Michelle Ray

Leadership: It Starts with Me.
Harness the Power of Personal Leadership

Leadership is not about title. It’s about character. Neither is it about position power. Practicing personal leadership is everyone’s responsibility. It has nothing to do with a job title. Learn about the importance of harnessing the power of personal leadership and why it matters to your people and your organization.

We’ve often heard the adage “everyone can be a leader”, but what does this mean? More importantly, how is this relevant to your organization and your people? The most practical answer is to think of leadership in terms of character, not position or title. A leader is someone at any level who has grasped the ability to take charge of their thoughts, and consequently their actions, in any situation.
We are often tested to be the best version of ourselves, regardless of our job function. Our attitudes directly impact the workplace atmosphere and the quality of our business relationships. When we take the initiative and lead ourselves with greater confidence, we are better equipped to strengthen relationships with leaders, co-workers, and customers.

Delivering her message with insight, wit and humor, Michelle’s energizing, informative and popular keynote presentation will remind audiences of the power of personal leadership. They will learn accountability strategies they can use long after the event ends to take the lead, embrace challenges, and create their own realities.

Who Moved My Future?
Demystifying the Fear of Change

“Why is this happening?” “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “We’ve always done it that way.” Three clichés that have become part of the dialogue when it comes to the topic of change.

Learning how to manage ourselves around situations and events that are outside of our control is not as complex as you may think, although the process often necessitates a shift in perspective, readiness to let go of the old and willingness to embrace the new.

Easier said than done.

During volatile market conditions, it isn’t unusual for organizations to tighten their collective belts and become even more risk adverse. Adapting to a rapidly changing business environment is expected, yet many people feel even more afraid. On the other hand, it is equally concerning to lull ourselves into a false sense of security during positive times. Innovative thinking is essential, regardless of the economic climate.

During this dynamic, interactive, and content-rich keynote, your attendees will learn the core reasons behind resistance to change, how to achieve greater levels of acceptance in order to move beyond the “status quo” and ultimately, how to implement and communicate new strategies and approaches for long-term results.

Adopting a new system or process can be intimidating, perpetuating the “status quo”. Without awareness and information, you will invariably continue reacting, rather than anticipating changing market conditions. Learn how to overcome the fear of change and alter your entire perspective regarding situations that are outside of your control.

The Transformational Leader:
Be Bold. Be Real. Be Ready.
Are you Ready to Lead Your Workforce Into The Future?

Today’s emerging workforce are craving authentic experiences from their employers and preferred brands. In a world driven by rapid technological change, the human factor remains at the core of successful business and consumer relationships. Leaders who are relatable, transparent, and real provide a unique, competitive advantage. When teams can openly communicate with their leaders regarding their career path, personal aspirations, and direction of the business, they feel appreciated, heard, understood and included. The capacity of your leaders to lead with vision and transform their thinking are the greatest differentiators in dealing with change, engagement, and retention.

Authenticity is an essential character trait that leaders need to develop in order to build trusting relationships with their teams. Research confirms the direct correlation between leaders who lead with humility and employees’ levels of trust, engagement, and productivity. In addition, when leaders demonstrate self-awareness, vision, competency and overall proficiency, employees experience a heightened sense of assurance regarding the future of the enterprise.

Michelle’s dynamic, new keynote presentation helps leaders to meaningfully connect with their diverse teams, forge positive relationships, improve talent retention, boost engagement levels, and increase acceptance regarding change initiatives. Attendees will leave the session inspired to become the transformational leader with greater self-awareness; ready to step out of his or her comfort zone and successfully lead the emerging workforce into the future.

Leading in Real Time
How to be Ready, Responsive and Relevant in a Radically Changing World

As the world of business changes at an unprecedented rate, leaders are finding themselves in unchartered waters as they look for new strategies to evolve, adapt and succeed on the fly. When challenges of change and uncertainty strike, leaders must be ready to lead, even when the answers aren’t immediately at their fingertips.

Leadership used to be more about the “long view”, i.e., looking out on the horizon to determine the future direction of our organizations. Recent events have shown us that leadership has become much more about the present moment. The pandemic, tech disruptors, generational change, remote work and the gig economy have compelled leaders to take action in the now, or in real time as we often refer to it today, rather than expending energy worrying about a future that we cannot control.

During this highly engaging, dynamic, and thought-provoking keynote based on Michelle’s new book, Leading in Real Time, your leaders will learn how to actively expand and shift their thinking around leadership practices from fixed to flexible, so they can be effective in real time. Her three-step process is practical, purposeful, and powerful as she helps leaders remain ready, responsive and relevant in a radically changing world.

You’re Not the Boss of Me
How To Communicate, Collaborate and Connect with Your New Workforce

Today’s highly sought-after new wave of talent are not only more informed than any other time in history, but they also have their collective fingers on the pulse when it comes to choosing their employer. This savvy group expect to work with forward-thinking organizations that value diversity and inclusion and are renowned for their outstanding employer reputation. To attract and retain them, leaders need to focus on creating an outstanding workplace atmosphere that fosters fairness, tolerance and acceptance.

We now live in a work world where leaders and managers are no longer placed on a pedestal, revered or feared by their workforce. In this new leadership age of parity, transparency, and diversity, leaders cannot lead without adapting a collaborative and inclusive approach. Are you willing and ready to adjust your leadership style and lead differently in the face of new realities?

As workplace demographics change, so do employee expectations. Team members are comfortable expressing their opinions on a wide range of social issues, causing leaders to be more self-aware and accountable. It isn’t unusual for leaders and teams to struggle getting on the same page regarding how they see each other. it is incumbent on leaders to narrow the gap by forging stronger relationships and recognizing that their workforce truly sees themselves as citizens of the world.

During this content-rich presentation, your attendees will discover the key components for building a dynamic work environment where diversity and inclusion are celebrated and integrated as core organizational values. They will recognize the positive impact of an unbiased, flexible approach, one that will yield greater collaboration and camaraderie for long-term success.

Elevate Your Influence!
How to Increase Your Leverage, Strengthen Your Impact and Energize Your Business Relationships

No matter what your title or position may be, your ability to achieve buy-in for your ideas necessitates outstanding communication skills. Effective influencers understand the importance of putting others’ interests ahead of their own. Michelle can help you increase your credibility and leverage your message to ensure greater success.

There has never been a better time for leaders and managers in all industry sectors to elevate their influence. A higher percentage of senior leaders and CEOs now recognize the importance of including leadership perspectives from a variety of departments regarding overall business strategy. By increasing your visibility and impact, your career flourishes and your organization benefits by having your ideas heard, understood, and acted upon.

How can you leverage your position of strength and captivate attention and imagination of individuals with whom you have key relationships? The solution lies in demonstrating that you understand their positions, their perspectives, and their interests, prior to introducing your own suggestions. By acknowledging others first, you are ideally positioned to make the difference; for yourself and your organization.

When others connect with your ideas, you have achieved “buy-in”. It is much easier to put your own agenda forward by listening to others first. Synchronicity is achieved by acknowledging others, even when we may not agree.
During this informative, interactive, and dynamic keynote session, you will learn how to communicate your vision in a way that gets noticed. You add value to your organization and yourself when you are able to demonstrate the bottom-line benefits to your leaders and stakeholders by speaking their language. As business necessitates human interaction, articulating your goals purposely and powerfully begins with you. You will leave with new ideas and strategies to energize workplace relationships at all levels…with tangible, long-term results.

Staying Power! Success Strategies for Resilient Leadership
Rethink, Respond, Rebound:
Three Essential Strategies for Success

Learning to rise above change, uncertainty and adversity is a sought-after skill. Many organizations now recognize the importance of developing resilient leadership. When teams face unexpected organizational or market shifts, they look to their leaders for confidence and direction. Discover three powerful strategies to hone a resilient mindset.
What makes a person resilient? Can resiliency be taught or are some people better able to rebound from adversity than others? The answers lay in how we first choose to interpret events that are outside of our control and the manner in which we respond to the inevitable peaks and valleys of life. In order to rise above challenges of any description, we need to focus on developing a mindset of managing rather than coping.

Resiliency is the cornerstone of our emotional and psychological survival in challenging times. During her Staying Power! Keynote, Michelle teaches the three essential strategies required to hone a resilient mindset.

Rethink

Stop dwelling on destructive beliefs. Make room to expand possibilities, exercise greater resilience, and move forward.

Respond

Learn to adapt to discomfort by responding, rather than reacting. Take a step back and ask yourself, “Is there another way?”

Rebound

Grow from adversity and become more resilient by recognizing challenges as opportunities for greater insight.
During this thought-provoking and interactive keynote, attendees will learn how to access their resilience “DNA” and will leave the event with new ideas to bounce back with greater confidence in the face of future challenges.

Safety Leadership: It Starts And Ends With Me

We’ve often heard the adage “everyone can be a leader”, but what does this mean? More importantly, how is this relevant to your organization and your people? The most practical answer is to think of leadership in terms of character, not position or title. A leader is someone at any level who has grasped the ability to take charge of their thoughts, and consequently their actions, in any situation.

We are often tested to be the best version of ourselves, regardless of our job function. Myopic attitudes directly impact the workplace atmosphere and the quality of our business relationships. When we take the initiative as safety professionals, we open our minds and lead ourselves with greater confidence. We are better equipped to strengthen relationships with leaders, co-workers, clients and all safety stakeholders.

Delivering her message with insight, wit and humour, Michelle’s energizing, informative and popular keynote presentation will remind your audience of safety leaders of the power of personal leadership. They will learn accountability strategies to use long after the event ends to take the lead, embrace challenges and break down barriers to success.

Expected Outcomes for Attendees:

• Build a safety leadership blueprint to use in business and in life
• Realize the incredible leverage of modeling a “do-what it takes” attitude
• Realign your core personal values to those of your workplace
• Hone your capacity for responding rather than reacting to people and situations
• Tap into your innovative potential to bring out the best in yourself

Innovate. Collaborate. Connect: Harness Your Influence As a Safety Pro

How can you leverage your position of strength and captivate attention and imagination of individuals with whom you have key relationships? The solution lies in demonstrating that you understand their positions, their perspectives and their interests, prior to introducing your own suggestions. By acknowledging others first, you are ideally positioned to make the difference; for yourself and your organization.

When others connect with your ideas, you have achieved “buy-in”. It is much easier to put your own safety agenda forward by listening to others first. Synchronicity is achieved by acknowledging others, even when we may not agree.

During this informative, interactive and dynamic keynote session, you will learn how to communicate your vision in a way that gets noticed. You will be emboldened to continue sharing the message of safety awareness internally and externally. As business necessitates human interaction, articulating your goals purposely and powerfully begins with you. By increasing your visibility and impact, your career flourishes and your critical role as a safety professional expands. You will leave with new ideas and strategies to energize workplace relationships at all levels, with tangible and long-term results.

Expected Outcomes for Attendees:

• Create a profound impact on organizational performance by harnessing new approaches and removing boundaries around safety
• Showcase your ideas for maximum impact during one-on-one or group meetings
• Enlighten leaders, co-workers and stakeholders with compelling reasons to ensure your safety messages are heard, supported and understood
• Apply the power of positive influence with an open mind, ensuring greater buy-in
• Raise your profile internally and strengthen the profile and reputation of safety leaders

How to Develop a Happy and Productive Safety Culture, and Effective Safety Leaders

The most successful organizations recognize that enduring success is based on their ability to build outstanding teams and great workplace relationships. They understand that honing exceptional interpersonal skills are a given…that building trust, cooperation and respect are essential ingredients for a positive, sought-after culture and high employee retention.

When leaders and teams are happy, a positive safety culture ensues. The collective efforts of all lead to increased motivation, low turnover, reduced accidents and greater camaraderie. Teams flourish an atmosphere of respect, ultimately strengthening relationships both internally and externally.

A fully – functioning workplace enjoys high morale, high engagement and lower stress. When managers and teams collaborate and contribute to the common purpose, their commitment to safety excellence deepens and the desire to be part of a winning culture escalates.

During this energizing and informative presentation, your attendees will be given tools to hone essential relational skills, elevate their influence as safety professionals, build engagement and increase motivation levels. They will leave with practical tools to build trust and co-operation with their colleagues. Above all, your attendees will leave inspired to take the lead and contribute to an enduring, outstanding culture.

Expected takeaways for attendees:

• Engage your teams to foster a positive, sought-after safety culture
• Apply the power of positive influence with colleagues and managers alike
• Learn the essentials to purposefully communicate the priority of a “safety first” culture at all levels
• Master the art of connection to build trust, teamwork and loyalty
• Become a role model for taking the lead, celebrating team accomplishments and elevating your career as a safety professional