Curriculum Vitae – Training, Conference Speaking, and Keynotes Focus

Robert Bacal, M.A.
722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, Ontario, Canada, K0A 1M0

(613) 764-0241
ceo@work911.com

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After seven years of semi-retirement from keynote speaking and training in order to write books, I'm re-entering the training and live delivery business. In addition to our own seminars, I'm looking to do occasional work as a partner or contractor for other firms.

Academic History:

• Ph. D (All But Dissertation) in Applied Psychology, Ontario Institute For Studies In Education, University of Toronto specializing in instructional design, teacher training and education models, and cognitive psychology
• M.A. In Applied Psychology, Ontario Institute For Studies In Education, University of Toronto, specializing in teacher and college instructor training.
• B.A. (Honours) Psychology Concordia University (Sir George Williams), Montreal, Canada

Relevant Past Teaching and Training Experience:

Beginning my instructional career as a teaching assistant in Psychology at the age of 23, I've continued to teach and provide training in a wide variety of environments.

Here are just a few of the highlights:

• Instructor, Centennial College (Clinical & Counselling Psychology)
• Summer Session College Teacher Training – Red River Community College and Keewatin Community College, Manitoba, Canada (seven years)
• Travelling Professor – Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Program, Manitoba, Canada
• Organizational and Staff Development Consultant, Government of Manitoba, Civil Service Commission (six years in both design and program delivery).
• CEO, Bacal & Associates, Designing, for and delivering training programs to thousands of participants across Canada and the USA. (19 years).

In addition, my materials have been licenced or used by a number of organizations to allow them to design and deliver courses based on my books. Examples include Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), Minnesota State Government,  and Collier County Public Schools

Subject Matter Expertise:

I prefer to deliver training using subject matter for which I have advanced knowledge and experience, since I believe trainers and seminar leaders require both a deep and broad understanding of their content to be successful, and not just a passing understanding. Below are some of the areas of expertise that I believe allow me to fill this role:

• Interpersonal communication
• Conflict management and conflict prevention
• Performance management and appraisal
• Strategic Planning
• All aspects of customer service and in particular how to deal with difficult, angry customers
• Enhancing employee motivation
• All training for trainers topics
• Presentation Skills
• Leadership and organizational communication strategies
• A number of small business topics EXCLUDING topics related to financial management.
• Use of Internet and social media for business development and customer service

Training Philosophy and Principles:

• Customers/participants deserve to learn from someone who knows MORE than they do about the topic in question.
• That said, participants also need to be actively involved in the learning process, so that they can learn from each other, help each other, and be engaged in the process.
• The methods of training delivery in a seminar need to be chosen on the basis of time available, topic complexity, learner needs, learner preferences, and based on sound data from research on learning, and not based on “ideology” or outdated notions gleaned from pop psychology books.
• Where possible, some method for assessing attendee needs should be used so as to “hit the mark” and enable tailoring of examples and stories to fit participant experiences.
• VALUE, VALUE, VALUE for the training investment.

Keynote and Conference Speaking

While never actively marketed I've done a number of conference keynotes and session speaking engagements, including some corporate events. I've spoken at business association meetings, human resource organizations in Canada and the USA (SHRM), internal corporate events, and educational institutions and school boards.

Topics are similar to those listed for training.

Keynote and Conference Speaking Principles

• Speaking engagements should provide the opportunity to LEARN and the opportunity to be leave feeling UPLIFTED and positive. I don't do “motivational speaking” per se and prefer to combine learning components with motivational components.
• I charge REASONABLE fees for speaking. In the speaking marketplace, some of the fees are so inordinately out of scale with value provided that it becomes absurd.
• Speaking engagements should not be canned, off the shelf presentations but be created in consultation with each client.
• Speakers, as with trainers should have enough depth and breadth in the content to be relevant and expert, and add value for audience members.

Publications, Books and Articles

I have published and sold hundreds of articles for print media, and web distribution largely on management topics, but also in the areas of customer service, small business, facilitation and related topics.

My books, many published by major publishers, McGraw-Hill and Alpha Press, have sold close to 500,000 copies worldwide and been translated into Chinese, German, Spanish and French. Below is a list of titles:

Published By McGraw-Hill:

• Performance Management – A Briefcase Book
• The Manager's Guide To Performance Reviews
• How To Manage Performance – 24 Lessons For Improving Performance
• How To Manage Performance
• Perfect Phrases For Performance Reviews (1st and 2nd Editions)
• Perfect Phrases For Setting Performance Goals (1st and 2nd Editions)
• Perfect Phrases For Customer Service (1st and 2nd Editions)
• The Complete Book of Perfect Phrases Book For Effective Managers
• Perfect Phrases For Managing Your Small Business

Published By Alpha

• The Complete Idiot's Guide To Dealing With Difficult Employees (Out of Print)
• The Complete Idiot's Guide To Consulting (Out of Print)

Other:

• If It Wasn't For The Customers I'd Really Like This Job: Stop Angry, Hostile Customers COLD While Remaining Professional, Stress Free, Efficient and Cool As A Cucumber
• The Busy Learner's Kit For Making Performance Management and Appraisal VALUABLE: Walking The Path Together
• Defusing Hostile Customers Workbook (Third Edition2010): A Self-Instructional Workbook For Public Sector Employees
• Conflict Prevention In The Workplace – Using Cooperative Communication
• Human Resource Development For Managers (Out of Print)
• A Critical Look At Performance Management Systems – Why Don't They Work
• In The Public Eye – Managing In The Public Sector (Out of Print)
• Total Quality In The Public Eye (Out of Print)
• Defusing Hostile and Volatile Situations For Educators (Out of Print pending revision and re-release)
• Defusing Hostile and Volatile Situations For Educators Companion Workbook (Out of Print)

In addition to the books listed above, I've created over twenty helpcards – learning aids and tools for busy learners.

Robert Bacal – Differentiated

• Combines a track record in training, education and writing that is rarely found in the training community.
• Very strong academic background in Psychology provides a different viewpoint on common topics, allows application in seminars and presentation of original, innovative content and ideas.
• Able to translate principles and research in Psychology into everyday language.
• Bacal & Associates websites have received over ten MILLION visitors over their lifetime, affording marketing opportunities most trainers lack.
• Publishes electronic newsletter to over 9,000 subscribers, affording marketing leverage.
• Social media followers across all account is over 15,000 followers and friends, yet another lever for marketing.

Miscellaneous

Worked as:

• ・ Social Science Researcher/Statistician and Data Analyst
• Six years experience on Editorial Board of Peer Reviewed Journal in Education
• Research and training with the mentally ill
• Facilitated team development and organizational development sessions as an external consultant

Proud Career Accomplishments:

• Hitting BusinessWeek Best Seller List
• Having had publishers approach me to write books for them, rather than do proposals.
• Assisted several unpublished authors to have their work published.
• Over ten millions web visitors