Advice from our experts on managing a new reality {Free Webinar Series}

In an effort to keep our speakers and ourselves connected to our community, we've created a new virtual series, Outspoken Presents Candid Conversations, that will engage our speakers on topics of their expertise and allow them to share advice on managing our new reality. Whether you need access to tools for anxiety relief or managing your boss or innovating during uncertain times, we have something for you. Each session is recorded and videos are shared for your enjoyment.

Cori Lathan - Candid Conversations: The Future of Brain Health & Human-Tech Interactions

We have epidemics affecting our brain health at all ages, from concussions to sleep deprivation and from depression to Alzheimer's disease. And now we have COVID, which affects our brain directly through the virus and indirectly through the effects of isolation and stress. Emerging and existing technologies such as telemedicine, wearable sensors, and virtual and augmented reality all have the potential to help change us as individuals and communities for the better. In this fireside chat, neuroscientist and inventor Dr. Cori Lathan discusses some of the technology advances and trends that have emerged during the pandemic and what that will mean for the future of human-technology interaction.

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Caroline Maguire - Candid Conversations: How to Read the Room

Social skills are life skills, and at the top of the social skills set is the ability to Read the Room—especially during challenging times! How well (and how quickly) can you (or your employees, staff, student body, etc,) take in the mood, biases and tendencies of the occupants and use this impression to achieve personal gain? Personal gain is whatever is important to you: sealing the deal, making new friends, participating in difficult discussions, or getting the phone number. Reading the workplace, coworkers and even family members has never been so important to help everyone know when to speak, when to hold back, and how to navigate the highly sensitive and stressful times everyone is experiencing. Social skills expert and best-selling author Caroline Maguire demonstrates the coaching process based on her groundbreaking book and training methodology Why Will No One Play With Me?. You will learn how to take a coach's approach using questions, fun tools and specific strategies to read the room.

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Dan Doty & Cherie Healey - Candid Conversations: How to Have Humanity’s Hardest Conversations

We all have a choice to make right now, are we together or are we alone? EVRYMAN Founder Dan Doty and special guest Cherie Healey choose “together”. Through decades of study and practice, Dan and Cherie have developed a simple process that creates the deep and meaningful connection we all crave—even during the hardest of times. All that’s required is a genuine desire to connect. In this conversation, Dan and Cherie share the core ethos and the tools to show up, stick with it, and create compassion and possibility, at home and at work. You'll gain the skills for showing vulnerability ending conflict, and creating greater connection.

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Josh Levine - Candid Conversations: How Do You Lead When Everything Has Changed?

Every company needs a stabilizing foundation in order to lead, not only in a crisis, but especially in the midst of a social justice movement affecting all of their stakeholders. Culture determines how you persevere and how you will be remembered. It’s your guide. Now more than ever, when everything has changed, people need culture. In this hour-long conversation, company culture author and expert Josh Levine sits down with remote work maven Maryellen Stockton to discuss how the components of culture can help you to lead yourself, your team, and your clients during times of unprecedented uncertainty and change. With current events highlighting again the inequalities Americans face, Josh and MaryEllen discuss how the elements of culture can help each of us hold ourselves accountable during difficult times.

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Paula Stone Williams - Candid Conversations: Leadership Styles That Help Us Thrive

During these unprecedented times, countries led by a female head of state seem to be doing better with their responses to the pandemic and are handling it more effectively than other nations led by males. What does this tell us about female leadership, and what can we all learn during this time of crisis that will enhance our leadership skills for the future? TED speaker Paula Stone Williams discusses these and other issues related to the traits that help an organization flourish with a female style of leadership. She shares insights into some of the valuable lessons we may learn to weather personal and professional issues by mastering it through the lens of a woman.

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Flynn Coleman - Candid Conversations: How Technology Is Redefining Who We Are

As life online has accelerated throughout this pandemic, much of our future could be impacted by technology—in both good and troubling ways. Fast-moving technologies have so much potential for humanity, including transforming how we work as well as our health and well-being, but what does that mean during times of rapid change and uncertainty? During this conversation, Flynn Coleman joins moderator Ashton Marra, teaching assistant professor at the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University, to explore what’s happening now and what’s to come with technological advances that are changing not only how we live during a pandemic, but how we will continue to change and grow as individuals and as a society.

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Jessica O. Matthews - Candid Conversations: Innovation in Times of Necessity

During the past two months, COVID19 has left many of us feeling helpless and without agency in addressing our own problems as they have unfolded—let alone any of the bigger problems the world is facing as a greater community. But we know that innovation lives between a rock and a hard place. This is just the time for people to feel empowered to ideate and create in spite of their struggles. During this thoughtful conversation, Jessica O. Mathews shares her own journey of finding agency and empowerment in the face of dire issues, which led to an invention at the age of 19 that would ultimately change the course of her life. Jessica’s story opens up a conversation on how you too can innovate in this new world as Jessica shares her insights and takes questions.

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Dr. Ned Hallowell - Candid Conversations: Reconnecting in a Disconnected World

Whether learning how to work from home in a job that has always relied on face-to-face interactions, helping your children with their schoolwork with technology limitations, or trying to juggle the basics of life within the new rules of COVID-19, we live in a time of immense stress and worry. Dr. Ned Hallowell is here to help. In this conversation with our team, Dr. Hallowell shares practical and effective tools to eliminate toxic worry and instill structure and confidence into our daily lives. Dr. Hallowell also shares why we all need to take a dose of the other Vitamin C: Vitamin Connect through creative means while physical distancing. He includes some practical tips on keeping ourselves and our children focused and productive while working remotely as well as how to manage anxiety and stress.

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Jesse Israel - Candid Conversations: Finding Calm, Creativity and Community in Times of Change

While social (or physical) distancing might be what is best for our physical health, we have to remember our mental health, which needs emotional closeness and a sense of community despite this distance. The uncertainty we’re facing compounded by the constant influx of information daily can lead the body into a state of overload. This high stress can limit and block the body’s ability to show up thoughtfully, responsively and creatively to the change around us. Jesse Israel shares tools that anyone may use to look inward, relax the body and gain new perspective in ways you can show up—for yourself first and then for others. Jesse discusses how to use these learnings to manage your stress, find the opportunity in the challenge, and rethink how to build community while physically apart. Jesse also leads a brief meditation and answers audience questions.

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Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci - Candid Conversations: Storytelling in Times of Crisis

During this pandemic, many of us are turning to films to keep us informed and connected. In this interactive and candid conversation as part of our Candid Conversation Series, Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci, the filmmakers behind the Netflix successes Living on One Dollar and Salam Neighbor, talk with moderator Ashton Marra, teaching assistant professor at the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University, about their unreleased new documentary Five Years North, as well as share insight into how we can all create and support stories that will change the world. The key is starting now.

If you'd like to be notified when a screening of the new film is available, please fill out this form.

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Mary Abbajay - Candid Conversations: Managing Up in Times of Uncertainty

The sudden shift into remote working conditions means that millions of people must rethink not only how to manage their work, but also how to manage their workplace relationships—especially the relationships we have with our bosses and managers. So, while you’re figuring out how to stay productive, don’t forget to manage one of your most important workplace relationships—the relationship with your boss. In this webinar presentation and Q&A, Mary Abbajay, author of the award-winning book, Managing Up: How to Succeed with Any Type of Boss, shares strategies, tips, and techniques to succeed in uncertain times both as an employee and an employer/manager.

The Managing Up Essentials include:

  • Learning your boss' work style, preferences, priorities, pet peeves, etc.

  • Understand your own preferences, priorities, strengths, and weaknesses

  • Assess the gap and choose how you are willing to adapt

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Dev Aujla - Candid Conversations: 50 Ways to Get a Job in an Economic Crisis

In this fireside chat as part of our Candid Conversation Series, Dev Aujla, author of 50 Ways to Get a Job, joins us in conversation with moderator Ashton Marra, teaching assistant professor at the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University. With current students, recent graduates, and anyone whose employment has been affected by this crisis in mind, Dev discusses tools from his best-selling book that are always relevant when entering the job market as well as identifies a few new or modified tools to help navigate the economic insecurity we're facing today.

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