Michelle Smith
Builder of Great Teams
Kent, Ohio, United States
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Dr. Michelle Smith’s unusual background gives her a fresh perspective on the tech industry and what it takes to build and keep great teams. She is a veterinarian by education, and she still practices in the State of Ohio. She’s also been an executive at a global software company and an active leader in her local community. But her real passions are entrepreneurship and building successful organizations. Along with her husband and business partner, Steve Smith, Michelle has built and sold several technology companies. Michelle and her current team (which include several alumni from previous companies!) work with organizations to help them not only improve the quality of their code, but their overall teamwork.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Dream Teams: Hiring (and Keeping) the Right People
Everyone says that “our people are our most important asset.”
But how do you find the RIGHT people?
And once you have them, how do you keep them?
In this entertaining session, we’ll turn the traditional hiring process on its head and share a new perspective on how to identify the right people for YOUR organization. You’ll also learn important lessons on what really matters to your employees (spoiler – it’s probably not what you think) and how to keep people engaged for the long term.
Hiring managers are encouraged to attend, but anyone who works on a team will find practical tips on how to work successfully with other human beings.
Whether you work on a remote team or are trying to fill up empty desks in your office, you CAN create your own dream team!
The Low Risk Entrepreneur
Do you ever feel like if YOU were in charge, you could do things better? Or that it would be great to have more freedom or more financial security?
But starting your own business is SCARY! What if it fails? Where do you start? Are you really ready to quit your job and make the leap from employee to the coveted position of "Your Own Boss"?
What if I told you it was possible to build your own business without all of the risks that are usually associated with it? To be able to do so while keeping your current job, and maybe even making your employer happier in the process? Sound too good to be true?
In this session, we'll look at the options for those who are considering making the big leap - and ways to make it less scary. Attendees will learn about ways to be an entrepreneur while minimizing the risk, and even ways that they can "entrepreneur in place" at their current gig.
If you are itching to make a change, but not sure how to move forward, this session is for you.
Managing Clients: The People that Come With the Code
Writing code is (mostly) straightforward and follows logical rules. But unfortunately, code isn't written in a vaccum - it comes with people, and people are complicated!
Do you ever find that the most challenging part of a project is dealing with the human clients? How do you build trust with them? How can you effectively manage client expectations? What do you do when things go wrong?
In this session, we will talk about important skills to help build relationships, and how to apply those skills with clients in the real world. By the end of this session, you'll be more confident in how to manage the people that come with the code.
Effective Team Building for Introverts
It's easy to build a team when you are a "people person!"
But what about those of us who don't necessarily thrive on interacting with our fellow humans 24/7? Are there ways that you can balance the expectation of building relationships with your clients and coworkers while still protecting your own need to disconnect?
In this session, we'll look at the science of why unplugging is good for all of us sometimes, as well as practical ways to build and maintain positive interactions that work for you, even if you are an introvert.
Keeping People: Build the Right Culture
It can be hard to attract the best people for your team - and even harder to get them to stay. Pay and benefits will only go so far - the right culture is what really matters.
But how do you determine what that culture should be? And how do you build a team that actually WANTS to be there?
Happy people are scientifically proven to be more productive, and this session will help you identify what really makes your team happy.
Whether you are recruiting for a Fortune 500 company or trying to retain a group of volunteers, this session will teach you the things that really motivate people to stay - and stay happily engaged - in your organization.
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