Lavon Gray
- Organizational Conflict Specialist
- Award-Winning Author
- Business Owner
- Professor
- NCAA Football Referee
Travels From
Mississippi
Lavon Gray Speaker Biography
These are just a few of the hats worn by Dr. Lavon Gray.
From conference rooms filled with bully bosses and passive aggressive co-workers, to college football stadiums filled with screaming coaches and out of control fans, when it comes to conflict, Lavon has seen it all. More importantly, he learned to thrive in the middle of the chaos! As a result, over the past thirty years Lavon has accumulated more than 7,000 hours of platform experience helping leaders across the United States resolve conflict, gain traction, and lead their organizations to healthier futures.
Lavon holds the designation of Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) from the National Speakers Association (NSA), which places him among the top echelon of professional speakers in the world. The Certified Speaking Professional designation, established in 1980, is the speaking industry’s international measure of professional platform skill and has only been earned by 17 percent of NSA members worldwide.
A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. in political science, Lavon also holds a PhD with a specialization in administration and an MBA in entrepreneurship and family enterprise from Louisiana State University (Shreveport), as well as certificates in mediation from Northwestern University, conflict resolution from Cornell University, and leadership and persuasion from Harvard University. A certified speaker and leadership coach with The John Maxwell Team, Lavon has written five books, including Never Wrestle with Pigs: A Survival Guide for Dealing with Difficult Personalities, and developed the Blue Hen OCI Health Index to help organizations identify their internal conflict levels and develop strategies that promote organizational health.
“Never Wrestle with Pigs” (60-minute keynote)
Format: Live or Virtual
Conflict is a reality of life. Unfortunately, we have a tendency to fight battles that aren’t all that important, which leaves us too tired to fight the ones we need to win. This keynote uses humor to focus on various personality types found in the workplace and how leaders can effectively navigate conflict. Never Wrestle with Pigs always leaves audiences laughing and inspired to strengthen their relational and conflict resolution skills.
“Choose to Defuse” (60-minute keynote)
Format: Live or Virtual
In Choose to Defuse, Lavon relates principles learned as a NCAA baseball and football official to the workplace providing tools for effective conflict resolution. Recent research indicates U.S. companies lose over $359 billion every year because of organizational conflict. But while conflict is inevitable, it doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Choose to Defuse focuses on identifying anger triggers, techniques for healthy conflict resolution and leveraging conflict for organizational health.
“Invisible No More” (60-minute keynote)
Format: Live or Virtual
Have you ever felt invisible? While this may sound like a ridiculous question, the truth is our work cultures are filled with people who are invisible, or what we more commonly refer to as lonely. This powerful keynote focuses on the power of relationships to add value to teams while providing the foundation for organizational success. More than just another session on “networking,” Lavon uses powerful storytelling to inspire listeners to intentionally engage in building high-impact relationships, while at the same time removing the “cloak of invisibility” from the lives of those around them. Your team will never look at your relationships the same after this keynote.
Define Your Tomorrow” (60-minute keynote)
Format: Live or Virtual
Lavon believes individuals and organizations are not defined by yesterday, but rather how they shape tomorrow. In this motivational and inspirational keynote, Lavon shares his personal journey from intense poverty to success, as well as challenges that he had to be overcome throughout his life. The audience will leave with an appreciation for overcoming adversity in life, as well as an understanding that we are not defined by yesterday, but how we shape tomorrow.
