Meeting/Event Information

Showing Up at Work: Navigating the Awkward Zone™
Presented By: Beth Heiss

Beth Heiss is a workforce strategist, leadership consultant, and owner of Positive Pivot LLC, where she delivers customized training on Navigating the Awkward Zone™, supportive leadership, workplace well-being, and trauma-informed practices.

Since founding Positive Pivot in 2022, Beth has facilitated interactive workshops and keynote sessions that equip leaders with practical tools to build trust, reduce burnout, strengthen emotional intelligence, and confidently support employees during challenging moments. Her work integrates strengths-based development, resilience strategies, conflict management, restorative practices, and neuromarketing insights to drive measurable change.

Beth also serves as Director of Professional Programs & Training at Eastern Michigan University, leading large-scale professional education initiatives and professional development for HR professionals, safety leaders, and workforce teams. 

Program Summary:

In today’s workplace, leaders and HR professionals are expected to support the whole employee, yet many hesitate when faced with signs of distress, burnout, conflict, or personal crisis. This hesitation lives in the “Awkward Zone™” which is the space between noticing someone is struggling and knowing what to say or do.

In this interactive session, participants will explore the internal barriers that prevent supportive action and showing up. Through practical frameworks and real-world workplace scenarios, attendees will learn how to confidently initiate supportive conversations while maintaining accountability, performance expectations, and professional boundaries.

Participants will leave with actionable tools to enhance employee experience, strengthen culture, and position HR as a strategic partner in building resilient, high-performing teams.

Learning Outcomes:
Participants will be able to:

• Identify behavioral barriers that impact engagement and retention
• Strengthen psychological safety across teams
• Apply language and structure for difficult workplace conversations
• Build confidence in navigating burnout, conflict, and crisis

Attend & Earn: 1.25 SHRM Credit / 1.25 HRCI Credit