“It was amazing! I love the handout and definitely think that it will be valuable information moving forward. The information on the differences between generations really made me reflect on others’ perspectives and using that information to improve my communication with all generations.”
“Jennifer Abrams is knowledgeable and engaging as a presenter of Having Hard Conversations. She adjusts her delivery to meet the audience’s needs while maintaining fidelity to the content. Her workshops provide research-based context, rigorous content and relevant connections to workplace culture. I always leave my sessions with Jennifer thinking of possibilities and feeling efficacious. Jennifer Abrams’s savvy shines as a workshop facilitator for the lens of multi-generational workplaces. Her workshops are timely and essential for systems who care about relational trust and professional capital. I have attended Generational Savvy twice in three years. Both times left me feeling reflective and appreciative of her brilliance, benevolence and best practices.”
“Our school’s work with Jennifer Abrams has sown the seeds of stronger communication skills among the adults in the building. This has only served to strengthen the integrity of communication between staff and students as well. We’ve added her language to our expectations: honest, humane, and growth-producing conversations occur regularly.”
“My name is Vail Kieser and I’m beginning my first year as an elementary principal. Over the summer I participated in a book study with Jennifer’s book, Having Hard Conversations. I have to say this was one of the most applicable books I’ve read and I feel I’ve got more tools in my toolbox to not only lead out those conversations myself, but help others as well.”
“Attended some brilliant professional development yesterday, led by Jennifer Abrams. If you are a teacher, coach or leader in any field, I would highly recommend checking out one of her courses or reading her book. I approached her afterwards and asked her if she could either be my life coach or mentor, she was that good.”
“Jennifer led and facilitated a wonderful two-day workshop with twenty senior and middle leaders at FIS. Having laid the foundations of good and effective communication, Jennifer steered the team through the more complex zone of difficult conversations. The team appreciated her interactive and hands-on training style, and the framework she provided for those tough conversations school leaders invariably have to have. Jennifer was especially attuned to the unique needs and perspectives of our cross-cultural and plurilingual global team of educators.”
“Jennifer ran three different workshops for our staff and with the participants coming from various areas of our school, she adapted her presentation accordingly. Colleagues spoke of how they can utilise the information and skills Jennifer shared immediately. Being clear in your words and actions, she highlighted the fact that suggestions, recommendations and expectations are not synonyms. Her workshops generated great conversations and self-reflection. Jennifer also spoke at Renaissance Women Leaders’ Network, which provides women in education with the opportunity to connect, network and support each other as they navigate their educational careers. Jennifer’s life story and views exemplified the message of leaning in, taking risks, and that life is messy…and that’s okay. She genuinely connected with her audience and provided the opportunity of her continued personal support.”
“Jennifer joined us for several sessions on Having Hard [humane and growth producing] Conversations at The Nueva School. Her approach is practical and well thought out. She skillfully weaves in humor and adapted the sessions for our context and needs. I’ve gotten many requests to bring her back for more!”
“Working with Jennifer really brought our whole team together. It was very important that we included all adults in our school and this took some extra thought to remove the barriers of language. Jennifer was a rockstar! We talked through how we could remove barriers to language and it was fantastic to watch everyone together supporting each other using many languages including French, English, Hassania and sign language to communicate. Jennifer helped me to see that this important work of communication is the type of work that we all need to be doing on the inside and including everyone in the conversation isn’t has hard as it may seem. Understanding and building our own capacity and working with a diverse staff collaboratively goes a long way to improving the adult relationships within the school. And, as research shows, students actually do better when the adults work better together! The DEIJ that is so important now is highly supported by the skills that Jennifer taught us. Her ideas are big but her delivery helps everyone to take a simple and usable skills that each one of us needs and each one of us can immediately put into practice, regardless of our role within the team. Our conversations taught me just how important it is to create new systems of adult learning. Working together with Jennifer made this possible!”
“I am retired, but I still map out my talking points for hard conversations, and I love “analyzing” or “predicting” responses and actions based on generational impacts. And I still have those books in my library!”
“A thousand things are unspoken, implicit, buried in our educational lives. The invisibility of issues enforces the ineffective status quo. Change–personal, educational, institutional–requires that we speak OUT LOUD about what we know and believe. Jennifer Abrams brings decades of experience and years of training across the world to this usually overlooked essential act of finding our effective voice about what matters around learning.”
“Jennifer is brilliant and well worth hearing. For me, this was all new content and therefore I thoroughly enjoyed the presentations. Managing staff is a huge part of our job, so understanding generational differences and how to have difficult conversations is exceptionally important to the development of a cohesive team of educators. Thanks for another great conference and opportunity to network with fellow Assistant Principals.”
“I hope you are well. I approached you right after your morning session on hard conversations to thank you for the amazing workshop. I shared that I am tough to impress. Equally, important, I never smile. Nonetheless, your approach elicited a genuine excitement and passion for the work.”
“Wow!! Jennifer’s presentation has opened my eyes to why I think, feel and act the way I do about school situations and also why fellow colleagues possibly think, feel and act the way they do. In addition, I am once again reminded about the importance of COMMUNICATION in the way each individual person receives information best.”
“In today’s digital world, it is even more important to understand the multi-generational workforce, as well as the complications of having hard conversations. Jennifer’s mind-shifting workshops pull you in. You become self-aware, socially aware, and, most importantly, you are given specific skills and strategies to utilize that empower you to be an advocate for change.”
“Jennifer was one of the most engaging and dynamic speakers our conference has had, according to the attendees themselves. She received so many positive comments and her expertise is so well articulated and relevant, that we have subsequently invited her back to present and will continue to look for other ways to involve her. When other speakers are referencing her talk and content, the positive impression and impact she’s made is clear.”
“Jennifer is wonderful and a total stand-up comedian. I absolutely got so much out of this class in both my professional and personal life – thank you!”
“Jennifer has so squarely hit the mark with our teacher-leaders that she is one of the few presenters that they are always requesting when professional development is the question. Here at the University of Chicago, this acclaim and recognition does not come easily! Jennifer has a way of presenting information that gets quickly to the heart of the matter. Her ability to read the true needs of the group, regardless of the original focus, has made her a favorite among the faculty here at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.”
“Working with Jennifer allowed us the structure to talk about things that often go unspoken but have a big impact. Our work with Jennifer allowed us to name the more difficult parts of being a professional and gave us tools and a safe place to practice.”
“Having Hard Conversations is one of the most powerful and helpful workshops I have ever taken part in. It has made my job much less stressful and I even enjoy the tough conversations now.”
“I was first introduced to Jennifer Abrams and her work while attending the New Teacher Center’s annual conference in San Jose. Her work was particularly relevant as I oversee county credentialing programs for new teachers, future administrators and special educators. Jennifer Abrams is an engaging presenter, possessing an in-depth understanding of the challenges teachers and administrators face as well as strategies they might use to sustain an environment that supports the needs of all learners. Her workshops are relevant, thought-provoking and demanding. Attendees are not merely observers but active participants. They are given multiple opportunities to collaborate, think critically and collaboratively address real-world applications to their new learning. I always leave my sessions with Jennifer re-energized and willing to ponder the possibilities that will push me to be a more effective educational leader.”
“Jennifer presented a workshop on Having Hard Conversations to our staff. She is a superb presenter, with a strong command of the content, excellent real examples, and professional delivery. Staff have since been talking to me all week about how much they enjoyed the presentation. I only wish we had more time with her, as these practices have the potential to have a really positive impact on our workplace.”
“Jennifer Abrams is an accomplished and dynamic workshop facilitator who models Adult Learning Theory strategies and leads provocative professional discussions. Participants always ask for more opportunities to work with her and many of them attend her sessions over and over again!”
“Working with Jennifer to stretch your learning edges should be an essential aspect of any team’s development! Her facilitation is engaging, motivating, and inspiring, guiding her audience to figure out how to show up for one another in ways that truly lead to deeper connection and transformation. This work can grow with your team; the activities and self assessments in her latest book can be revisited to assess your change over time. Stretching Your Learning Edges is an invaluable tool for any community of adult learners!”
“I thought the webinar was well-planned, well-focused, and easily relatable. So much so, that I have to say of all the webinars I have joined since the pandemic started (and there has been an explosion of them!), this has been the best! That is, best planned, best run and not only was the content very applicable, the way you presented it was helpful to process (with a good mix of speaking, breakout groups to process and share the info). The helpful comprehensive packet with extra reading was an additional plus factor. (Yes, I am one of those who actually reads them!)”
“Jennifer Abrams is gold. No matter your profession or state in life, her wisdom on how to engage in difficult conversations is relatable, actionable, and desperately needed. Check her out when you have a chance. You won’t be disappointed.”
“Voice Lessons (Jennifer’s monthly newsletter) is the only newsletter I read word for word and all the way through. It always has great thought provoking content and links. I often wonder when we send these things out into people’s inboxes if they actually engage with what we take the time to write and I thought Jennifer should know that her work is read, thought about and appreciated.”
“I recently participated in an enlightening online workshop titled ‘Having Hard Conversations’ facilitated by Jennifer Abrams. This virtual workshop brought together participants from diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of unity and shared learning. Despite the physical distance, Jennifer created an immersive and thought-provoking experience. Through interactive exercises and discussions, we explored practical strategies for navigating difficult conversations. Active listening, empathy, and building trust were emphasized as crucial elements. The online format seamlessly integrated multimedia resources, enhancing our learning experience. Engaging in discussions and collaborating with fellow participants added a valuable dimension to the workshop. Jennifer’s expertise and the virtual platform allowed us to address the specific challenges we face within our contexts effectively. Participating in Jennifer Abrams’ online workshop was transformative. I am grateful for the insights gained and look forward to applying them in my interactions. Thank you, Jennifer Abrams for facilitating meaningful conversations, even in the online realm.”
“Jennifer Abrams is a highly engaging presenter and workshop facilitator. Her presentation skills are exemplary. She gracefully balances the personalization and professionalism of her trainings to meet the needs of her audience. Participants always leave her trainings knowing the content, and with clear goals for implementation of applicable components. They also feel as if they know Jennifer and can call her ‘friend’. We continue to bring her back every year due to popular demand and, she makes us look good!”
“A MASSIVE thank you for working with us, it has been an absolute pleasure with every single person complimenting your work over the sessions we had together. I too have found it highly beneficial to have someone to work alongside as we create not only a new leadership framework but also new partnerships across the school.”
“Crucial Conversations meets education with Jennifer Abrams. Thank you for providing tools that make hard conversations palatable, humane and growth oriented.”
“I can’t imagine how much positive impact Jennifer has had in countless schools over many years. I still lean heavily on the learning she bestowed so graciously at our school in Shanghai all those years ago. Stretching the edges and providing bombproof strategies to help us all overcome the most common and difficult challenges…what a legacy!”
“Jennifer Abrams is an exceptional presenter and author. Her workshops are motivational, memorable, and extremely useful. The lessons and skills that she presents are easily shared. Jennifer is charismatic, down-to-earth, and outstanding to work with. We truly enjoyed having her present to our administrators.”
“Jennifer Abrams is dynamic as a speaker/presenter/workshop facilitator. Her workshops are teacher focused, engaging, and thought provoking while leaving the participant wanting more.”
“Jennifer is one of the most actively engaged thought partners we have ever had the pleasure to work with: she asked all the right questions before and during the visit to tailor her work to our school context. During her three days on site, she skillfully guided our middle and senior leadership through structures for having hard conversations with an engaging presence that made time fly. We have already been well-equipped to use Jennifer’s practical strategies until she returns in the spring to continue the work.”
“Jennifer Abrams truly is all that! I’m grateful to be in California near her hometown. I attended two workshops where she was the keynote speaker: first at the County Education office – Women in Leadership session, and then at my school district’s leadership training as we dived into Stretching Our Learning Edges. I’m reflecting on my impact as an educational leader, and I’m feeling inspired to do more!”
“I don’t post often. A lot of PD can be just talk. This was different. Jennifer Abrams was excellent. Her insights were relatable, her suggestions were valuable. I came out of this workshop feeling stronger and more respectful of myself as a professional. We need more of this as educators.”
“Jennifer is one of the best facilitators we have had the opportunity to work with, and our staff felt an instant comfort level working with her and asking hard questions about challenging issues. I would highly recommend her to any organization looking to develop leaders, and looking to ensure a positive workplace climate. Regardless of your experience in leadership or with handling challenging conversations, you will get real value out of working with Jennifer, it is money well spent.”