Michael Woodward

Dr. Michael Woodward is an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and the creator of jumStart, a methodology that helps professionals and organizations unlock their entrepreneurial mindset to drive innovation, engagement, and career growth. Known as Dr. Woody, he combines rigorous research with an energetic, relatable speaking style that connects with audiences at every level.

The Science of the Entrepreneurial Mindset

Dr. Woodward has spent his career studying what makes entrepreneurs and high performers tick, and more importantly, how those same traits can be developed in anyone. His research on the entrepreneurial mindset has been featured in major media outlets including Forbes, Fast Company, and Psychology Today. He is the author of The YOU Plan: A 5-Step Guide to Taking Charge of Your Career in the New Economy and hosts a popular podcast on career development and organizational psychology.

Practical Strategies for Innovation and Career Growth

Dr. Woodward works with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to startups, helping them build cultures where innovation and initiative flourish at every level. His keynotes deliver actionable frameworks for developing an entrepreneurial mindset within established organizations, navigating career transitions, and building the psychological resilience needed to thrive in an economy defined by constant change and disruption.

From Player to Coach: The Psychology of Becoming a Great Manager

The transition from individual contributor to manager is often a dramatic change. And, it is one that we are rarely prepared for! Whether you are an entrepreneur or young manager, this keynote/workshop is an opportunity to develop and hone core management skills. This is popular as a half-day or full-day seminar and can include a number of the other topics listed in this section.

The Trust Factor: Building a High-performing Team through Trust

The process of building a high performing team is routed in trust. The key points to building trust are familiarity and willingness to take risk. Dr. Woody uses the Schindler & Thomas (1993) model of trust which consists of 5 major dimensions:

• Integrity
• Competence
• Consistency
• Loyalty
• Openness

The Values Compass – Navigating Uncertainty by Being True to Yourself

The values and culture of an organization are rooted in the underlying assumptions and norms that are manifest in the day-to-day interactions between employees. Understanding how to recognize and articulate this will help you to better manage and cultivate team synergy.

Making the Right Call: The Psychology Behind Sound Decisions

Managers are expected to deliver on business objectives by leveraging their team’s capabilities and directing their energy. In order to step up, a good manager must learn to step back. Managers must effectively work through others in order to be successful.

Influence to Action: The Art and Science of Persuasion

The art of persuasion is critical to gaining influence and developing effective leadership skill. Dr. Woody will cover the basics of management-employee interaction.

The Psychology of Effective Communication: How to Have Tough Conversations

All healthy relationships are based on open communication. Tough and painful conversations are a key component to building collaborative relationships across departments as well as managing team performance.

Driving Corporate Culture During Times of Change

The process of transitioning from a small business to a larger more formal organization is rarely well timed and often wrought with difficulty. One aspect that is often overlooked is the need to adapt people management practices. Dr. Woody will discuss the Edgar Schein model of organizational culture and talk about ways executives and managers can drive culture change in a deliberate manner.