Kindness by Design: How Active Listening Disrupts the Cycle of Incivility

August 13, 2025 12:00 pm Central | Register 1 CHES/MCHES Credit Available

Guest Panelists:

Incivility in the workplace is on the rise, and it hurts all of us. Whether it’s hurtful dismissals or plain disrespect, incivility spreads beyond the perpetrator-victim relationship and undermines the psychological safety of witnesses as well. To combat this toxicity, we need an antidote that not only elevates the quality of our interactions but also spreads quickly and widely. That antidote is kindness. But how can we transition from incivility to kindness in one fell swoop? The active ingredient that bridges this gap is active listening. When we listen to understand rather than to respond, it becomes nearly impossible to act with incivility. In a world where few seem to have time to truly listen anymore, authentic listening is a precious gift.

Join us on August 13th, 2025, as we explore these transformative concepts with Wendy Lynch, PhD and MJ Shaar, MAPP. This interactive webinar will give you the opportunity to ask your questions live while helping you:
Understand how active listening serves as a key ingredient to overcoming incivility in the workplace
Learn about the benefits that come when we move beyond random acts of kindness to adopting an intentional, systematic strategy for cultural change Develop practical strategies to implement active listening techniques that foster psychological safety and build stronger workplace relationships

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how simple shifts in communication can dramatically transform your workplace culture!

SPEAKERS

MJ Shaar, MAPP, HERO Senior Education Fellow  As one of the pioneers in kindness-driven performance, MJ’s work proves that kind people don’t finish last. They lead the pack in creating thriving, high-performing organizations and create ripple effects that extend beyond the workplace into our home lives and broader communities.

Armed with a Bachelor’s in Organizational Behavior and a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology, MJ is a sought-after corporate trainer and keynote speaker. She enjoys partnering with forward-thinking organizations to elevate employee engagement, strengthen team dynamics, and develop inspiring leaders. In her role as Senior Education Fellow at HERO, MJ’s focus is on creating educational programs aiming to improve employee and community health and well-being. MJ’s evidence-based approach marries scientific evidence with personal stories and real-world applications.

She is a regular collaborator for nationally-recognized wellness institutions, such as The American Institute of Preventive Medicine, Health Enhancement Systems, and WellCoaches. She is also an occasional guest speaker at many Ivy League Universities.

Wendy Lynch, PhD, HERO Senior Education Fellow  As a research scientist working in the business world, Dr. Wendy Lynch learned to straddle commercial and academic goals, converting analytic results into market success. Through her experience in diverse work settings she became familiar with (and fascinated by) the unique language of each.  That experience led to her true passion of promoting clear and meaningful conversation that promotes mutual understanding and success. A consultant to numerous Fortune 100 companies, her career includes faculty at the UC Health Sciences Center, VP of Strategic Development at HCMS, Principal at Mercer HR and Board of Directors for two publicly-traded firms. Now Dr. Lynch runs her own consulting firm conducting Big Data analytic projects in Human Capital Management.  In every instance and every setting, communication is key.

A frequent speaker, and author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Lynch has also published four books, including, Get to What Matters: Tools to Transform Conversations at Work.

HOST

Karen Moseley is President & CEO of the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), a national think tank dedicated to advancing best practices in workplace health and well-being. In collaboration with HERO members, Karen and the HERO team provide leadership in research and education by connecting science and practice to demonstrate the value of a health and well-being employer ecosystem.

 

Sponsored by Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) to receive 1 total Category I continuing education contact hours. Provider ID#101039