Betsy Myers Speaking Topics

• Rethinking and Reshaping Your Personal Leadership Agenda

  Betsy explores the fundamental leadership skills of personal and interpersonal leadership development. She believes the hardest person you will ever manage is yourself. In this presentation, Betsy uncovers the key tools to use while thinking about and exploring personal leadership effectiveness. Her remarks focus on personal authenticity, how to seek out and understand your personal and organizational effectiveness, developing a personal advisory board, establishing critical listening skills, and the importance of appreciating and acknowledging yourself and your team.

• Women and Leadership

  In this provocative presentation, Betsy discusses important research and thinking around women in leadership. She explores the history of the movement for equality and shares insights gleaned from her work with Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and Bella Abzug. Tracing her own career path from the financial services industry to her roles in the Clinton Administration, the Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership, and the Obama Presidential Campaign, Betsy brings perspective from her experiences as a successful female leader. She helps audiences understand what it will take to continue closing the confidence gap, how to confront the balance question, (Is it really possible?), the different leadership styles of men and women, and leadership necessary for the next generation of women.

Leadership Round-Up

There is a new leadership model that is changing the field of leadership. Leading with love and putting your people first is quickly becoming a mantra of successful companies such as Southwest Airlines, T.J. Maxx, and Chick-fil-A. This keynote will focus on the new leadership model needed for a changing workplace that includes multi-generations, minorities, women and takes into account the diversity of our times. It is not just the right thing to do but it is also profitable.

The New Paradigm of Leadership

Change is all around us and todays leaders are confronted with a changing work force. The command-and-control leadership style that worked in the past does not work today. In 2008, 70% of new entrants to the workplace were women and minorities. This changing workforce also includes generational differences, technology, global relationships, and womens roles. Betsy will discuss the important leadership skills needed not only for today but into the next decade while emphasizing diversity in the workplace.

Authentic Leadership and the Leader in You

The leader in each of us is realized the moment we say, This is the real me. What is the pearl that each of us is adding to the world and how do we identify that special quality? During the past 50 years, leadership scholars have conducted more than 1,000 studies to determine definitive styles, characteristics, or personality traits of the ideal leader. None have produced a clear profile or consistent skills, traits, or styles that led to success, rather; leadership emerged from our life stories. Authenticity is an understanding of our personal story and what gives us meaning in our lives. We trust leaders who are authentic and not trying to be someone else. In this session, Betsy will take listeners through the journey of authentic leadership, what it looks like for each of us, and how we can help others around us live their most authentic life.

Leadership is a Feeling

Research and statistics indicate that as many as one in two American workers feel disconnected in their workplace. This accounts for $350 billion of lost productivity each year. At the same time, American companies spend millions a year on leadership development programs. Betsy challenges us by asking, Are we teaching the right practices to our future leaders? Her book, Take the Lead: Motivate, Inspire and Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Everyone Around You, (September, 2011), describes an often counterintuitive view of leadership. When people feel valued, supported, appreciated, included, and understood, they are inspired to do their best work. The job of any leader is to bring out the productive feelings of their people. Betsy describes seven principles that serve as a road map for any leader who aspires to bring out the best in their people. This is not just the right thing to do, but is a proven strategy to profitability and success.