Keynote Speaker & Communication Expert
Speaking
Helping leaders understand and navigate change
I’ve spent years researching communication, conflict, trust, and the reasons why people change. My goal is to equip leaders to be better communicators, to be more empathetic, and to be more able to drive positive change that lasts.
I offer up relatable stories and approachable takeaways that outlast the emotional high of an event to foster real, positive action.
A few organizations I’ve worked with
“Amazing storyteller and teacher.”
“What a perfect opening talk! Thank you for inviting us to be curious and ask questions!”
“Michael Ashford is an amazing presenter and is thoughtful and kind in his leadership approaches.”
“Have you ever been sitting through a sermon at church and felt like the preacher was talking right to you? That is how I felt listening to Michael talk.”
Available Keynotes
How to Speak with More Confidence
Everyone has a story to tell that holds the potential to help others, grow relationships, inspire action, or solve big problems. Even you! But, have you ever felt like your story isn't unique enough, it's not relatable to others, or that you come off as too confusing or hesitant? In this workshop, Michael will guide you through practical ways to better articulate and share your perspective (even if you don’t think you have something to share). By the end, you'll enter into a space where you more confidently communicate your ideas, thoughts, and emotions so that others take notice.
This talk can also be presented in a 2-hour workshop format.
The Misunderstanding of Active Listening
What is active listening, and how does it make someone a good listener? These days, active listening is often warped and twisted away from its original intent and instead is wielded as a tactic to manipulate and control a conversation.
Active listening advice gets thrown into sales retreat keynotes as a way to help close the deal and into leadership seminars as a way to get more out of employees, and the advice often delivered about how to be an active listener tends to read like a checklist of to-dos that focus on the wrong person.
In this eye-opening, heart-felt talk, Michael Ashford helps leaders understand what it means to truly listen.
The Psychology of Conflict Communication
Why do people change? This question is at the core of an exploration I have been on for many years. Most people will admit that a significant part of life is constant change. But how and why does real change happen, especially when conflict is present? What motivates someone to give up one belief, ideology, or behavior for another? In this talk, I present my ASK and SEE approach to conflict communication crafted out of years of my own experience and interviews with people from all different walks of life to answer the question: Why do people change?