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Brad Karsh is the founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions. An accomplished public speaker and generational expert, Brad has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and Dr. Phil, and has been quoted in all-but-one of the following publications: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, USA Today, and Tiger Beat. Brad is also the author of three business books including the critically acclaimed Manager 3.0: A Millennial's Guide to Rewriting the Rules of Management, which you can read in Mandarin (assuming you can read Mandarin). Prior to creating JB Training Solutions, Brad spent 15 years at advertising agency Leo Burnett in Chicago. Today, Brad travels the world speaking at major organizations including Google, Marriott, Discover, Eli Lilly, and The Chicago Blackhawks, among many others. Brad presents annually at the Society for Human Resource Management National Conference and was ranked #1 out of more than 200 speakers. When he's not enjoying a copious buffet, you can find Brad playing racquetball, avoiding all cheese, or drafting the perfect fantasy football roster. Brad is left-handed.

Brad Karsh

October 2022 - TD Magazine

Guide managers on driving employee engagement—and subsequently retaining talent.

Do You Feel the Churn?

With each generation entering the workplace, different preferences toward learning emerge, and many trends spike in popularity.

Engaging the Newest Generation in the Workplace

June 2023 - The Buzz

There are three common types of poorly delivered feedback—“drive-by” feedback, where the boss quickly delivers criticism without proper context or guidance; “blunt force” feedback, which is excessively harsh and lacks constructive elements; and “sile

What to Do When You Receive Bad Feedback From Your Boss

Empowering employees to publicize and promote your organization's brand can give you a clear edge in the war for talent.

How to Turn Your Employees Into Brand Advocates

As Gen Z prepares to enter the workforce, we have a great opportunity to learn from the past.

Gen Z Is Coming—Don’t Make the Same Mistakes You Did With Millennials

I was raised in Utah, where a cultural aversion to hard conversations often exists. People value harmony, so hard truths are sometimes softened to the point of marshmallow-like meaninglessness. Other cultures across the US—and throughout the world—have similar aversions.But I’ve learned that avoiding necessary conversations doesn’t preserve relationships—it erodes them. The challenge is not whether to have a conversation, but how to do so in a way that aligns with cultural values. Here’s how you can navigate this.Start With Warmth, Then Add CandorIn cultures that prize politeness, the key to effective conversations is blending truth with warmth. Start with a statement that affirms the relationship before raising the concern. Instead of jumping straight into the problem, say something like:“I really value working with you, and I want to make sure we’re both set up for success. I’ve noticed something I’d love to get your thoughts on.”This approach signals that your intent is not to attack but to strengthen the relationship.Lean On Shared ValuesIn cultures that place a high value on hospitality, kindness, and community, frame your concerns in a way that aligns with these values. For example:“Our team is important to me, and I want to make sure we’re supporting each other as a team. I think if we talk about this openly, we can find a solution that works for everyone.”When you connect the conversation to what people already care about, it feels less like conflict and more like collaboration.Respect the DanceIn some cultures, conversations are direct and quick. In others, they are more like a dance—gradual, measured, full of subtle cues. People may circle the issue before approaching it directly, testing the waters with humor, shared stories, or indirect hints. If you push too hard or move too quickly, it can feel like stepping on toes—disrupting the rhythm of the exchange. If the person you’re speaking with prefers a slower, more indirect approach, let them set the pace. Give them space to process.Silence isn’t always withdrawal—it’s often respect. By honoring the natural flow of the conversation, you make it more likely that both of you will stay engaged, rather than retreating into politeness or passive resistance.Remember: Kindness Without Honesty Isn’t KindnessMany people equate kindness with avoiding hard conversations. But real kindness isn’t about keeping the peace at all costs—it’s about caring enough to address issues before they grow into resentment. The most respectful thing you can do is to be clear in a way that preserves dignity.I have a colleague who grew up in the Deep South. She told me that in her family, disagreeing openly was considered a sign of bad manners. As she got older, she realized something—when people didn’t speak up, problems festered. Relationships suffered. And when someone did finally say something, it often came out in an explosion of long-suppressed frustration.She learned that being honest didn’t have to mean being harsh. She found ways to be clear and warm.Caring isn’t about avoiding crucial conversations. It’s about having them in a way that respects both the relationship and the truth. And when you do that, you’re not just honoring cultural norms—you’re elevating them. 

How to Respect Cultural Differences in Crucial Conversations

(Alexandria, VA), March 2, 2018 – The Association for Talent Development (ATD) announces that Michael Nehoray, VP Global Talent Development for Mattel, Inc. has joined its board of directors. He is serving a three-year term, 2018-2020.The scope of Michael’s role at Mattel includes learning and development, talent management, employee engagement, and culture across the 60+ countries Mattel operates in globally. He has led the development and launch of corporate universities, built talent management practices, and more recently, led cultural transformations during his time at Mattel. His background as a learning and development leader spans across a broad range of industries, including technology and healthcare where he led learning and organization development for several divisions at Intuit and Health Net.Michael holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology from the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management at the California School of Professional Psychology, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA.About ATDThe Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world’s largest professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees, improve performance, and help to achieve results for the organizations they serve. Established in 1943, the association was previously known as the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).ATD’s members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports talent development professionals who gather locally in volunteer-led U.S. chapters and international member networks, and with international strategic partners. For more information, visit www.td.org.

Mattel’s Michael Nehoray Joins the Association for Talent Development Board of Directors

It’s the big question many employers have: Why do my employees keep walking out the door? Some point to disengagement in the job. Others say there’s a gap in the hiring process. And others say it’s the employees’ fault for not trying hard enough. Whatever the case may be, it all comes down to one core value: trust.If you have a high turnover rate in your organization, you may want to focus your efforts on building trust within the organization. Why? Because employees who work in a trusting environment are likely to experience higher job satisfaction and stay longer. The Ken Blanchard Companies surveyed more than 1,000 leaders and found that 59 percent of the respondents quit their jobs because there were trust issues, with a lack of communication and dishonesty as the leading factors contributing to their decision.A toxic work environment of mistrust can be deadly to an organization, its productivity, and its bottom line. So the big question is: How can you build trust in your organization? The solution lies within you and your behavior, regardless of your position or title in the company. As I have stated many times in previous posts, everyone has the ability to be a ground floor leader.Here are six ways that you can build trust in your organization.Demonstrate TrustIn order to win people’s trust, you have to show trust. Developing strict policies for all that are really only intended for rule-breakers leaves people angry and frustrated with their work environment, creating a sense of mistrust within the organization.Be TransparentMost of us work in knowledge organizations, where communication is key. Be transparent in the information you share and show people that you trust them with the highest level of confidentiality. People want to feel like they are part of a team; if some are left out of the loop, they will feel disengaged and gain a sense of mistrust.Be HonestDon’t sugarcoat bad news and don’t try to be strategic about how you say things. Say what you mean and mean it when you say it. Being open and honest develops trust for solid relationships so have integrity and don’t leave anything out when you share information.Eliminate CompetitionDon’t make your work environment like the reality TV show The Apprentice. Make sure everyone is a winner at the end of the day and encourage the team atmosphere. If everyone is competing for the top spot, your results will suffer. Trusting relationships develop from those who believe that others “have their backs” in all situations.Practice HumilityIf you are humble enough to admit your mistakes and show what you learned from them, you will gain a great deal of respect. The opposite is true if you develop a habit of lying. Practicing humility builds trust between people, showing a confidence that there will be no harsh judgment when a mistake is made.Create a Trusting EnvironmentA trusting environment is key to keeping your employees engaged and employed at your organization. The second that employees feel a sense of mistrust, they will begin looking to take their talent elsewhere. Create a positive, uplifting atmosphere that allows people to thrive and function at their very best.Editor’s Note: This post is adapted from an earlier post by Dan Schwartz, “The Retention Rejuvenator.”

Why Employees Quit: Trustless Work Syndrome

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you now have access to affordable, high-quality recording equipment and software. The bad news is that even though your equipment may be semi-pro, your voiceover performance is still amateur. And, hey, that’s not something you should beat yourself up about. If it were just a matter of showing up and talking into a microphone, there would be no such thing as a professional voiceover actor. Unfortunately, you can’t always afford a pro, but you can learn from their craft to improve your own DIY performance.Get Over YourselfSo let me guess…you hate the sound of your own voice, right? We’ve all had the experience of hearing our voice on a recording and wondering, “Do I really sound like that?”  Yes, you really do.That “awful” voice you hear in the recordings? That’s what the rest of us hear when you talk, and we think it’s just fine. As a voiceover performer, your voice is your instrument, so you had better make friends with it. The more you practice and listen to your recordings, the more comfortable you’ll be.Got a bad case of the nerves? Practice is the best medicine for that, too. You might lock up when you sit down in front of a microphone the first time, but the more you practice, the easier it will get. Remind yourself that no one listening to your performance is judging you as harshly as you are. Take a deep breath and just keep practicing.Preparing for the GigProfessional voiceover performers drink water like it’s their job, because it is. Hydration will have a huge effect on your performance, so be like a pro and start sipping water at least two hours before you’re scheduled to record. This prevents strained, rough-sounding recordings full of the dreaded “mouth click.” Avoid smoking and spicy foods before a performance unless you’re going for the Clint Eastwood/Batman/sandpaper sound. Also, don’t eat dairy the day of your performance—it produces mucus (a.k.a. “mouth sludge”). While you’re drinking your water, take a look at the script and read it out loud. Are there any tongue twisters? Awkward phrases that look fine on paper but sound weird when you say them out loud? If this is your own script, you still have time to improve it. If it’s someone else’s and you’re not allowed to touch it, at least you can practice those tongue twisters so they don’t sneak up on you during the recording.  Give yourself some direction. Take a pencil and mark up the script. If you want to emphasize a particular word, underline it. If a phrase should be spoken with a rising inflection, draw an upward arrow next to it. There are some industry norms for markup notation, but use whatever works for you. ShowtimeThe best way to deliver copy is standing up, but that’s usually not practical in a DIY recording situation. If you must sit, sit on the edge of your chair with your left knee pointed down at the floor. This forces you to straighten your back and allows you to breathe more easily. It also gives your diaphragm plenty of space. Also, keep your chin parallel to the floor. (When you look up, your vocal chords stretch; when you look down, they constrict. Neither is good for your performance.)Your breath is the fuel of your performance, so take a deep in-breath before starting each new line of copy. This will prevent you from needing to take a distracting catch-up breath in the middle of a line. A deep inhalation should move your belly, not your chest. Shallow chest breathing will cause you to run out of gas in the middle of a phrase.When you deliver, don’t try to imitate a “radio voice.” You don’t have a radio voice, and even if you did, that probably wouldn’t be the right tone for your e-learning project anyway. Instead, visualize a member of your audience and imagine you’re talking directly to him or her. A conversational voice is going to carry more credibility than the kind of smooth announcer voice that most people associate with used car ads.Put some emotion in your voice when the script calls for it. In fact, ham it up a little. Remember that the audience will not be able to pick up on your non-visual cues. What feels like a subtle, understated performance to you will sound like a boring monotone to your audience. What feels like a slightly over-the-top emotional performance to you will usually be just enough for your audience to hear in the final product.Deliver multiple takes for each line of copy, even if you think you’ve nailed it on the first one. Your perfect delivery might have the sound of a chair squeaking in the background. Having multiple takes to choose from is called “coverage” and you want lots of it. It will help you later in the editing process if you call the take out loud before each delivery (“Take 1…” “Take 2...” etc.).Cut!If your nerves get to you, take a couple of deep breaths and start a new take. If you’re really stuck on a given section, just move on to the next one and come back after you’ve built some momentum. Just keep going until your nerves cool off. Remember: you’re recording digitally, and you’re not going to run out of tape.If your mouth is sludgy and you’re getting a lot of “mouth click” or other gross sounds in the recording, take a few sips of water. (You should be drinking it throughout the session anyway.)  If you’ve got really stubborn sludge, eat a green apple. The acid will dissolve the mucus and other gunk to give you a clean, click-free mouth.That’s a WrapEven if you’ve got a good voice and a decent recording setup, you might still feel unsatisfied with the results. Keep things in perspective: you’re not recording a movie trailer or a luxury car commercial. E-learning is about learning, after all, and your audience will probably learn just as much from you as they would from James Earl Jones. Now go have some fun and don’t forget to keep your most embarrassing recordings for the outtake reel.

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