Aram Boyd, CSP, ACC

❓ How do you design a Leadership and Development program that meets the moment? ❓ Honored to join Dr. Carly Cooper for a fireside chat in her University of Southern California class on Designing Leadership & Development That Match the Moment. We explored what it takes to build learning that drives real behavior change inside fast-moving organizations. Here are the highlights we covered: 🔹 1. L&D is now mission-critical to solving the biggest challenges in today’s workplace As an executive coach and L&D advisor, I help leaders and teams navigate friction, change, and complexity with clarity, courage, and emotional intelligence. My work focuses on turning Healthy Friction into growth, better decisions, and stronger relationships. 🔹 2. Leadership and development investment is a competitive advantage L&D is the foundation for behavior change, AI adoption, change readiness, and transforming culture into a business driver. Organizations that invest early build more adaptive and future-ready leaders. 🔹 3. Contemporary leadership challenges are sharpening Change fatigue, multigenerational tension, rapid tech advancements like AI, and leaders struggling with clarity and alignment are now everyday realities. Employees want transparency, coaching, and workplaces where their contributions matter. Many systems still operate with outdated norms, creating friction and missed opportunities. 🔹 4. Before designing any program, diagnose the real problem When a client says, “We need a leadership program,” you pause and ask: • What is keeping them up at night? • Which behaviors need to shift? • What does success look like six to twelve months from now? Effective L&D must align with outcomes that matter. 🧠 As a leadership coach, advisor, and L&D strategist, I help executives and teams harness Healthy Friction as a force for innovation, resilience, and connection—especially in a high-change world. 💬 Please enter in the comments how are you developing yourself and your team? #Leadership #FutureOfWork #LearningAndDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #HealthyFriction #USC #JennyFernandez #Thinkers50 #MG100

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In the next episode of Leading Minds Revealed, I sit down with Kristine M Collins, Dean of UC Irvine, Division of Continuing Education, for an inspiring conversation on leadership in times of change. Dean Collins shares how her athletic roots, professional journey, and commitment to mindfulness have shaped her approach to leading with empathy and strategic clarity. Discover insights on team-centered leadership, building trust, prioritizing self-care, and keeping learners at the heart of education. CATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gHySvT-k

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During my Public Speaking & Communication Workshop with the California Water Association Utility Supplier Diversity Program, I asked, “What if public speaking worked like music or sports where we practice, and NOT a quick fix?” Watch 1 video, attend 1 workshop & suddenly feel “confident.” But communication doesn’t work like that. Communication is about practicing, like sports and music. Communication isn't Amazon Prime. Leaders aren’t trying to become keynote speakers. They’re being asked to speak: ✅ In high-stakes meetings ✅ Off the cuff ✅ With executives, boards or clients ✅ Across generations, cultures and power dynamics ✅ During uncertain moments ✅ Communicating from hybrid, virtual and in-person Here’s 3 principles I always coach on when it comes to communication that you can implement: 1️⃣ Create a “Communication Memo” Before every important conversation understand: What is this person’s goals? What’s their motivations? How do they prefer to receive information? 2️⃣ Practice like an athlete As a Muay Thai fighter of 21 years 🥊, I’m never “done” training. Right now, I’m working on being able to read opponents moves better so I can counter with better attacks 😜 When I played violin as a kid, I didn’t just show up and perform. I practiced. I was 21 with my first Director job. So before every stakeholder meeting, I blocked off 1 hour at home to practice how I would communicate. Then reflect and debrief and make small, intentional adjustments (just like an athlete and musician) 3️⃣ Breathe so you can think When nerves hit: Your amygdala acts like a smoke detector letting you know this is "perceived danger." Your hippocampus is a librarian pulling up past memories to validate why this is "perceived danger." Your prefrontal cortex (clear, logical thinking) goes offline. Breathing helps you go back online to access the more logical part of your brain (prefrontal cortex) vs the reactive and emotional (amygdala and hippocampus) What made this workshop powerful wasn’t the teaching, it was the role-play and debriefing. This is core to my Conscious Conversations® work practicing communication the same way we practice sports and music to review what worked, and learn from one another. Now I want you to think about it 👇What sport, instrument or practice taught you how to perform under pressure? Comment below👇 I recently closed another communication workshop for Fortune 500 female leaders in the travel & hospitality industry. This is confirmation that communication matters regardless of what industry you’re in. 🔄 And if you found these 3 tips helpful, reshare

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California employers - important update! Here’s what you need to know: • Employers with 1- 4 California W-2 employees must register for CalSavers or claim an exemption by December 31, 2025 • Sole proprietors and self-employed individuals are not required to participate, but may opt in • New businesses must register within 24 months of becoming eligible (i.e., hiring California W-2 employees) • Employers can choose between the state-run CalSavers program or offer their own qualified plan (like a 401(k)) Note: This mandate has been in effect for employers with 5+ employees since 2022. Plan ahead now! #CalSavers #CaliforniaSmallBusiness #HRCompliance 

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Conversations like this remind me why I host RESET with Tonya. I had the chance last week to sit down with Shaun Mader — leadership strategist, photographer, martial artist, and host of The Trusted Leader Podcast — for a wide-ranging dialogue that originally broadcast on KPCR 92.9FM in Los Gatos. Shaun’s story moves from New York boardrooms to Calcutta’s red-light district, from jujitsu mats to his upcoming book "Teamwear." What ties it all together is his ability to help people move from friction to flow, building trust and resilience in places you might never expect. We explored: ✨ How stories we tell ourselves can either trap us or RESET us. ✨ Why human connection — whether through martial arts, community, or photography — is the antidote to isolation. ✨ The societal RESET we desperately need, and how it begins at the level of team and individual. It’s a conversation about resilience, creativity, and the deeper currents that shape who we are and how we lead. 📻 Watch the episode now and catch what Shaun shared — insights that matter far beyond leadership circles.

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🔥 Hot news- California Governor Newsom passed SB-53, the first law of its kind in the US. And, as many know, what starts in CA for legislation typically directs other states (and the US Fed Government) to follow. #LLMs are driving the AI that we are using in our workplaces, and California continues to dominate the AI sector, as it is home to 32 of the 50 top AI companies worldwide. 📰 What the law does (direct from the Press Release): SB 53 establishes new requirements for frontier AI developers creating stronger: ✅ Transparency: Requires large frontier developers to publicly publish a framework on its website describing how the company has incorporated national standards, international standards, and industry-consensus best practices into its frontier AI framework. ✅ Innovation: Establishes a new consortium within the Government Operations Agency to develop a framework for creating a public computing cluster. The consortium, called CalCompute, will advance the development and deployment of artificial intelligence that is safe, ethical, equitable, and sustainable by fostering research and innovation. ✅ Safety: Creates a new mechanism for frontier AI companies and the public to report potential critical safety incidents to California’s Office of Emergency Services. ✅ Accountability: Protects whistleblowers who disclose significant health and safety risks posed by frontier models, and creates a civil penalty for noncompliance, enforceable by the Attorney General’s office. ✅ Responsiveness: Directs the California Department of Technology to annually recommend appropriate updates to the law based on multistakeholder input, technological developments, and international standards. 🤔 What are your thoughts on this new CA law? https://lnkd.in/gEB2qXYq

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"The meaning of your communication is the result you are getting." - Matthew Lampe, PsyD With a Doctorate from Alliant International University's California School of Professional Psychology, Matt has dedicated his career to transforming how organizations approach change, leadership development, and workplace agility. He is currently leading enterprise-wide organizational change efforts as part of Business Oregon's flagship modernization initiative, which focuses on aligning internal systems, strengthening operational infrastructure, and enhancing statewide service delivery to help businesses throughout Oregon. Matt hosts the ScienceForWork Podcast where he explores the science behind creating healthier, more effective work environments through conversations that translate heady scientific research findings into practical action steps. His consulting practice helps organizations navigate complex transformations through change management, leadership development, strategic planning, and project management—combining data-driven insights with compelling storytelling. Matt's philosophy centers on creating cultures where people can thrive. He's learned that data alone isn't enough to drive change; it's the combination of solid research with relatable storytelling that truly motivates action and engagement. And if that wasn't enough, he is also a contributing writer to the Positive Psychology website. In this podcast episode, host Ken Woodward delves into the significance of questions in both professional and personal spheres with Dr. Matthew R. Lampe, an expert in organizational change and leadership development. Highlighting the vital role questions play in verifying communication, navigating change, and building trust, Matt shares insights from his experience in managing organizational transformations and personal growth. The conversation also touches on the deep tradition of yearly trips to Yosemite, offering a unique perspective on how consistent reflection against an unchanging backdrop can facilitate personal growth and evolution. Additional elements include updates about the curated questions community, announcements of new features, and an introduction to the Science for Work Podcast. This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at the Curated Questions website. Keep questioning! #curatedquestions #questions #businessoregon

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I had the honor of facilitating my "Leadership Solution" Workshop with these high-achieving women at the WTS Inland Empire last week — and wow, did they bring the energy! One key insight we explored: 💡 The best coach for employees is their manager. This comes straight from Gallup’s book "It’s the Manager" — and it sparked some great discussion. The best managers don’t direct… they develop. Here’s what great managers do: 🔹 Create clarity and prioritize ongoing, meaningful conversations 🔹 Provide frequent, specific, and timely feedback 🔹 Advocate for their teams and help them grow 🔹 Ask powerful questions like: “What are your priorities this week?” and “What’s working and what’s not?” — and then truly listen. I also shared 3 more powerful books that shaped the content for this workshop: 📚 Wellbeing at Work, by Gallup 📚 How to Listen, by Oscar Trimboli 📚 StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath 👉 If you're ready to empower your team and strengthen your leadership culture, let’s connect. I'd love to bring this training to your organization! #LeadershipDevelopment #WomenInTransportation #ManagerTraining #WTS

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