Terry "Mack" McKinney

I am a recognized expert at dealing with difficult people. I am Terry McKinney, nickname "Mack". I have a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Kentucky and a master’s certificate in Global Business Management from George Washington University.

But more importantly, I have over five decades of experience finding ways to work effectively with people - - - civilian, military, technical, management, experienced, inexperienced, North American, South American, European, Asian, African, Arab - - - every type of mindset and worldview imaginable. I have managed to get diverse groups to work together on hundreds of projects and programs, large and small, structured and impromptu.

I write and speak about important techniques for working with difficult (even impossible) people worldwide. Mental health professionals and experienced business/technical leaders have further developed and perfected these proven techniques. I also write about lessons I have personally learned, many of them painful at the time. In my books and speaking engagements I discuss actual confrontations and disagreements with colleagues, bosses, peers, friends and family plus how people can avoid similar events or at least turn them into positive outcomes for everyone.

Offering lessons learned, without citing real world examples, is just lecturing. So my writing and training classes include multiple case studies and first person experiences to drive home key points, along with "what would you do" challenges.

I am also a professional writer and help people ramp up their communication: no more emails being ignored, no more having your ideas sidelined in meetings. My books and coaching help writers and speakers make an impact, get noticed and get more respect for their word choices and phrasing.

My upcoming book on resilience has never-before-published techniques taught to staffs at major US companies. These tips and methods are proven to improve performance, increase work satisfaction and get people through tough times in life and at work.