About Don Thoren

I feel privileged to help organizations and people explore their future “could be” and develop plans and skills in its pursuit. “In my beginning,” I grew up on a cattle ranch in Wyoming, gave my first speech in a Future Farmers of America contest, and held many student leadership positions in high school and college. As an Army training officer, I participated in establishing standards and conducting innovative training to achieve high operational readiness scores.

General Electric gave me the opportunity learn personnel practices and then sent me into manufacturing to achieve results with the people I helped hire. First as a shift foreman and later manager, I learned the importance of integrating systems with leadership skills to achieve exemplary results. At American Salesmasters I learned to make 20 street sales calls a day to sell communication and sales training seminars.

Looking back on 30 years of speeches, consulting and organization change initiatives, I am grateful to those clients who allowed me the opportunity to help them on their way. I am grateful to the employees who came to work with me as we sought to practice and teach, “Maximizing Joint Productivity.” Many clients became friends and I had to hurry to provide them more help than the learning I received.

Today, I am a seasoned practitioner who delights in:

  • Mentoring leaders
  • Showing how conflicting opinions can lead to break through thinking and break out results
  • Delivering unique speeches for special occasions
  • Coaching project teams
  • Teaching others to speak more effectively and persuasively
  • Helping resolve alignment issues
  • Improving the results of technical sales people
  • Teaching creative problem solving

I have grown up with and know most of the best speakers, consultants and trainers which means I can enlist the help of others where collaboration around a big project requires a team of contributors.

Conflicting opinions, turf wars, customer demands, confusing technological choices and the assignment of responsibility are the issues most likely to cripple organizations.

The solution to all this chaotic change and attendant conflict is embracing the commitment to, “Let Ideas Compete—Not People!” The skillful collision of ideas CAN create new and better “3RD IDEAS.” Learning to view passionate conflict as an invaluable engine of creativity is key to organizational and personal success.

Serving others is a light burden and a source of great joy and satisfaction for me. Do you want to discuss ways I can serve you?

Some awards and activities that may be of interest:

  • National Speakers Association – “Speaker Hall of Fame”
  • Institute of Management Consultants –“Certified Management Consultant”
  • Named to the Class of 2006, “Legends of the Speaking Profession”
  • Involvement in Democracy, “Precinct and Arizona State Committeeman”
  • Involvement in Church, “Pastor and Priest Speech Trainer”

 

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