Watch Shola’s 2.5 mins virtual speaking reel
Watch Shola’s 12 minute TEDx talk
Watch Shola’s 3 minute sizzle reel
Speak up under pressure – 4 minute clip
‘Thank you for an engaging and useful session. I was actually able to put some of these frameworks into practice at our department’s meeting the following day and saw the positive reactions to my intervention.’
Keynote attendee, Salesforce
You need a speaker…
who will engage and inspire your audience, whether that’s thousands of people at a virtual event or a senior leadership team of ten.
Shola’s messages are relatable, actionable and evidence-based. She speaks on Communication, Empathy and Inclusion. The end result is more empathic, engaged, and productive workplaces with compassionate leadership and happier teams. Which tends to lead to lower turnover, higher performance and greater profitability!
Shola’s mission
Shola’s experience working for corporations in the USA and Europe led to an understanding of some of the challenges faced by underrepresented groups on multiple levels. Today she blends her background in the STEM, financial and creative industries to share clear, effective communication frameworks and insights that help people work better together. These are delivered in a high impact, engaging style.
Typical events include global company keynotes, leadership development sessions, diversity summits and industry conferences. Our team can also support Shola’s front-end keynote speeches with longer training programs, train the trainer offerings, facilitation and licensed content.
A communications and inclusion specialist, award-winning international keynote speaker and author, Shola spent time in academic research at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) followed by several years in IT consultancy and later returned to the U.K, working as an account director for global clients in aviation and finance.
KEYNOTE DESCRIPTIONS
From company-wide keynotes, to leadership training, to small-group strategic action sessions, Shola’s programmes are customised, relevant, and actionable. She’ll sit with you, taking the time to discover the nuances of your organisation, ensuring that your speech feels tailor-made for your audience.
Shola has a global client base. She’s culturally sensitive, understanding that different audiences respond better to different examples, analogies, and stories.
Her programmes are super-engaging and highly interactive, as Shola loves involving her audiences through polls, Q&As, and chats. She likes to call her speeches ‘conversations’ and, because of the high levels of customisation and interplay, no two sessions are identical.
Expect inspiration, interaction, and insight!
A selection of four speech descriptions and learning objectives is shown below, but for the full, current list go to: sholakaye.com/sd
Please feel free to share this link with colleagues who are considering Shola for a speaking engagement.
Elevate Empathy!
– To increase inclusion, productivity and engagement (Suitable for all employees and delegates)
Creating a workplace where everyone feels that they belong is more important than ever before, but how can you build supportive, cohesive environments within your organisation?
This is a high-impact, inspiring keynote. You’ll walk away with the tools and the inspiration to become a more compassionate and effective leader, manager, or individual contributor. It can be modified for senior leaders, management, and whole-company keynotes. We’ll look at the important themes of curiosity, courage and being a catalyst and you’ll understand the vital components of empathy, how to be compassionate while avoiding burnout, and why skills like emotional intelligence are in high demand.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the different types of empathy and their impact on your well-being
- Find out how empathy can impact inclusion, engagement, retention, innovation, and happiness
- Working remotely? How to demonstrate virtual empathy
- Walk away with a simple three-step framework for displaying more empathy
This keynote may be adapted with additional content to suit any of the following themes:
- empathy + inclusion
- empathy skills for leaders
Virtual session? We’ll use chat and other forms of interactivity to encourage engagement.
What people say: ‘An incredible keynote speech. The combination of D.E.I. and Empathy really spoke to our workforce.’ Reckitt
Are you ready to implement a company-wide Diversity & Inclusion program? Find out about ‘The Inclusion Launchpad’.
Inclusive Leadership Strategies
– Equip your leaders with the skills and knowledge to combat bias and foster belonging
After the impact of the pandemic, we know that many workplaces will never be the same again. That’s why today’s leaders need an expanded repertoire of skills and know-how to ensure staff are engaged, happy and productive. In this highly impactful program, leaders are given the skill set to flourish in today’s complex work environments, managing ever more diverse and demanding teams.
Learning objectives:
- Explore the 6 key traits of an inclusive leader and their related behaviours
- Review key data that support the value of compassionate leadership skills in today’s work environments
- Discover what it takes to create an environment of psychological safety
- Explore inclusive communication best practices to ensure everyone feels encouraged to speak up and make a contribution
- Discuss a number of behavioural nudges that help us bypass bias and create an atmosphere of innovation and belonging
- Review important cultural factors that all managers must consider when they lead diverse, multigenerational, international or intercultural teams
60 – 120 min virtual workshop or half-day/full-day seminar
What people say: ‘Brilliant thought leadership about staying curious and the importance of inclusion to foster better decision making and higher performance.’ Oracle
Embrace Psychological Safety and Inclusive Communication
– Are you wondering why there has been so much interest in the topic of psychological safety?
During this interactive keynote, we explore the vital role of psychological safety in fostering an inclusive environment that values open, authentic communication. We’ll discuss the importance of embracing vulnerability, trust, and empathy in your daily interactions, enabling your team to unlock its full potential through collaborative ways of working.
Learning objectives:
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Understand the key elements of psychological safety and their impact on team performance
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Explore the relationship between psychological safety and emotional intelligence
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Discover strategies to create a culture of inclusive communication that values and supports diverse perspectives
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Recognise the role of empathetic leadership in fostering psychological safety
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Learn practical techniques for building trust and promoting vulnerability within teams
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Understand that cultural factors also play a role in the creation of psychologically safe environments
Keynote or workshop
What people say: ‘Excellent feedback on your session, especially from our executive leadership team.’ Liftoff
The Art of the Ask
– Unlock valuable career opportunities through confident communication
What if the next big step in your career was just one question away?
In this impactful session, “The Art of the Ask,” Shola will guide you through the powerful skill of asking for what you need. Whether you’re seeking support, new opportunities, or professional growth, this talk offers practical insights to help you take charge of your career.
Explore how asking the right questions can open doors, include others, and foster personal and professional development. You’ll also discover how well-placed inquiries can inspire others to perform at their best and embrace greater challenges.
Listen to real-life stories, and gain practical tools, including scripts to help you prepare for career-related asks, and strategies to overcome the psychological barriers that often hold people back. Shola will introduce a framework to help you move past the fear of rejection and approach requests with confidence.
Learning objectives:
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Learn how asking can be a catalyst for career development and personal growth.
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Identify valuable opportunities you may not have considered pursuing.
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Explore how strategic questions can include and motivate others to achieve their best work.
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Access practical scripts to support you in making impactful asks.
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Apply Shola’s 5Rs framework to build confidence and reduce fear when asking.
Keynote or workshop
What people say: ‘Thought-provoking and educational. Our employees have given us great feedback about their experience.’ Nexthink
Creating a People-First Culture: The Empathy to Equity Blueprint
– This keynote explores the role of empathy as the foundation for a successful workplace culture where employees are empowered to be their best selves and do their best work.
Many organisations have already made the shift from transactional to transformational workspaces where enlightened leaders and managers focus on the whole person rather than task accomplishment. Through the power of understanding, empathy and compassion we can move towards workplaces of belonging, happiness and productivity that fully support diversity.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the increasing importance of empathy in the workplace
- Learn about the three types of empathy and the differences between pity, sympathy, empathy and compassion
- Explore the importance of language and actions when attempting to demonstrate empathy
- Understand that perspective-taking can help reduce biased decision-making
- Learn that an empathetic attitude can cut down on microaggressions and other harmful behaviours
- Discover the link between empathy, feedback and performance
- Understand the importance of creating psychological safety for your colleagues, especially if you’re a low-empathy individual
- Value the gift of encouragement as a way to inspire high-performance
Keynote or workshop