Courageous Conversations: Communicating with Clarity, Conviction and Kindness

One of the most challenging parts of creating connection with others and becoming transformational leaders is communicating effectively. Especially when we are faced with a difficult conversation, we often find ourselves avoiding, sugar-coating, clumsily landing the message or reacting defensively. While these responses are natural and common, courageous communication requires that we develop more comfort and confidence with candid but kind conversations.

• The audience will gain clarity on the connection between courageous feedback and a thriving culture where people can work to their potential and enjoy their work more

• The audience will identify personal barriers to engaging courageously in difficult conversations

• The audience will explore the combination of two powerful concepts – empathy and radical candor – for enhancing courageous communication

• The audience will learn to minimize defensiveness when engaged in challenging conversations.

Energy: The Key to Successful Work and Life Integration

Energy is one of our most valuable resources yet most of us fail to manage it effectively. This keynote will focus on how we can manage and even expand our energy capacity by connecting to a valuable motivator. Natalie will introduce how to increase wellbeing and workplace performance through intentional management of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy.

• The audience will create a meaningful motivator by identifying a behavioral manifestation of purpose. It will help personalize who and what in their life deserves their energy.

• The audience will recognize science based strategies in each energy dimension (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) to support them in managing and expanding their own energy.

• The audience will practice a resiliency strategy that will help them to create better wellbeing practice in their personal and professional lives.

• The audience will connect with the barriers to managing their energy and understand why managing energy (instead of time) has more value.

Function at Full Capacity: Creating Energy, Connection and Courage

Organizations naturally want their people and teams functioning at full capacity. Historically, though, the idea of “full capacity” has been primarily performance driven, requiring long hours of work and the sacrifice of personal wellbeing.

This approach to business success results in unreasonable expectations, perfectionism, excessive technological connection, lack of work/life balance, toxic cultures, burnout and high turnover.

Do business leaders need to give up on the notion of full capacity functioning in order to create thriving cultures? Just the opposite. Instead, we need to redefine what it means to function at full capacity.

We need to move from “full throttle” to:

• “full of energy”,
• “full of connection” and
• “full of courage”.

Renowned keynote speaker Natalie Johnson leads an inspiring and practical conversation designed to breathe new life into the idea of “functioning at full capacity” through a focus on the three most important elements of a thriving culture: elevating individual energy, increasing team connection and developing courageous leaders.

• Energy:

• Energy, not time, is our most valuable resource. Yet most of us fail to manage it effectively. In this segment, we’ll focus on how to expand energy capacity by connecting to a valuable motivator and attending to physical health, emotional awareness, mental focus and spiritual alignment.

• Connection:

• Most working teams struggle with common factors that derail connection such as: ego, emotional drama, ineffective communication and a lack of trust. Natalie will illustrate the importance of team connection in building a better culture and introduce practices that increase human connection including: psychological safety, courageous conversations and building skills to better manage change and conflict.

• Courage:

• “Old school” leadership relied heavily on a command and control style that skill exists in many organizations today. This “power over” style of leadership is ultimately counterproductive, decreasing collaboration, innovation, connection and resilience. What organizations need instead is self-aware, emotionally intelligent leaders who know how to help others flourish through a “power with” approach. Natalie will guide the audience in a conversation about what this shift looks like, with a focus on leading with courage and vulnerability.

Stress: It's Your Superpower to High Performance

Work and life today are busier than ever. The only constant is change. There is pressure to do more and be plugged in 24/7.

Although stress is a predominant factor in all our lives, research has revealed that the traditional way we view stress isn’t helpful and contributes to burnout.

Science suggests that we can actually use our stress to foster performance, better connect with those that matter, and even extend our life. This session will focus on the updated science of stress and how we can utilize stress as a true superpower.

• The audience will create a Best Self Vision and learn how to use it as a resiliency strategy.

• The audience will learn about three types of stress and be able to categorize their own stressors and create a better response

• The audience will understand strategic micro recovery and what it looks like in their own life.

• The audience will use a skillful storytelling process on their own biggest stressor to create an inspirational journey.