Lisa Walden Speaking Topics

• The Future is Human: Creating People-First Work Cultures

  Based on their upcoming book, "The Future of Work is Human: Transforming Company Culture for a Post-Pandemic World."

  We are entering a new era of work, one where businesses win when leaders are compassionate, communication is empathetic, and people are prioritized. But that transformation, much like any kind of change, requires a great degree of intention and care. By embracing the workplace lessons learned during the pandemic years there’s an opportunity to design the kind of organization we all want to work in, and a culture we can all be a part of. In this presentation, you’ll learn how to create a healthier, happier, and ultimately more successful workplace culture by putting people first. Steeped in years of research and listening (really listening) to employees at all levels, it will paint the picture of what the future of work can and should look like, and how you can get started with that redesign right away.

  Takeaways include:

  • An exploration of the three cornerstones of compassionate leadership
  • Strategies to take organizational communication from autopilot to intentional and empathetic
  • Tactical tools to start transforming your work culture
  • Sneak peek into Gen Z and what they want most from employers

• Staying Human in the Age of AI

  First, there was the computer, then the search engine, the smartphone, social media, and now… there’s AI. All of these revolutionary technological innovations have upended the way we communicate, lead, and get work done. And while it’s tempting to consider AI as the one tool to rule them all, we have to approach this time with intention and a little bit of care. To successfully implement AI into any workforce, leaders need to strike a happy balance between embracing artificial intelligence and nurturing emotional intelligence; they need to prioritize the people who are using AI. Because while technology may improve how we do so much at work, one thing remains the same: when leaders center humans at work, everyone wins.

  Takeaways:

  • Understand how EI and AI work together to help organizations succeed
  • Best practices from teams that view AI as a tool that complements a people-first mindset
  • Strategies to keep humans and EI front and center amidst change
  • The soft skills that are critical for success in this brave new world of work

The Alchemy of Trust

Building teams that really work. Establishing trust at work is no simple matter. People have devoted entire lives trying to pinpoint that special, almost magical alchemy behind cohesive, collaborative, and trusting teams. While every organization is different, and no two teams will be the same, there are some core concepts that can help leaders craft their own cultures of trust. In this presentation, we identify common (and sometimes surprising) barriers and break down the key ingredients required to build strong, truly trusting teams. From consistent messaging to embracing candor, to admitting vulnerabilities and extending grace, The Alchemy of Trust highlights the “why” and demystifies the “how,” all while providing actionable insights that can be implemented the very next day.

Takeaways Include:

• How to establish psychological safety so employees feel confident taking calculated, innovative risks
• Critical, sometimes counterintuitive mindsets that will create buy-in and help bridge gaps across teams
• Case studies from organizations that have figured out how to successfully build trust, be it in-person or in a virtual or hybrid setting

Why Connections at Work Matter

Strategies to build relationships authentically. Technology has changed the way we work, in ways both good and bad. With much of our communication shifting from face-to-face to screen-to-screen, building authentic work relationships is harder now than ever before. With study after study citing strong professional relationships as a key factor for engagement, motivation, and work satisfaction, now is the time to acquire the skills to build and maintain connections at work. In this presentation, we identify what’s getting in the way of connecting authentically at work, explore strategies to shape stronger teams, and present best practices from organizations that have discovered the secret sauce to building communities of supportive and interconnected peers.

Takeaways Include:

• How to remove barriers that prevent meaningful relationships at work
• Using a people-first approach to create a sense of belonging and appreciation
• Overcoming the need to be “perfect,” and instead, learning how to show up as your authentic self

Reclaiming Work: Finding Your Flow in Chaotic Times

The workforce is struggling. Struggling to stay motivated, to prioritize tasks and remain productive, and even struggling to find the energy to just show up. With terms like brain fog, languishing, burnout, and pandemic fatigue hovering over our day-to-day, it’s no surprise that engagement is faltering and people feel like they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. But the show must go on! And leaders are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to reinvigorate employees who are overworked and exhausted. The good news? It is actually possible to reclaim some control over how we show up at work, even in the midst of trying times. This presentation offers a path forward by presenting concrete strategies to reclaim control over focus, attention, motivation, and productivity. Through research that validates why you’re feeling the way you are and tools that can help you break through the fog, this presentation answers the question, “how can I feel motivated again?”

Takeaways include:

• Tactics to eliminate distractions and find your focus
• Tools to prioritize your workload and maximize efficiency
• Ideas to reignite your energy and help you stay motivated and on track
• Mindset shifts around how to do your best at work while being mindful of well-being

Work Reimagined: Critical Shifts for Today's Workplace

We are boldly striding into a brave new world of work. As organizations, leaders, and employees try to reconcile what it means to “return to the office,” so many questions are being asked about what this next normal should look like. Do we start from scratch? Do we go back to the way things were? Do we tackle the challenges of hybrid work? With all these questions comes all the anxiety. And while it might be tempting to return to what was familiar and comfortable before, we need to take recent lessons to heart and courageously create a work environment that serves both the organization and the humans doing the work. A workplace reimagined is one that leads with a people-first approach, proactively creates a burnout-free but productive culture, and embraces flexible policies without sacrificing the connection and collaboration of in-person work. It might feel daunting, but it is doable—and this presentation shows you how.

Takeaways:

• Framework to shift your mindset and reimagine the future of work
• The Do’s and Don’ts of returning to work
• Fresh insights on how to prevent and manage stress during change
• Techniques to spot hybrid work hazards before they happen
• Practical strategies to redesign how you motivate, engage, and lead