The Sweeney Agency

About Mimi Donaldson – Expert on Negotiation, Communication and Reducing Stress at Work:

When Mimi Donaldson speaks, people listen. And they laugh… even if they weren’t expecting to. And they learn… a lot! But mostly, they never forget the entirely new perspective Mimi gives them. She has a flair for leaving her audiences feeling that they’ve just unlocked the secrets to a truly authentic and rewarding communication method. As a speaker Mimi’s sharp wit and intelligent humor get straight to the heart of any matter. She brings audiences to their feet with her motivating insights on communicating with bosses, coworkers, kids and the opposite sex.

As the co-author of the smash hit, Negotiating for Dummies, Mimi has seen her work published in many languages around the globe, making her an internationally sought-after expert in a myriad of aspects of both business and human interaction. In her new book Necessary Roughness: New Rules for the Contact Sport of Life, Mimi Donaldson teaches women how to watch football. Women are made for this contact sport that mimics life because they have commitment, they’re great team players, good leaders and they’re in tune with intention which makes you unstoppable.

Mimi has spoken to many Fortune 500 companies throughout Canada, Europe and Mexico. Some of them include American Express, American Honda, and FedEx. She holds a Masters Degree in Instructional Design from Columbia University and was a staff Human Resources Specialist with Walt Disney Company, Northrop Aircraft, and Rockwell International.

Mimi has been a featured guest on countless radio stations including KABC Radio in Los Angeles and numerous television appearances including Good Day New York. She’s been the subject of over 200 articles in newspapers and magazines, having been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Denver Post, Ladies Home Journal, and Harvard Management Review. Mimi has shared the stage with such notable celebrities as Colin Powell, Elizabeth Dole, Maya Angelou, and Katie Couric.

What Mimi Donaldson Talks About:

Men and Women: Can We Talk
Only two types of audiences qualify: Men and Women! Today’s workplace is characterized by diversity--especially in terms of gender. The focus is on team performance. Managers are aware that team members perform different functions and come from different disciplines, but often overlook the different ways men and women respond to an array of normal communications. As women have increasingly entered the workforce, the differences in communication styles between men and women have become a fun--but sometimes frustrating--topic of conversation. Comments such as let’s discuss the issue or just give the headline are received very differently by the two genders. This program reveals these differences with a dose of good humor, but hidden among the laughter are gems of wisdom that will help improve your communication with the opposite sex.

Developing an understanding of the delicate nuances that surround inter-gender communications can improve team effectiveness and employee performance. Get past the myths and stereotypes and come away with tips for both men and women when listening and speaking with each other at work, and at home.

Mimi interlaces her practical tips and astute observations with personal stories and insights--as well as some terrific one-liners. A must-see presentation for anyone who has contact with the opposite sex.

Don’t Wait…Negotiate!
Life is one continuous chain of negotiations. Mimi is the master of the art, showing audiences exactly how to get what they want with dignity and honor.

What do you think about when you’re getting ready for a negotiation? Do you panic? Life is one continuous chain of negotiations. We need to learn how to get what we want with dignity and honor. Contracts, partnerships, managing people, parenting and other relationships all require us to be skilled at asking for and getting what we need. Co-author of the million-seller Negotiating for Dummies, Mimi will help you master the arts of : preparing, setting limits, maintaining emotional distance, listening, being clear and closing any deal.

After this session, you will be able to:

• Understand the six skills to develop for successful negotiations
• Prepare for any negotiation
• Identify the limits needed for a successful negotiation
• Learn how to push your pause button to keep your emotions in check.
• Evaluate your speech, body language and gestures and those of others to gain favorable results

Tactics to Triumph in Tough Times
Go from misery to mirth with Mimi, laughing through the good times and the bad. How to gain the edge in turbulent times, while keeping your eye on the prize.

Everyone agrees these are troubled times; life is not what it used to be. Our economy is floundering, business is down for many people, and a state of uncertainty exists. We experience disconnectedness, communication overload, lack of control, and we are cranky about it! You can hunker down and HOPE things get better, or you can move forward toward your goals.

Mimi, with lots of humor, provides four growth strategies for tough times AND the five pitfalls to avoid on your road to triumph.

The four strategies are:

• Build stronger ties to your clients and customers
• Take time to consider what is positive
• Redefine what your business is
• Review all expenses and build cash reserves

One of the five pitfalls to avoid is losing your sense of humor. Mimi will take you from misery to mirth, and have you laughing about the very troubles that make times tough.

All Stressed Up And No Place To Go
Mimi has a captivating and humorous way for audiences to recognize their own stress triggers right before their eyes. Her real gifts are the techniques she shares so that everyone can avoid going from calming down to blowing up.

Stress is a given in contemporary life. Many events are unavoidable but our responses - the stress we feel in reaction - are within our control. Indeed, what’s stressful for one person may not even bother another. Some people linger over magazines in supermarket lines while others fume and seethe.

To manage everyday stress, people must learn to identify their own stress triggers” - the little things that set them off. Next, they must delve deeper to discover why things bother them - the war within - worry, anger, and resentment, that causes the stress response.

Assertive Communication
Assertive Communication is an opportunity to make one of the most important changes in your life. No matter how successful or liberated we are, there are still places in all our lives where we find ourselves anxious about expressing our feelings, unable to respond when we think we should, and frustrated by the powerlessness we feel in everyday dealings with people. The results you will realize from this course are:

• You will be able to pinpoint what your real feelings are
• You will learn techniques to help you communicate directly, honestly and appropriately
• You will practice applying strategies to situations in your life: requesting assistance and information, expressing opinions and saying no when appropriate

Power Up! Empower Yourself to Success: An action plan to take control of your career
POWER UP is an opportunity to empower yourself to achieve success. No matter how successful we are, there are still places where we find ourselves frustrated by the powerlessness we feel in communicating with people to accomplish our plans.

4 Steps to Managing the Unmanageable: The four essential actions to get results through people
Managing means getting results through people. If you are alive, you have already been a manager. You’ve managed volunteers, repair people, pets, children, in-laws, spouses and more. With Mimi's Four Steps To Managing The Unmanageable, you'll learn that leadership has less to do with charisma, than with consistency. Leaders depend on consistent, effective, interpersonal communication skills to empower people. When you learn the four basics of good management, you will engender trust and loyalty -- even with the most difficult people:

• Tell people clearly what you want them to do -- the fine art of delegating
• Give them a reason to do it -- the fine art of motivating
• Give them the tools and resources they need to do the job -- the fine art of training
• Let them know how they are doing - the fine art of feedback