the complex challenges organizations face in supporting employees through sensitive personal disclosures. We explore comprehensive strategies for creating an inclusive workplace that enables employees to safely disclose personal circumstances affecting their work life, from intimate partner violence to neurodiversity needs.

The presentation outlines best practices for developing disclosure protocols that protect privacy while ensuring appropriate support and accommodations. Through expert insights, research from her dissertation “Disclosure of Abuse to Empowerment” and real-world examples, participants learn how to create trauma-informed policies and build a culture of understanding and support. Special emphasis is placed on training managers to respond appropriately to disclosures while maintaining professional boundaries.

The session provides practical frameworks for implementing support systems, reasonable accommodations, and resources that enable all employees to thrive. Participants will gain valuable insights into legal considerations, ethical responsibilities, and the crucial role of organizational culture in supporting employee wellbeing.

Creating Critical Opportunity: A Framework to Help You Innovate from Your Challenges

This dynamic session introduces a revolutionary framework for transforming organizational challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth. We explore how leaders can systematically identify, analyze, and leverage difficulties to drive meaningful change and create competitive advantages.

The presentation introduces the Critical Opportunity Framework, a structured approach for assessing challenges through multiple lenses and identifying hidden potential for innovation. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, participants learn to apply this framework to their own organizational challenges. The framework can be found in the workbook, Creating Critical Opportunity.

Key components include methods for reframing problems, identifying underlying patterns, and generating innovative solutions. The session provides practical tools for engaging teams in the innovation process and creating action plans that turn challenges into strategic opportunities for growth and improvement.

Joy Space: Strategies to Lean Into Your Genius, Joy, and Productivity in the Workplace

This inspiring session, soon to be an inspiring book, explores the powerful connection between personal fulfillment and professional excellence. We examine how creating intentional “joy space” in the workplace can enhance creativity, productivity, and overall wellbeing.

The presentation introduces the concept of “joy space” as a strategic approach to work that aligns individual strengths and passions with organizational goals. Through research-backed insights and practical exercises, participants learn to identify their unique genius zones and create conditions that foster both joy and high performance.

Key strategies include techniques for energy management, flow state activation, and authentic self-expression in professional settings. The session provides actionable steps for designing work practices that maximize both personal fulfillment and productive output, leading to sustainable success and satisfaction in the workplace.