HR professionals often find themselves in high-stakes conversations, managing conflicts, de-escalating tensions, and fostering collaboration in challenging environments.
In this session, Scott Tillema, a retired SWAT negotiator and expert in crisis communication, shares proven methods from the world of hostage negotiation to help HR leaders navigate workplace crises and resolve conflicts effectively. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, attendees will learn steps to achieving influence, how to build trust quickly, and guide conversations toward positive outcomes, even in the most contentious situations.
Being able to move from crisis to resolution is one of the most critical skills HR professionals need in a polarized, emotionally charged environment. This session will give you the techniques and the confidence to find success!
Learning Outcome 1: Master De-escalation Techniques: Learn how to diffuse emotionally charged situations by employing active listening, empathy, and tactical communication strategies used by hostage negotiators.
Learning Outcome 2: Build Rapid Trust: Discover how to establish trust and credibility quickly to create a foundation for resolving conflicts and fostering cooperation among team members through delivery techniques and non-verbals.
Learning Outcome 3: Navigate Difficult Conversations: Gain actionable tools to handle high-stakes or sensitive workplace discussions, ensuring resolution while preserving relationships and morale.
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Scott Tillema
Partner
The Negotiations Collective
Connect Online with this Speaker
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Scott is an internationally recognized crisis negotiator, advisor, trainer and keynote speaker. He is known and respected for his experience negotiating in highly charged situations, with high stakes and when the situation requires sensitivity to the human element. Clients, audiences and students alike, find Scott’s teachings, insightful, inspiring and pragmatic.
Scott worked as a hostage/crisis negotiator with one of the largest regional SWAT teams in the United States for many years before moving into the role of a negotiations speaker and trainer. He has over 20 years of law enforcement experience and retired from a Chicago area police department in 2023 at the rank of Lieutenant. He was trained by in negotiation by the FBI and has studied at the Harvard University Program on Negotiation, at IMD Business School, and he continues to receive training from the world’s top negotiators.
​Scott is a prolific trainer within the negotiation field and travels the country and around the world speaking to a wide variety of audiences. He has taught negotiations at Harvard University, for the FBI, and has keynoted for companies such as Microsoft and Bosch. In 2016, he was invited to give a TEDx talk titled “The Secrets of Hostage Negotiators”, which has received over 1 million views. His visibility as a speaker and educator through TEDx and other venues has reached global status.
Scott currently resides in the Chicago area and is a Partner and co-founder with the Negotiations Collective, where he works with organizations and their leaders on how to have difficult conversations to resolve conflict and increase their influence.