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Rona Lewis          

CEO of Playful Mind Project & Author of the Forthcoming Book "From P.L.A.Y! to Profit- The 5 Steps to Better Culture, Innovative Thinking, and Productivity"

Rona Lewis champions the inner child! She calls herself a Play Instigator and loves helping corporations and associations improve their culture by guiding employees towards better communication, innovative thinking and team bonding . Lewis is a leading authority on Purposeful and Attuned Play. Psychological safety, emotional intelligence and motivation are positively affected by her talks and programs. She is also the co-founder and CEO of Playful Mind Project.

As an expert, she’s been a guest on TV and radio shows from San Francisco to New York. Her articles have been featured in Corporate Wellness Magazine, Town and Country Magazine, New York’s Pierless Magazine and more. Her background includes a degree from Penn State University. Her Play and creative thinking prowess was helped along with certifications from schools such as Yale, University of Minnesota and The State University of New York as well as studying the Psychology of Play with Dr. Gwen Gordon, Ph.D.

Clients include Honda, Girl Scouts of America, Aetna, JP Morgan, Huntington Hospital, KITE Pharmaceuticals, HBO, Warner Music and many more.

Speech Topics


Unlocking Creativity - A Brainstorming Adventure for Innovative Thinking

This interactive keynote/workshop invites participants into a world where creativity knows no bounds. Through a series of engaging activities, collaborative brainstorming sessions, and interactive discussions, attendees will explore proven techniques to break through mental barriers, stimulate innovative thinking, and foster a culture of creativity within their teams and organizations. From mind-mapping to unconventional brainstorming methods, participants will experience the joy of ideation and leave with a renewed sense of creative empowerment.

Key Takeaways:

  • Diverse Toolbox of Creative Techniques: Participants will be introduced to a diverse set of brainstorming techniques beyond the conventional, such as mind mapping, SCAMPER, and reverse brainstorming. These tools will enrich their creative toolbox, providing practical methods to approach problems from different angles and stimulate innovative solutions.

  • Collaborative Innovation in Action: The workshop places a strong emphasis on collaborative problem-solving. Attendees will experience firsthand the power of collective creativity through group activities and brainstorming sessions. This interactive approach fosters a culture of collaboration and demonstrates how diverse perspectives can lead to more robust and inventive solutions.

  • Practical Application in the Workplace: Beyond theoretical concepts, participants will gain insights into how to apply these creative thinking techniques in their day-to-day work. The workshop includes real-world scenarios, encouraging attendees to envision and implement creative solutions within their professional environments. The practicality of the takeaways ensures that the creative spark ignited during the workshop continues to shine back at the workplace.

From Childlike Wonder to Workplace Wisdom: Unleashing Curiosity for Enhanced Critical Thinking.

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and ever-evolving professional landscapes, this program is a beacon of inspiration for your event. Delivered by an expert in the field, this keynote promises to captivate your audience by unraveling the profound link between childlike curiosity and superior critical thinking skills. As attendees embark on a transformative journey, they will explore the neurological foundations of curiosity, learn strategies to cultivate workplace curiosity and gain actionable insights on applying curiosity to collaborative problem-solving. This isn't just a speech; it's a call to reignite the innate curiosity within us all, leading to enriched professional lives and empowered, forward-thinking teams.

The Secret to Psychological Safety (And It's NOT About Feeling Safe!)

There's a mistaken belief that Psychological Safety is in and of itself, the destination. In reality, Psychological Safety is part of a process that insures that leaders and teams can create an environment of trust, collaboration and innovation.

In this thought-provoking program, Rona takes the audience on a transformative journey of understanding and implementing psychological safety within teams and organizations. With her wealth of expertise in team bonding, innovative thinking, and leadership development, Rona brings a unique perspective to the topic, providing practical strategies and insights that go beyond surface-level approaches.

Through engaging anecdotes, compelling research findings, and interactive exercises, Rona guides the audience through the intricacies of psychological safety. She highlights the relevance of psychological safety in today's rapidly changing work landscape, particularly in the context of the pandemic and the rise of remote and hybrid work arrangements. By addressing the common misconceptions around psychological safety, Rona helps the audience see beyond the superficial solutions and unveils the deeper aspects that contribute to a truly safe and inclusive work environment.

Key Takeaways:

  • Attendees will learn common barriers that hinder the establishment of psychological safety, such as fear, control, and distrust. They'll gain insights into recognizing and addressing these barriers within their teams and organizations. By actively working to reduce fear, relinquish excessive control, and rebuild trust, participants will be equipped with practical techniques to overcome obstacles and create a more psychologically safe environment

  • Attendees will gain an understanding of authenticity in fostering psychological safety. Participants will understand that psychological safety is not just about creating a façade of positivity or avoiding discomfort but about embracing authentic conversations and genuine interactions.

  • Participants will realize that achieving psychological safety is an ongoing journey, requiring consistent effort and commitment. Attendees will be encouraged to view the "secret" as a framework for continuous improvement and growth, cultivating a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and adaptability.

From P.L.A.Y! to Profit: Creating a Culture of Trust, Innovation and Productivity

In this fun and engaging program, Rona shares the 5 steps to better culture, innovative thinking, and productivity, utilizing the foundational aspects of Purposeful and Attuned Play. With more and more companies utilizing Hybrid and remote workers, there’s a litany of issues complicating productivity and employee engagement. Many of these remote workers suffer from loneliness, depression and anxiety caused by negative thought patterns. The result? Lowered productivity and high turnover. What’s needed is a psychologically safe environment, promoting intellectual bravery! Employees need psychological safety to think creatively and be willing to share those creative ideas.

Rona breaks down these 5 steps, engaging attendees with fun and playful insights that build on each other, allowing for easy understanding and customization for any corporate setting, both in-person and remote.

Activities can include improv exercises, focusing on trust and vulnerability; pen and paper exercises, focusing on better creative thinking and interactive games for team building, empathy and innovation.

The outcome of this program gives attendees ammo for shifting thoughts for a more optimistic mindset, allowing for greater vision, innovation, and engagement by their workers and management team.

3 Takeaways:

  • Attendees will learn WHY a playful mindset is the keystone of better company culture and employee engagement.
  • What it takes to shift to a more positive mindset, enhances psychological safety, creativity, innovation and problem solving.
  • Tips, tricks and activities, helping engage workers and keeping them centered, happy and thinking creatively.

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