Poet James Stevenson once wrote that "Front yards are boring. Backyards tell stories." Harvey Ovshinsky is both an educator and a popular motivational speaker with a life-long passion for helping others discover their own "backyard stories." Among Harvey's most popular presentations are: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS - ONE STORY AT A TIME - Harvey Ovshinsky shares a story with Comerica Bank's Diane Good. The first rule of storytelling is to have something to say. In this workshop, Harvey demonstrates how understanding and mastering the principles of high-impact, content- and thematically-driven storytelling can not only help an organization clarify and hone its story and its themes, but also assist you in defining and expressing one's own personal values and mission both within and outside the workplace. Inforum (formerly the Women's Economic Club) asked Harvey to host this popular workshop for its members in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing. "This was one of our most successful seminars," said Judy Welch, Regional Director of Inforum West Michigan, "With his passionate, hands-on approach, Harvey more than lived up to his reputation as a motivational speaker and a storyteller." AN IDEA IS NOT A STORY - And knowing the difference can mean the difference between success and failure each time a corporation or any organization tries to communicate with customers. Harvey's principles of high-impact, content- and thematically-driven storytelling help clarify and hone brand identity and branding messages, as well as to help define the core values and mission of any program or organization. Participants in this workshop can expect how to better anticipate and satisfy the needs of diverse audiences ranging from potential and existing clients, customers, and stakeholders, to members of the media and potential funders. ONCE UPON A TEAM - Each organization is its own main character, its own protagonist. But every hero needs a sidekick; every Batman needs its Robin. Do your employees work for you or with you? How engaged and connected are they in your company's success? By applying Harvey's content and character-driven storytelling to in-service training and professional development, any employee, regardless of experience, talent or even attitude, can learn how to connect his/her own stories and goals to any work situation. Harvey delivered the keynote address to more than 250 managers and supervisors at the annual "Our Day" conference hosted by Lutheran Social Services of Michigan. "We were looking for a speaker who could help us imagine new ways to better communicate with and motivate our staff and volunteers," said Barbara Lewis, LSSM's Director of Communications. "Harvey's use of content and character-driven storytelling as a tool for teambuilding and professional development made him the perfect choice." TRUE GROWTH: HOW CREATIVE & IMAGINATIVE THINKING CAN HELP US SURVIVE THE MICHIGAN CHALLENGE - There's no end to the deep changes and challenges facing our state. Lack of funding, staff, time, and resources plus lack of basic education and knowledge of procedure and rules can threaten even the most carefully thought out projects and plans for the future. But Harvey doesn't talk about simply how to endure and suffer the painful realities confronting our communities. From his perspective, the real question, the real challenge facing Michigan, is how we can survive this crisis with our hope, faith, confidence, and especially our dreams in tact. And to understand the vital and essential role creative and imaginative thinking can play, not only in our state's survival but also, and especially, in each of our own personal and professional growth and development. WRANGLING THE CAT: HOW TO INSPIRE, PLAN FOR & MANAGE CREATIVE & IMAGINATIVE THINKING IN OURSELVES & OTHERS - It's easy to talk about being imaginative and creative, but where do you start? How do you begin to tap into your team's, your stakeholders' and even your own inventive and resourceful potential? And how do you sustain and manage the tide of creative momentum once released? These are some of the questions Harvey answers with the aid of his own personalized, hands-on, and experiential teaching style he calls Physual™ (physical + visual) learning. Physual™ learning combines demonstrative and humorous elements guaranteed to get anyone, regardless of interests, talent, or skills, up and moving and inspired about what they've learned (about themselves as well as the topic being presented). Harvey has spoken to or presented workshops to the executive staff of Wayne County, as well as to such organizations as Inforum, the Michigan Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the National Chapter of Campus Compact, Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW), Lutheran Social Services of Michigan (LSSM), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the Association of Independent Michigan Schools, the Macomb County Intermediate School District, and the Colorado Language Arts Society.