2018 Conference Schedule

At the Positive Business Conference, you’ll engage with thought leaders and the latest research on positive business approaches that yield extraordinary results. You’ll network with like-minded individuals from diverse industries and participate in practical hands-on workshops. Finally, you’ll leave with a plan to translate inspiration into action when you return to your organization. The agenda will include many opportunities for informal connections to be made between participants.

The conference will begin with registration at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 10th, and the final session will wrap up by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 11th. Keep checking back for exciting announcements of additional sessions between now and the conference!

Day 1: Thursday, May 10, 2018

  Sessions Speakers
8:00AM – 9:00AM Registration + Breakfast
9:00AM – 10:15AM Welcome + Opening Sessions Conference Co-Hosts
Amy Young + Stewart Thornhill (Michigan Ross)
How Positive Impact Can Lead to Positive Profit KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz (Sustainable Brands)
Weaving Your Mission into Your Company’s DNA and Culture Joey Bergstein (Seventh Generation)
10:15AM – 11:00AM Refreshment Break
11:00AM – 12:30PM Culture at Startups: What is It and When Does It Start? Lisa Bee (Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea) + Christina York (SpellBound)
Humanizing the Performance Review Matthew Neagle (Porch)
Increasing Performance and Breadth of Capability Stacey Dietsch (McKinsey & Company)
12:30PM – 1:45PM Lunch
1:45PM – 3:00PM Ross Thought in Action Workshops: Session A (Choose One)
Control Your Own Destiny: Leadership Development through Mindful Engagement Susan J. Ashford (Michigan Ross)
Leading Positive Change Without Authority Jerry Davis (Michigan Ross)
Creating Positive Teams using Agile Development Techniques from Silicon Valley Rashmi Menon (Michigan Ross)
Want a Thriving Workplace Culture? Consider the Design of Your Workspace Gretchen Spreitzer (Michigan Ross) + Peter Bacevice (HLW International LLP) + Hilary Hendricks (Michigan Ross)
Build Your Positive Change Movement Chris White (Michigan Ross) + Rich Berens + Brad Haudan + Rachel Heydlauff (Root, Inc.)
3:00PM – 3:30PM Refreshment Break
3:30PM – 5:00PM Valuing Culture in Organizations Ellen Havdala (Chai Trust Company, LLC) + Gregg Latterman
(Northwestern University) +
Blair Miller (BlueOrange
Sustainable Capital)
Facilitated by Jeff Sinclair
(Michigan Ross)
Practice Makes Positive: How Organizations Can Use Experiential Learning to Develop Positive Leaders Scott DeRue (Michigan Ross)
6:30PM – 10:00PM Dinner at the University of Michigan Museum of Art

Day 2: Friday, May 11, 2018

  Sessions Speakers
7:30AM – 8:30AM Breakfast
8:30AM – 10:00AM Strategy Powered by Purpose Elizabeth Bierbower (Humana, Inc.)
The Positive Leader Jan Mühlfeit (Microsoft Corporation)
10:00AM – 10:45AM Refreshment Break
10:45AM – 12:00PM What Leaders Can Learn from the Boston Marathon Bombing Heroes Thomas Grilk (Boston Marathon)
Crises as Opportunities for Resilience and Renewal? Lynn Perry Wooten (Cornell University)
12:00PM – 1:15PM Lunch
1:15PM – 2:30PM Ross Thought in Action Workshops: Session B (Choose One)
Unlocking the Network of Influence Marcus Collins (Michigan Ross)
Awaken Compassion in Your Organization Jane Dutton (Michigan Ross) + Monica Worline (EnlivenWork)
Negotiate Genuinely Shirli Kopelman (Michigan Ross)
Questions Every Entrepreneur or Intrapreneur Should Ask Jim Price (Michigan Ross)
Becoming Who You Really are: Learning to Do What Organizations Cannot Do for You Robert E. Quinn (Michigan Ross)
Creating Synergy in Teams Jose Uribe (Michigan Ross)
Measuring the Positive: How to Create and Sustain a Positive Workplace Environment Amy Young (Michigan Ross) + Michael J. O’Brien (The Pacific Institute)
2:30PM – 3:00PM Refreshment Break
3:00PM – 4:20PM Improving Gender Equality at Work Dave Mayer (Michigan Ross)
Positive Business Project Grace French + Isobel Futter (Michigan Ross)
Turning Any Organization Positive: A Practical Tool for Your Workforce Robert E. Quinn (Michigan Ross)
4:20PM – 4:30PM Conference Close

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