Psychologist & Executive Coach; Civility and Workplace Culture Expert; TEDx Speaker on Everyday Rudeness and Civility; Author of "Rudeness Rehab: Reclaiming Civility in the Workplace and Your Home Space"; Host of the "Civility Matters" Podcast

Portland, ME, USA

John M. O'Brien, Ph.D. Biography

Dr. John M. O'Brien is a psychologist, executive coach and professional speaker based in Portland, Maine, who helps individuals and organizations replace everyday rudeness with civility, calm and connection.

Dr. O'Brien is the author of, "Rudeness Rehab: Reclaiming Civility in the Workplace and Your Home Space," and host of the, "Civility Matters," podcast, where he unpacks how small slights compound into big consequences for culture, health and relationships. Dr. O'Brien's TEDx talk, "Small Slights, Big Consequences: The Power of Everyday Rudeness," brings this work to a global stage.

Blending psychology, humor and heart, Dr. O'Brien equips audiences with practical tools to build respectful, resilient workplaces and homes. He has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Maine at Augusta since 2000 and speaks and consults through Activate Success and Rudeness Rehab.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 09/22/2026.

John M. O'Brien, Ph.D. Speaking Topics

  • Rudeness Rehab: Reclaiming Civility in the Workplace

    Toxic work environments bleed talent, especially younger workers who are less willing to tolerate negative behaviors of their peers or leaders in the workplace. Workplaces that emphasize psychological safety and civility are much more likely to retain talent and attract top candidates for job openings.

    This session will examine the hidden costs of work environments that do not create boundaries of what is and is not acceptable workplace behavior. Participants will then become familiar with research highlighting the negative effects of "bad behavior" at work and learn strategies to combat these behaviors. with special emphasis on the important role that leaders have in creating a collaborative and productive work environment.

    Despite this awareness, there continues to be an increase in the incidence and negative impact of rudeness and incivility in the workplace.

  • Managing Disruptive Behaviors

    Supervisors face numerous stressors in their roles overseeing the work of their colleagues, on top of the pressures to be productive in their own job. One of the most challenging stressors occurs when conflict emerges within the work environment. Customers, supervisees and even supervisors can be the source of difficult or disruptive behaviors. These behaviors are often difficult to quantify, hard to prove and challenging to address.

    This two-hour training will provide you with the skills to manage disruptive behaviors in the workplace. Participants will learn to describe negative behaviors and their effects on others. The presenter will review conflict management styles and discuss how they can help/hinder the process of addressing conflicts. The workshop will end with a discussion of ways to effectively respond to these challenging behaviors.

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John M. O'Brien, Ph.D. Videos

Cyber Incivility

Cyber Incivility

This is a video clip from the talk that I gave recently at the Maine Municipal Association's HR conference. In this video, I am describing the...

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John M. O'Brien, Ph.D. is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Rudeness Rehab: Reclaiming Civility in the Workplace , Managing Disruptive Behaviors, Motivating the Unmotivated: Igniting Drive and Engagement at Work, Master the art of stress management: Unleash pathways to balanced living and Building Resilience: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention . The estimated speaking fee range to book John M. O'Brien, Ph.D. for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. John M. O'Brien, Ph.D. generally travels from Portland, ME, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jenn Lim, Light Watkins, Dr. Rajeev Kurapati, MD, Joyce Odidison and Mark Divine. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John M. O'Brien, Ph.D. for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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