“Knowledgeable, fascinating, inspiring & so relatable! Kirsten is professional, warm, engaging, and an impactful speaker.”
– Jo Wood, Thresholds
Kirsten - On Stage & Online
That testimonial from Jo made me feel brilliant.
But this isn’t about me feeling good.
I’m a big believer in showing rather than telling, so rather than throw all the details at you right here, take a look at some of my videos of me ‘in action’ below. And don’t worry – everyone remains clothed throughout!
If you want to know which kind of audience benefits best from a talk or a Q&A with me, then female audiences is a pretty fair summation – as is any organisation that’s wanting to take mental health in the workplace more seriously. But I believe everyone can benefit from learning more about overcoming Imposter Syndrome, and developing the Mindset & Skillset for leadership success!
I have a range of signature talks that I tailor to corporate organisations and charities alike to best suit your needs and audiences:
Hear about Kirsten's most popular talks
Imposter Syndrome: how your Mindset can hold you back (and what to do about it)
My signature talk, this will answer the questions your audience might have about Imposter Syndrome, and also help them learn some transformational tools that will help them overcome it starting from today. This talk has the additional & important benefit of starting an open conversation about mental health in your workplace.
- What is Imposter Syndrome, and where does it come from?
- Who suffers most with it, and why?
- What is actually going on in your brain – and why does it matter?
- How does Imposter Syndrome affect your career/ leadership skills?
- And what can you do about it?
Ideal audience:
- Corporate teams at any level
- Particularly relevant for female audiences or for events celebrating female leadership
- Or to support discussion/ key events around Mental Health.
Format:
- One hour interactive keynote presentation, including time for questions, with audiences of 100s
- Or this can be delivered as a half-day workshop for a smaller group
Sink or Swim? The Leadership Skill gaps that could ruin your career (and how to plug them)
We all think we know what the important leadership skills are, but do we really? The truth is, not all skills are equal! If we have gaps in some areas, it can sink your career – whereas in others, it makes only a minor impact. The key is to know which is which – for your particular career.
- what really matters when it comes to Leadership Success – and how to define what it looks like for them personally
- which skill gaps are going to sink you – and what to do about it
- and how to accurately understand your areas of strength – and to operate from there, rather than some middle-of-the-road place.
Ideal audience:
- Corporate teams at any level
- Particularly relevant for female audiences or for events celebrating female leadership
Format:
- One hour interactive keynote presentation, including time for questions, with audiences of up to 100s
- Or this can be delivered as a half day workshop for a smaller group
How to Build a Resilient Mindset (So the Stress Doesn’t Kill You) - especially in a hybrid world
Stress is a fact of modern life. But there is a difference between acute stress – the type that hypes you up for a big moment, and can be helpful; and chronic stress – repeated, ongoing stress episodes without enough time to reset in between, which is so mentally and physically damaging. But it doesn’t have to be like this – and in this talk, you can find out why, and how.
- why we feel stressed – so we can learn how to avoid it (far beyond the usual “how to manage your stress” advice)
- powerful tools to help your audience build their resilience, so that they can thrive, no matter what is thrown at them.
- a powerful combination of Mindset + Skillset techniques, as with all my talks, because I don’t believe you can thrive in your career without both.
Ideal audience:
- Corporate teams at any level
- Particularly relevant for female audiences or for events celebrating female leadership
- Or to support discussion/ key events around Mental Health.
Format:
- One hour interactive keynote presentation, including time for questions, with audiences of up to 100s
- Or this can be delivered as a half day workshop for a smaller group
I’m happy to deliver any of these talks as a one-hour engaging keynote (with Q&A) to a large group, or as an interactive workshop with a smaller group that takes place over a half-day training session. Got another idea in mind? Get in touch.
With content covering case study evidence, neuroscience principles, and personal anecdotes from a long career in coaching around confidence, mindset, and skillset in leadership, I wrap up each of my talks with a dash of humour, lightness, and warmth for good measure.
I’ll leave your audience feeling confident, enthused, and ready to shrug off the shrouds of self-doubt.
“Thank you so much for your session yesterday, it was our most popular session. I thought it was so inspiring and thought-provoking, & I absolutely loved that you made it interactive – people were more engaged than I have seen them in any other sessions. I think the pace was perfect and the balance between stories and facts was just right. I think you made the session extremely relevant by stating facts about the Civil Service also. We’d love to have you back!”
- Kim Rickard
Human Resources Advisor at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) and co-lead of women’s inclusive network, ministry of defence
“The real highlight was Kirsten who was blooming brilliant. I found her presentation enlightening and inspiring.”
– Ministry of Defence
“In a very short session I took away so many tips, it also made me reflect, Kirsten is inspirational .”
-
– Ports of Jersey
But Kirsten!
I don't have an event for you to speak at, but I DO have a brilliant podcast with an engaged audience who would LOVE to hear from you & throw questions at you!
That’s great! Hit the link below to listen to a podcast appearance, or get in touch and tell me all about your podcast and why I’d be a great guest for you.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
Want to hear me in action?
Listen here where you can...
- discover the dangerous power of the brain, and why it gives you Imposter Syndrome because it’s trying to help you;
- learn the words to avoid using (ever) if you want to overcome your Imposter - and what to say instead;
- practise a powerful technique to tap into the confidence that I promise you do have inside you, even if it’s buried deep down.
Click the icon for a snippet of me in action, or the button below for the full recording:
“Kirsten was an informative expert on my podcast, well prepared, entertaining, but most of all practical. Her information took Imposter Syndrome and showed all of us how to address it without feeling incompetent for experiencing this common and debilitating approach to today’s high pressured lives. Highly recommend Kirsten – she remains one of my most popular guests!
- Faye Gelb
Lawyer, Legal Strategist, Her Legal Global podcast
In my audience's words
SIGN UP TO
The Birthday Suit
The Naked Newsletter for Corporates Who Want to Help Their Female Leaders Succeed
Slip into something more comfortable with my monthly email for Managers, Leaders, HR & Wellbeing: The Birthday Suit. You’ll get exposure to the bare essentials that will help your female leaders go from struggling to leading & delivering with confidence. Don’t be clothes-minded – your email address is safe with me, and you can strip off the list at any time.
Any questions?
The one major benefit from the pandemic is that we are all now used to working virtually. There are definite downsides – Zoom/ Teams fatigue is real! But the advantages are incredible: not only the convenience of not having to travel, but also the way you can bring people together across geographies/ business areas. I’ve had up to 10 countries represented in a session of 25 people, and the energy that creates is very valuable. I’ve also found you can still create an incredibly warm and collaborative dynamic in a virtual “room”.
Personally I prefer working virtually most of the time because of these advantages, plus it fits best with my life living in rural Suffolk (east England) with a young daughter. However, there are some occasions where I think face-to-face is preferable, and that’s when the speaking engagement is part of a wider in-person event, eg a celebration of International Women’s Day; or for sessions of one day or more. It’s hard to maintain focus online for that length of time, and with a longer session like that it is helpful to have the “water cooler moments” outside the room, which are harder in a virtual space.
So my recommendation: virtual for 4 hour (ie half day) sessions or less (unless part of a wider in-person event); face-to-face for anything longer.
I have certain keynotes that are always popular, which you can explore above. However, if there is a particular perspective you’re interested in hearing more about, do please get in touch to see if I can adapt an existing talk or develop a new one for your audience. For example, I have developed a variation of my Imposter Syndrome talk which goes into how Imposter Syndrome can prevent you from having a growth mindset and learning effectively at work.
Your audience will not only get transformational insights into Imposter Syndrome and my unique approach to tackling it; but they will also learn actionable tools & tips they can take away & implement right now to start overcoming their Imposter – and that will change how they think forever. Plus I can bring this all to life with warm, energetic style, and my personal story – I have been there myself, and that is what drives me!
Topics include:
> Imposter Syndrome – is it necessary to get ahead?
> Why is Imposter Syndrome a female problem – or is it…?
> Why are YOU suffering with Imposter Syndrome – and is it actually warranted?
> How can you thrive as a female leader in a male-dominated workplace?
> Mindset or Skillset – which matters more for Leadership Success?
> Imposter Syndrome & Stress – how they’re linked, and how you can survive them
Price will depend on a number of factors: whether you want an existing talk, or a bespoke one; in person or online; size of audience; and whether it is recorded. Prices start at £1000 for a one hour online unrecorded session. I ask for 50% of the total fee to hold the booking, and the other 50% within one week of the talk being delivered. (Podcast appearances are free!)
I live in the wilds of Suffolk and prefer to work online where possible. However, I am happy to travel in certain cases (for example, longer sessions or as part of a longer event, as explained above) – so do please get in touch and we can discuss your requirements. I have previously travelled across the UK and to Europe to deliver speaking and training. The price will be adjusted to take account of travel time, and reasonable travel expenses will be charged.
Yes! I love working with international audiences, so I’m happy to flex around timezones. I’ve delivered training & talks any time from 5am to 9pm (although 7am onwards is preferred!). I can also offer the same talk at different timezones within a single organisation, when you work globally.
To speak at a key date like International Women’s Day, or Mental Health Awareness Day, it’s worth getting in touch at least six months in advance.
To speak on other dates, or to be a podcast guest, it will depend on my diary, and the time of year. I will always find it harder to deliver talks, training and podcast appearances during April, July, August and December due to school holidays.
Absolutely! I’m very happy to develop a talk that is completely tailored to the needs of your audience, using my expertise around Imposter Syndrome, and the mindset and skillset you need for leadership success. Please book a free consultation to discuss your requirements.
My talks are relevant to any organisational, departmental or team get-together. We all want to be the best leaders we can be, and my approach helps you build the mindset and skillset to get there. In addition, I am passionate about normalising conversations about the mindset aspects of our careers – from mental health most broadly, to stress, to the specific challenges of Imposter Syndrome. I believe the more we talk about these things, the better it is for us as individuals, and for organisations as a whole. My warm and enthusiastic style will bring energy and inspiration to any event, as well as a focus on important topics.
Specifically, I love speaking as an expert at any mental health or women’s network event to provide insightful and actionable tips on how to manage your mindset and lead effectively, especially as a female leader.
And finally, having me as a speaker is an excellent way to demonstrate your commitment to diversity, & celebrate key Awareness Days with an inspiring guest speaker. For relevant dates, please see the question below.
The Mindset & Skillset for leadership success is for every day, not just key awareness days! However there are some important days which are directly relevant to my area of expertise:
11th Feb – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
8th March – International Women’s Day
April – Stress Awareness Month
9-15 May – Mental Health Awareness Week
16-23 May – Learning at Work Week
19 Sept – International Week of Happiness at Work
10 Oct – World Mental Health Day
3 Nov – National Stress Awareness Day (UK)
Because my talks are principles-based, they can apply to everyone – female and male leaders, senior leaders, middle managers or those first promoted, and in any sector. I will always tailor my presentation to the specific needs & circumstances of your audience.
The first step is to book a free consultation in my diary either for a Speaking engagement or a Podcast guest appearance. During the call we can discuss your specific requirements: your desired outcome; possible subjects and talk length; the audience size and make-up; possible dates; and your budget (for speaking engagements only – podcast appearances are free).
For speaking engagements, once we’ve agreed a way forward, you pay 50% of the total fee to hold the booking either with a card using my online payment system, or via bank transfer with an invoice. I ask for the remainder of the fee within one week of the speaking engagement.
For a speaking engagement, please download my Speaking Brochure; and to be a podcast guest, please download my Podcast Pack. You can also find much more information throughout this website, including the Learn More pageBook a free consultation by clicking here for a speaking engagement or a Podcast guest appearance.