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Lisa Walden  

Author, Speaker, Researcher & Co-Founder of Good Company Consulting; Advocate for Generational Inclusivity & Holistic Workplace Strategies

Lisa X. Walden is a speaker, strategist, and consultant dedicated to helping businesses create authentic, empowering workplaces that don’t inspire the dreaded Sunday Scaries. Her presentations deliver action-oriented insights that help people better connect, collaborate, and communicate.

As co-founder of Good Company Consulting, her work is centered on the (strangely revolutionary) concept that people and strategy don’t have to be mutually exclusive. She takes a holistic approach to workplace strategy, keeping human beings - arguably the most valuable resources - at front and center. Walden’s speeches focus on how to maintain thriving cultures, best practices for mindful communication practices, and tactics for nurturing the single most important component of a healthy work environment—trust.

Walden has worked with a wide range of clients and organizations, from architects to finance, real estate, and hospitality. In her speeches, Lisa strives to inspire mindset shifts by presenting valuable, research-based insights in a way that resonates, engages, and entertains. She weaves in stories, statistics, case studies, and some good old-fashioned self-deprecating humor into each and every one of her presentations.

Walden is the co-author of "Managing Millennials for Dummies" and "The Future of Work is Human: Transforming Company Culture for a Post-Pandemic World." She is a voracious consumer of all business-related books, podcasts, magazines, and think pieces.

Speech Topics

From A to Z: Evolving Your Workplace for Gen Z

We're standing at the precipice of a workplace revolution, with Generation Z at its forefront. Born digital natives, these young professionals are reshaping what it means to work, communicate, and lead. But here's the thing: many organizations are still stuck in outdated paradigms, struggling to connect with this dynamic generation. It's time for a wake-up call.

In "From A to Z: Evolving Your Workplace for Gen Z," you’ll dive deep into the art of workplace transformation. It's a blueprint for creating the kind of organization that not only attracts top Gen Z talent (while not alienating other generations) but nurtures their potential and harnesses their unique strengths.

Drawing from extensive research and real conversations with Gen Z professionals, you’ll see a vivid picture of what the future of work can and should look like. More importantly, you’ll walk away with the tools to start that redesign today.

Takeaways include:

  • A look at the “why” behind the “what” of Gen Z behavior and motivation
  • Insights into how to become the compassionate, authentic leaders who inspire Gen Z
  • Identifying how Gen Z is transforming the way work works
  • Strategies to craft a culture for Gen Z while staying true to who you are now

Beyond the Paycheck: Cultivating Engagement in Your Workforce

The rulebook for motivating and engaging employees has been completely rewritten. Annual bonuses and employee-of-the-month plaques may have driven engagement in the past, but today it’s just not enough to keep people motivated in the long term.

Make no mistake, salary and pay still matter for every working individual, and there’s opportunity to motivate in addition to those foundational financial components. This presentation will challenge you to think beyond extrinsic rewards and dig into how to have authentic conversations about what drives your team, how to design a work culture that ignites passion, and how to create an environment where people are energized by challenges rather than drained by them.

In this deep dive, you’ll learn the latest research on what really drives people in the modern workplace and actionable strategies to transform your approach to motivation and engagement.

Get ready to explore:

  • The Motivation Revolution: Why traditional carrots and sticks are failing, and what's replacing them
  • Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic: Harnessing the power of internal drive over external rewards
  • Belonging in the Digital Age: Fostering true connection in remote and hybrid environments
  • Real-time Recognition: Moving beyond annual reviews to constant, meaningful feedback

Work is Where the Wi-Fi Is: Mastering the Art of Hybrid Work

The hybrid work revolution promised flexibility and freedom, but for many, it's delivered complexity and confusion. We're navigating uncharted waters, where the boundaries between work and life are blurrier than ever, and our notion of why we need to go to the office is constantly shifting.

While it can feel like an unending quest to discover the best hybrid work rules, the trick is actually proactive strategies instead of reactive policies. In this presentation you will learn the guiding principles to create a hybrid workplace that works for everyone. You’ll discover how to create rituals that bridge the digital-physical divide, how to redesign workflows for asynchronous excellence, and how to lead with empathy in a world where face-to-face interactions are no longer a given.

Takeaways Include:

  • Leaning into intentionality to make meetings purposeful, productive engagements
  • Practical strategies to redesign how you communicate, connect, and collaborate
  • Best practices from organizations with proven awesome virtual and hybrid workplaces
  • How to craft strong culture and community in a distributed workplace

Memos to Memes: Cracking the Generational Communication Code at Work

In today's constantly changing workplace, communication can be our greatest asset… and our biggest frustration. The days of one-size-fits-all memos are long gone, replaced by a dizzying array of channels, styles, and yes, even memes. With five generations now working side by side, it's like we're all speaking different dialects of the same language.

"Memos to Memes: Cracking the Generational Communication Code at Work" is your Rosetta Stone for navigating this complex landscape. We're diving deep into the communication preferences and pitfalls of each generation, from the Baby Boomers who still appreciate a well-crafted email, to the Gen Zers who can convey an entire strategy meeting in shorthand and a few emojis.

Whether you're a Boomer trying to connect with new hires or a Millennial manager bridging the gap between your Gen X leaders and Gen Z interns, this presentation will equip you with the practical tools to improve collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and leverage the unique communication strengths of each generation.

Takeaways include:

  • How to convey your message effectively across generational lines
  • A look at generational communication styles, including strengths and blind spots for each cohort
  • Strategies for fostering inter-generational understanding
  • Digital natives vs. digital adapters, and how to navigate tensions around technology’s role in workplace communication

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

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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

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