Management and Staff Training

MAKING WORKPLACES SAFER & BETTER PLACES TO BE

Edmond Otis and the AACT-NOW staff deliver proven and effective Management and Staff Training to improve management and staff performance. As a result, our training also enhances relations with your customers and clients. Our most popular Management and Staff Training programs include Stress Management, Conflict Resolution, School Safety, and Workplace Safety.

“We do our homework! We show up prepared with ideas and solutions that are appropriate for your specific problems. In other words, our Staff Training individually customized to address your specific concerns”

AACT-NOW Management and Staff Training programs, seminars and presentations have repeatedly proven themselves relevant and absolutely on target for a wide range of topical face-to-face workplace issues.

Our Top Training Programs

Learn more about our Professional Training Programs. Join AACT-NOW to make the workplace safe and sane.

Resilient Leaders

Resilience is the ability to bounce-back quickly – and fully – from periods of intense stress and challenge, significant setbacks or big successes, change and adversity, and, just as importantly – the strain and intensity of doing “day-to-day” business in the modern world.


Whether thinking in terms of individuals, small groups, or large organizations, our capacity for resilience is directly related to our capacity for flexibility, adaptability, productivity and longevity.


Working together, these components, or modules, do two things for any organization. In the most general of terms, Leadership Resilience Training functionally makes the challenges we face “smaller” – by making our managers “bigger” and more capable. At the same time, the training makes our employees “bigger” (in terms of capacity – healthier, happier, less distracted and more robust), and thus more resilient to the (now smaller) challenges they face.

“Flexibility, Adaptability, Productivity, and Longevity. The most effective program for your managers and staff is designed around these four key areas.”

AACT Leadership Resilience Training

All modules are practical, highly interactive, and designed to provide skills and tools that can be used immediately – going forward – from the moment each participant leaves the training session.

Recommended Modules

If you work with people, this workshop is for you!

When you work with AACT-Now, you work with professionals in the industry who actually sit down and learn about your staff, workplace environment, and specific circumstances. First we listen. Then we act. It’s important that we know the obstacles you face, and the goals you hope to achieve, so that our training and seminars address these factors head on.

These individuals, the difficult people, require special attention, skills, and strategies. This unique Conflict Resolution – People Skills workshop provides training to help you develop the organizational, verbal, emotional, and physical interpersonal skills we all need to turn conflict into cooperation. The skills you will learn from this workshop will help you  successfully deal with the most challenging types of individuals and situations.

“The goal of our “Dealing with Difficult People” workshop is to teach you how to “be your best” in the face of challenging situations.”

The focus of this workshop is on the dynamics of interpersonal interactions. It’s unique, hands on training emphasis goes to the heart of addressing a topic that concerns every employee or manager – in every workplace – everywhere! Learn how to manage tough situations and navigate challenging interactions. Further, when requested, we provide expert training in realistic and practical physical self-defense skills.

These individuals, the difficult people, require special attention, skills, and strategies. This unique Conflict Resolution – People Skills workshop provides training to help you develop the organizational, verbal, emotional, and physical interpersonal skills we all need to turn conflict into cooperation. The skills you will learn from this workshop will help you successfully deal with the most challenging types of individuals and situations.

Workplace Stress. Sound Familiar?

Workplace stress is not only a global epidemic, but it’s extremely costly as well. Yet it’s nearly impossible for any of us to avoid feeling some level of intense stress while at work. Workplace greatly affects our personal and professional lives. But what causes workplace stress? A number of factors are at play.

While we all encounter some amount of stress in our lives, we never have to let it control us. Stress management skills can be learned and used by anyone. It doesn’t take magic. It takes practice and know-how.

  • Dealing with unpleasant people

  • Working under difficult conditions

  • Having to endure unreasonable expectations

  • Financial problems

  • Relationship issues

The stress management approach designed by AACT NOW works. This all-day seminar is designed for people who work in demanding jobs. We specifically address the stressors they most commonly face.

All of these factors, and much more, contribute to the overall feeling of workplace stress. And while stress is a normal part of life, workplace stress can have a serious impact on our health, emotions, work performance, relationships, and quality of life. Managing workplace stress can make us more productive, and happier in life.

Workplace stress can impact our job performance and health …

If you or your employees experience workplace stress, you’re not alone. Here are some concerning facts:

  • 43% of all adults experience adverse health effects from stress

  • 75-90% of visits to a physician’s office are for stress-related conditions and complaints

  • OSHA has declared stress the #1 hazard of the workplace

  • Stress may be related to lost hours due to absenteeism, reduced productivity, and worker’s compensation benefits (at a cost of $300 billion annually for the American industry (2005).

  • Stress has been linked to the 6 leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. (Source: “The Stress Solution “ by Lyle H. Miller, Ph.D., and Alma Dell Smith, Ph. D.).

Knowledge is key

Why is our stress management seminar so successful? We help you understand how stress works, arises, and lingers, and how it physically and mentally affects us. We provide participants with proven tools for building the personal strengths and emotional reserves we all need to deal successfully with the most challenging demands of the work day and modern life. Special attention is always focused on providing participants numerous, actual and practical stress management techniques they can use immediately.

What makes certain conversations difficult?

For some it might be that a specific topic is uncomfortable. For others, it may be that trying to do “Conflict Resolution” makes us feel awkward.

Often, we know that if the conversation is handled badly, it will result in serious repercussions – maybe making team building impossible. In some instances speaking up (or down) “the chain of command” is stressful.

“For many, it often comes down to personality and style – just simple Communication Skills”

For some it isn’t really conflict resolution as much as some people really are difficult to talk to in any situation.

Of course, in the workplace, one of the most important factors is that after the conversation is over – we will need to continue seeing and working with this person in the future. So we want to get it right – because Team Building is important and ongoing. The main skill? Communication Skills that are effective and persuasive – when emotions are involved, results are important – and the outcome matters!

“This fun, interactive workshop will teach you to be more successful, with more people, more often!”

Workshop participants will:

  • learn how to “approach” a difficult conversation in a way that assures success.
  • learn to understand what makes some conversations harder than they should be.
  • learn the basics of good Communication Skills – that make ALL conversations easier.
  • learn how timing and focus can help us make difficult conversations – easier.
  • learn how to set goals and priorities so that difficult conversations have positive outcomes.
  • learn the incredible value of re-framing in difficult conversations.
  • learn 4 magic phrases that almost always make “Conflict Resolution” real and effective.
  • learn to recognize and deal effectively with “Difficult Personalities”
This unique one-day workshop uses lecture, discussion, demonstration, scripts, individual and group exercises to teach participants effective, practical and positive skills for making the most difficult conversations – easier and more productive.

Persuasive Communication for Health Professionals

AACT Now’s unique seminars for health professionals focus on the reality that understanding stress, depression, and the applicable aspects of CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can help us establish stronger rapport and retain patients long enough for them to get more positive clinical outcomes.

Our training seminars are especially relevant to clinicians involved in helping patients successfully facilitate important lifestyle and behavioral changes as a goal of treatment.

“Clinicians can improve medical adherence and outcomes for patients by improving how well they facilitate the mental and emotional aspects of the change process.”

“For patients to get maximum benefit from physiotherapy they often need support in changing behaviour. Edmond Otis built on our undergraduate psychology knowledge and life skills in working with patients, and provided an approach that is soundly based in psychology and sports psychology. In an entertaining and absorbing day he reminded us that ” thoughts generate behaviour”. If patients thoughts are irrational on a health issue, therapists need ways to challenge their thinking and provide reasonable alternatives. Edmond’s approach fits well with physiotherapy and chronic disease management, a field we are facing more and more.”

“Our goal is to enhance clinicians’ fact-to-face abilities to effectively introduce and reinforce relevant therapeutic, wellness, and lifestyle behaviors to a broad range of clients.”

Main Themes of AACT Now’s Therapeutic Communication Training

School Safety!
This is where AACT NOW started

Is preventing Bullying and School Violence becoming a bigger and bigger School Safety challenge?Is the barrage of student defiance and non-compliance behavior whittling away the patience of the staff?

“Are aggressive, angry and argumentative visitors affecting the stress level of your teachers and office staff?”

Countless office staff at schools and district offices around the country lose productive hours quelling the all-too-familiar combative and intimidating visitor who demands immediate attention and often disrupts the culture of the office for the rest of the day.

Getting it right – providing leadership, enforcing policy, resolving problems, maintaining control and civility in situations where emotions run high and people have different agendas is a difficult task, at best.

Making things better – not worse, safer – not more volatile, requires specific identifiable skills. Not simple luck.

Without adequate bullying and school safety training – personnel miss numerous problem-resolving opportunities, and additionally, run the risk of creating problems that did not previously exist. Our belief is that an educated and well trained staff will respond appropriately to the realities of our modern, challenging school environments – and get it right.

School Safety!
Do You Feel Confident?

Bullying, School Violence and a difficult public are common theme that headlines the “to-do” list of most principals, teachers, office staff and school boards in every region of the country. Urban, rural, public, and private schools alike more and more frequently are wasting valuable instructional hours dealing with School Safety issues and diffusing a quarrelsome and contrary community and student population.

AACT programs are FUN and EXCITING!

They RAISE MORALE and MOTIVATE personnel to be more PROACTIVE and EFFECTIVE!

In our work with schools we modify all materials to meet time constraints; satisfy the requirements of specific districts, departments and student groups; and address a wide variety of job classifications such as administrators, teachers, reception/clerical staff, campus-aids, and general support staff.

“AACT NOW or Awareness, Attitude, Communication, Training is a set of comprehensive, practical and easy-to-use skills for successfully negotiating School Safety, Bullying, awkwardly combative situations with disagreeable individuals.”

School Safety Training Programs

AACT NOW – Conflict and Violence Prevention Training Programs for Public Schools offer on-site training in the verbal, emotional and physical inter-personal skills school administrators and personnel need. Our focus on interpersonal dynamics, and our what to do teaching emphasis is unique, and goes to the heart of protecting the educational environment.

The key to the AACT NOW School Safety model is our emphasis on four focus areas for successfully dealing with potentially confrontational, conflictual and violent situations are:

  • Awareness – Identifying Dangerous Interpersonal Dynamics.
  • Attitude – Controlling for the “Predator or Prey Reality”
  • Communication – Avoiding the “Head in the Sand Syndrome”
  • Training – Learned Reactions for Personal Safety

Health and Safety in the Workplace

We offer a communication-based Workplace Safety seminar program to improve your efficiency, Health and Safety, & productivity!

Are you facing struggles in developing or enforcing your workplace safety program? ACT Now programs help client organizations improve their efficiency, Workplace Safety and productivity through the reality-based perspective of collaborative coaching. Our goal is simple: Assist client organizations develop Health and Safety skills and strengths that will enable them to go from where they are to where they need to be.

“See our work in action. Download our comprehensive system-wide Workplace Safety Program for Unison: The Powerlines People, Now!”

People are the problem … and the solution

One undeniable reality is that most workplaces would:

  • Be far more efficient
  • Have better Health and Safety
  • And be more productive

The challenge

While improving a dynamic organization’s efficiency, safety and productivity, isn’t rocket science – in many ways it is just as challenging. Effective Health and Safety training programs requires a combination of applied socio-dynamic group principles with the willingness by individuals in the organization to do a bit extra in the short term, to gain considerably greater rewards in the long term.

The Reality

In many work environments there is still a tendency to think that Health and Safety, while important, slows us down and ultimately cost us money.Yet study, after study, shows that this couldn’t be further from the truth.The fact is that improving Workplace Safety is an all-around win, three times over. It improves morale, leads to considerable cost savings, and actually significantly improves productivity.

The psychological impact

  • Employees who feel better about their work environment and feel their workplace cares about their Health and Safety welfare, work harder, more consistently, have fewer sick days, and waste less time when they are working.
  • A workplace that regularly self-assesses for Workplace Safety risks will lead to fewer injuries and produce a more streamlined and efficient environment.
  • Organizations that have integrated top-to-bottom Workplace Safety procedures as an operating mind-set function more smoothly and are better organized then those that have not. There is less Health and Safety operating “friction” so that they don’t find themselves wasting valuable resources “responding” to unnecessary emergencies, backtracking, and continually re-inventing the wheel. Nor is there the tendency to finger-point, scapegoat, and seek out people to “blame” for what may have happened.
  • More importantly, going through the actual process of bringing everyone “on board”, addressing Health and Wellness issues, expecting precision and excellence, providing feedback and mentoring, improving functional communication is what brings a group of individuals together as a functioning team

RECOMMENDED WORKPLACE SAFETY PROGRAM DELIVERY

The AACT Now program for improving Efficiency, Workplace Safety & Productivity, is optimally designed for delivery to a self-selected group of managers and lead employees over a three-hour interactive period, depending on the organizational needs.It is then recommended that a second 90-minute Safety at Work “workshop” session be delivered to select groups of managers and key personal within three to six weeks of the original presentation. This allows core AACT principles and tasks introduced in the initial session to be more fully integrated into the organisational culture.