Dr. Karyn Gordon

Dr. Karyn Gordon is one of North America’s leading relationship experts, and her mission is to inspire people to develop exceptional relationships at work and at home. She is a motivational speaker & trainer who has given over 1000 keynotes, a national media contributor, an author and a private consultant.  She has worked with 100’s of organizations (Fortune 500 Companies, Non Profits & Government) and families, bridging the gap between work and family cultures while educating about the EQ skills (motivation, communication, career direction) that improve all types of relationships:

- Managers / Employees 

- Inter-generational (Gen Y, Gen X, Boomers & Traditionalists)

- Mentors / Mentees

- Teachers / Students

- Men & Women

- Husband & Wives

- Parents & Teens

For 14 years she has provided her expertise through national media. Currently she is the relationship expert on the national talk-show "CityLine" (CityTV) and the upcoming relationship expert for "Chatelaine Magazine" (Fall 2011). For 5 years she was the relationship expert on "The Mom Show" (Slice Network) and for 3 years hosted her own radio talk-show in Toronto. She has also written various articles for HR Professional Magazine and is a go-to expert for current events for The Globe & Mail, National Post, CBC etc.

A dynamic and inspiring motivational speaker to more than 1/4 million people - her gift is communicating playfully, passionately & pragmatically. Dr. Karyn’s expertise is sought by presidents, HR managers, employers, marketers & teachers who want to build exceptional relationships with their employees, customers, students and clients. Recently she has provided keynotes to Credit Union, Pepsi, Young Presidents Organization, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Canadian Tax Foundation, Ontario Family Judges, University of Alberta and Government of Alberta etc. Her speaking tours have been sponsored for 8 years by Maple Leaf Foods.

Along with her busy speaking schedule and regular media appearances, Dr. Karyn has maintained her thriving consulting practice for families for the last 15 years called 'dkb coaching & wellness studio' in Toronto. Recently she launched a New York City office to serve organizations and families in Queens and Manhattan.

She has authored four practical resources for teens and parents, her latest book (published by Harper Collins) is called Dr. Karyn’s Guide to the Teen Years.

She has a Bachelor in Psychology, a Masters in Counseling and a Doctorate in Marriage and Family. She has also done extensive studies in organizational systems, personality & generational differences & leadership in the workplace. It is her passion to understand what makes people tick and to help them reach their greatest potential!

• 9. Building Leadership in Your Pre-teen/Teen

  Simple Things Parents Can Start Doing Today!
  
  The topic of leadership transcends, fascinates and concerns all generations! Many pre-teens / teens admit to Dr. Karyn that they are more of a follower than a leader (but wish they could develop their leadership). Parents repeatedly ask her if leadership is 'born' or 'developed' and what they should be doing to help develop their children's leadership potential. Parents also see that although academics are important, other "EQ" skills (problem solving, working with differences, taking responsibility) are increasingly important in today's global economy. HR professionals, managers and presidents of corporations have expressed to Dr. Karyn their concern that they see some key leadership traits missing in this next generation in the workplace. In this keynote, Building Leadership in Your Pre-Teen / Teen, Dr. Karyn addresses these questions and describes simple things that parents can start doing to develop their child's leadership starting today!
  
  In this 75 minute keynote, specifically you will learn:
  
  ·What is exceptional leadership? What are basic leadership skills? ·How is leadership developed? Is it learned or innate? ·What are different types of leaders? Who do pre-teens / teens see as 'leaders'? ·How does leadership impact a pre-teen's / teen's self-esteem, social skills, creativity, motivation, discipline and problem solving skills? ·What do current business leaders say they find lacking in this generation when it comes to their leadership skills & character? ·What are SIMPLE things parents can start doing today (with their children as young as pre-school) to start developing their leadership potential!
  

• 8. How to Effectively Give & Receive Feedback for All Generations

  Generation Y's are hungry for feedback – like most generations they want to know how they are doing. What are they doing well and what needs work? Yet research tells us that many managers don't know how to give feedback effectively. Generation Y's often complain that performance reviews are too vague, not specific and not frequent enough. Managers often are frustrated because it seems that younger generations don't seem to receive the feedback openly, require hand-holding and constant praise. Yet to build any business learning how to receive and give feedback is an important cornerstone for success!
  
  In this 75-minute entertaining & empowering keynote all generations will learn:
  
  ·How the various generations (Traditionalist, Boomer, Generation X, Generation Y) give and receive feedback differently ·How trust and feedback are interconnected ·The power of authority versus the power of influence and why this matters in giving and receiving feedback ·The difference between the "what" and "how" in communicating feedback ·The 3 simple strategies for all generations to give and receive feedback so that people will listen and performance will increase
  

• 7. The Keys to Solving Communication Conflicts

  Research tells us that if workplace conflicts are handled poorly, we can expect employee performance, work morale and retention rates to all radically decrease. When conflicts occur, most people become aggressive, lash out, blame others, or (even more damaging!) they gossip, spread rumors and backstab. For many Generations Y's, if they are not treated with respect, they will just quit. All options lead to a toxic working culture. Simple workplace conflicts can quickly spiral a healthy work culture into a toxic one. Most people don't understand that communication conflict is a crucial part of any working relationship, but it must be done properly! One of the best attributes of most Generation Y's is that they are eager to learn and learning how to solve communication conflicts will not only improve the work culture and working relationships, it will save time and help retain employees!
  
  In this 75-minute engaging & empowering keynote all generations will learn:
  
  ·How conflict can be extremely healthy in any work relationship if handled properly! ·How conflict, if handled well, can actually build trust and effectiveness in any team ·The difference between reality & perception ·How generational gaps and different perceptions often increase confusion ·What each generation needs to do to show respect ·3 simple and pragmatic strategies to deal with conflict effectively, starting today!
  

• 6. How Different Generations Think, Process & Make Decisions

  Dr. Karyn breaks down the complex world of the 4 generations (Traditionalist, Boomer, Generation X & Generation Y) through an inside-out approach. She will help you understand how each generation thinks and feels, and how this transcends into their external world of choices, attitude, habits and decision-making.
  
  In this 75-minute eye-opening keynote you will learn:
  
  ·The similarities and differences between the 4 generations ·How each generation thinks, values, and feels, and how this translates into action and decision-making ·How the 'Cool Factor' impacts how Generation Y's make decisions ·The top 5 questions Generation Y's ask themselves when making decisions ·Why its essential when companies are recruiting & retaining employees that they understand how Generation Y's think and process decisions ·Simple strategies to help different generations make the decision "yes" to your company and / or product
  

• 5. Leveraging the Power of Mentoring

  Dr. Karyn strongly believes that mentoring is one of the most effective strategies for not only training employees but more importantly for improving and leveraging generational gaps in the workplace. Yet most Generation Y's and their managers say that their mentoring programs simply do not work. Many mentors admit they do not know how to mentor and mentees admit that they do not know how best to leverage this unique relationship.
  
  In this 75-minute fun & interactive keynote you will learn:
  
  ·Why mentoring has the opportunity to be the best training for Generation Y ·How mentoring can be an effective strategy to not only bridge the generational gap but also help retain employees ·What is the role of the mentor? What is the role of the mentee ·How mentors need to communicate so that mentees will listen ·How mentees need to take ownership of this relationship and ask the right questions ·How to give & receive feedback ·How to measure the relationship to see what's working and what's not working ·How can this relationship be best leveraged to help both the organization and employees succeed
  

• 4. Leading & Managing Generation Y

  Many Generation X, Boomer & Traditionalist managers admit that they are puzzled trying to figure out how to effectively lead and manage Generation Y. Some Generation Y employees quit without warning, make demands that are unrealistic, seem entitled, only want to work with top leaders, seem inflexible, need constant feedback and don't want to work shift-work or travel with work. The great news is that Generation Y's are not only open to learn (after all, they are the most educated generation in history) but hungry to advance professionally. The key to leading and managing Generation Y's effectively lies in managers learning how to exercise their power of influence, not their power of authority.
  
  In this 75-minute empowering keynote you will learn:
  
  ·The difference between power of authority and power of influence and why this matters to leading Generation Y's ·The goals of both managers and also Generation Y's themselves ·How Generation Y is different from other generations and why this is critical to leading them effectively ·What are core leadership qualities and which ones do Generation Y's say they possess and lack ·How to deal with entitlement, lateness, inflexibility and other frustrations ·3 practical strategies managers can use to lead effectively ·3 practical strategies Generation Y's can use to be effectively led
  

• 3. Understanding & Motivating Generation Y

  Generation Y is like no other generation before them – wealthy, powerful and at times they may seem entitled and unmotivated. Many workplace managers are experiencing these traits firsthand, as they struggle with a new wave of employees that hold an 'attitude of entitlement' from the first day. They may make demands, show up late, blame others, quit if it gets too difficult, and are very quick to ask about promotions and time off. Their attitude and poor work ethic puzzles and frustrates leaders who were raised in an era of respect and working for rewards. Because few leaders understand what is needed to motivate this group effectively, they tend to rotate through a high turnover of personnel. In her presentation, Generation Y expert Dr. Karyn Gordon will show you practical strategies to effectively manage and connect to this generation.
  
  In this 75-minute inspirational keynote you will learn:
  
  ·What is the cultural DNA of Generation Y ·How they think, feel, and act (and what this means to you!) ·What makes X & Y unique from other generations ·What is the 'attitude of entitlement' and its origin ·How this 'attitude' impacts an employee's communication & performance ·How to connect and communicate effectively with Generation Y ·How to create a successful work environment ·Practical strategies to motivate Generation Y
  

• 2. Recruiting & Retaining Generation Y

  Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario said "Generation Y will change the way we do business. Organizations must rethink their ways of recruiting, retaining and managing employees or else face escalating workplace conflicts, disability leaves, and benefits costs and plummeting retention rates." To effectively recruit & retain this unique generation we need to first understand them – what attracts them, what motivates them, what do they value. What are simple strategies and solutions that organizations can offer to make them competitive so that they can attract and keep exceptional young talent?
  
  In this 75 minute empowering keynote you will learn:
  
  ·How Generation Y is unique from other generations and why this matters for recruiting & retaining ·The top 3 things Generation Y's value when looking for a job ·The importance of work culture, respect, training & mentoring programs ·How and where to recruit Generation Y's ·Key characteristics and questions to be asked during interviews ·The important difference between power of authority and power of influence and why this matters to managing Generation Y's ·7 practical strategies & solutions to effectively retain Generation Y's
  

• 1. Building a Leadership Presence

  The skills of leadership must be learned, and the best way to do this is to study the habits of exceptional leaders. In this highly creative, fun and interactive all-day training session, Dr. Karyn will not only lead your group through a series of great team-building exercises, but in the process she will challenge, empower and teach the principles and habits of "Inside-Out Exceptional Leadership" – a term she's coined after working with many top leaders from different industries (i.e. corporate, education, healthcare, entertainment, publishing etc).
  
  In this 8 hour inspiring & empowering training session (which can be reformatted for a 75 minute keynote if needed) you will learn:
  
  ·3 types of leadership attitudes ·10 qualities of "Inside-Out Exceptional Leadership" ·4 powerful leadership traits that are often overlooked ·How to increase your personal power as leaders ·7 missions to build a leadership presence ·How exceptional leaders: Think, feel and act ·Interact with others and effectively deal with conflict ·Manage their emotions and stress during crisis ·Own their perception of events ·Become people of influence ·Understand and leverage the "Generational Gap" in the workplace ·Build trust and effectiveness in their teams ·How to take action and be the leader you want to be...starting today!
  

• Dr. Karyn's keynote was the highlight of our 3 day business conference...

  Maple Leaf Foods Inc.

• As a business leader this was a great presentation!

  Maple Leaf Consumer Foods

• Dynamic...

  Meats Group

• Dr. Karyn's keynote was the highlight of our 3 day business conference!

  Maple Leaf Foods Inc.

• Although she spoke for 2 hours- it felt like 5 minutes- one could listen to her for a full day easily. Everyone is still buzzing about it. Bravo!

  Niagara Region Public Health Department

• Dr. Karyn was both knowledgeable and entertaining. The feedback we received from our managers was overwhelming!

  ARAMARK Campus Services

• Dr. Karyn is recognized as an expert in her field... she knows what makes youth tick.

  Canadian Living

• The feedback on your keynote was overwhelmingly positive ... it was not only informative but inspiring...

  Ministry of Community and Social Services

• I am SO thrilled that we found Dr. Karyn for our event. She was absolutely the perfect keynote speaker. Everyone loved her and I had many many excellent comments from all four generations. Right from the get-go she had everyone's attention and kept it all the way through. We should have had her speak on both days of our conference. Dr. Karyn was energizing, full of knowledge and we could have listened to her for a couple hours longer, 75 minutes went by way too quickly. I will definitely keep her in mind if I ever have the opportunity to hire another speaker again. I think EVERYONE needs to listen to her messages.

  International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

• You were most definitely right in suggesting Dr. Karyn Gordon to speak to our staff. She was incredible and you have never seen so many 16, - 22 year olds silent and engaged eating up every word she said.

  Bayview Glen Day Camp

• 
  March 2008

  Dr. Karyn's Guide to the Teen Years

  A book that stands alone amid other parenting guides, Dr. Karyn's Guide to the Teen Years is firmly based on what teens actually think, feel and do. Gordon explains the recent research that shows the teen brain is actually different and reveals how this difference radically affects adolescent and parent behaviours. Her PARENT keys will unlock the secret to a happier, healthier parent/teen relationship.

  
  

1. The New Manager