Shola Kaye

Shola Kaye helps global organisations create a People-First Culture, preparing for the future of work using the power of empathy, effective communication and inclusive leadership skills. Shola’s work is frequently described as engagingly practical, easily implementable and inspiring. She shares moving stories, accessible case studies and actionable insights gained from working with international corporations across a wide range of industries, and sessions may be modified for leaders or for broader audiences.

Shola’s experiences as a Black female introvert, working for global corporations, have given her an understanding of some of the many challenges faced by companies today as they seek to create environments of empathy and belonging, supporting their ever-more diverse, often remote, teams. Her work allows organisations to increase innovation, bolster belonging and develop engaging, productive environments.

Shola works with teams that need tofind ways to reduce bias and reach across cultural differences, creating an atmosphere of collaboration, inclusion and high performance. She loves to create experiences in which everyone feels deeply involved and empowered to participate fully. Her virtual keynotes often elicit hundreds of comments in the chat, with off-the-chart participation from attendees.

She’s also a popular speaker for International Women’s Day and has worked with many organisations delivering communication programs that help women and other groups speak up and cut through the noise, enabling them to go further, faster, in their careers.

Elevating Empathy
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 that offers the tools and the inspiration to become a more compassionate and effective leader, manager, or individual contributor. 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.

Embracing Psychological Safety and Inclusive Communication
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.

Inclusive Leadership: Strategies & Skills
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.

The Art of the Ask
This talk highlights the transformative impact of actively seeking what one needs, from support to opportunities, and how this can foster personal and community growth. The presentation shares real-life stories, offers practical strategies for effective asking and provides insights to help move past the fear of rejection.
The session also explores the role of questions as a way to include, empower and inspire others, spurring them to embrace greater challenges and pursue their aspirations.

Unlock High Performance by Delivering Effective Feedback
At work and in our personal lives, delivering effective feedback is a valuable skill. Delivered in the right way, feedback can be empowering, inspiring and can drive an individual, and their team, towards fantastic success. However, delivered in the wrong way, feedback can be divisive, demotivating, and destructive. And when we avoid giving feedback to spare someone’s feelings, the eventual outcome can be just as damaging.
So what’s your intention as a manager? Is it to break or build? To crush or to
co-create? Do you restrict your feedback to the obligatory once or twice a year, or do you feedback continuously, increasing the motivation and confidence of your team members?

Working With Resistance
This dynamic and insightful keynote adopts an international perspective, and is designed for DEI, HR, and Talent Management professionals, and groups grappling with resistance in organisational change efforts. The session offers a blend of academic research, real-world case studies, and cultural insights. We explore the various forms of resistance encountered in organisations, understand the best strategies to counteract them, and learn how to foster an environment conducive to open communication and inclusive change.

Three Steps to Inclusion & Allyship
This empowering keynote delivers practical frameworks and moving stories. You’ll walk away with the understanding that everyone can be an ally, whatever your situation. We’ll explore the importance of taking action - however limited - rather than feeling that you don’t have the power to make a difference. Discover a source of renewed vitality and enthusiasm for the important work of creating an inclusive workplace.

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