That People Thing

Blaire Palmer – Future of Leadership Expert

Since 2000 I've been working in organisations, helping them drive real change in their businesses and create places where people can do their best work. That means busting outdated notions of leadership and change.

Hybrid working, the war for talent, the cost of living, mental health, the threat of disruption to even the most stable of industries, the need to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion in order to stand a chance of competing...the world has never been more uncertain or volatile.

Audiences want to know what leaders in other companies are doing in this fast-changing world, how to engage and motivate people, how to improve retention and attract the right talent in a competitive market and how to confidently lead through change. I draw on my real experiences working with businesses across industry sectors and present a new kind of leadership which is based on authentic human connection, trust, empowerment and continual innovation.

I realised early on that there is something about the workplace that actually stops people doing their best work…or if they are doing their best work it’s despite the environment they are working in and not because of it. It became very clear to me in my work with these clients that the standard models about motivation, change, culture and leadership were just academic theories. They weren’t developed by people working with real teams in real businesses. These theoretical principles didn’t actually work on the ground.

It's only when you’ve stood in room after room of disillusioned managers and leaders who are really struggling to bring about change that you see the revolution that’s needed in how we think about leadership and how we bring about change.

That’s what I talk to audiences of leaders about. I challenge them to throw away their outdated ideas about what makes someone a leader. The world has changed so much, even in the last 2 years, that if we want to create a vibrant company where our people are solving complex problems, stepping up and taking ownership and giving us the edge in a tough market we need to rethink what it means to lead today.

I share practical tips that mean audiences can start collaborating with each other more enthusiastically, support their teams to solve gritty problems, create safe spaces where people can speak up and speak out, and feel inspired and energised about the future.

"Blaire captivated our audience in presenting her experience and advice with regard to empowering McCormick's staff to succeed and develop. She was upbeat, engaging and gave us confidence that we are on the right journey with regard to diversity in our company." Melanie Williams, VP Human Resources EMEA, McCormick UK Ltd

BLAIRE'S KEYNOTES

Busting the Myths of Leadership - ''Punks in Suits''
Busting the Myths of Change - ''A Brilliant Gamble''

Busting the Myths of Leadership - 'Punks in Suits'

How on earth do we lead in this 'post-Covid' world of work? In such a competitive, fast changing environment, you need everyone in your business to be able to do their best work and yet the rules of work seem to have changed - We've got Gen Z now, inflation, the great resignation, mental health concerns, the need for a more diverse, inclusive environment, change fatigue (even though we need more change not less), ever more demanding customers and the targets just get more and more ambitious. You hired your people because they were talented, enthusiastic, motivated and ambitious and you need them to bring ALL of that to the organisation so that the business can thrive. Inevitably you're asking "In these fast-changing and uncertain times, how do we do that?"

Bottom line, it's not the kind of leadership most of us experienced earlier in our careers. That old-style parent-child, tell and sell, hierarchical, siloed approach won't work. We know that. But what should we do instead? And why, despite our best efforts, does it feel so hard?

In this keynote I bust Industrial Age myths about leadership that prevent us bringing out the very best in the people we employ. I present an alternative model focused on authentic human connection, trust, radical collaboration, diversity and creativity, driven by a sense of shared purpose.

Audiences discover -

The differences between their role as a manager and their role as a leader...and discover what a leader really does with their time
How old truths - things like "I'm supposed to know the right thing to do", "I wouldn't expect anyone else to work the hours I work", "My job is to protect my team" and much more - influence their behaviour day-to-day
Identify the limits they put on their willingness to trust and how to empower others (Tip: People can only be as empowered as your willingness to give away power!)

This is an entertaining, provocative, energising keynote for leaders who want to put people at the heart of the business. Audiences leave with practical tips and confidence that they can do something different, and get different results, straight away.

Call now or speak to your preferred speaker bureau to book Blaire for your next leadership conference.

"Blaire's fascination with leadership and change shone through and she presented our audience with an array of real, take-home advice that resonated with everyone in the room". Luke Nichols, Editor EDIE.Net, Sponsor of Sustainability Live

Busting the Myths of Leadership - 'Punks in Suits'

Busting the Myths of Change - 'A Brilliant Gamble'

We know by now that change is a constant. But the rules of change are also changing! The conventional wisdom was that, to bring about change, the best leaders create followers. Then they paint a picture of a glorious destination, explain WHY this is the best or only option and, once everyone 'gets it' change occurs. If it doesn't it's either a communication problem - people didn't understand - or they did understand but people are resistant to change and are too afraid to take the leap. Leaders are left frustrated, asking "How many times do we have to tell them before they overcome their innate fear of change and buy-in to the plan?".

But what if none of that is true?

In this keynote, I explain how conventional wisdom about change leads to frustration, organisational tension, disengagement and low levels of trust. In a world where we don't trust authority figures (and with good reason), where Gen Z employees will not turn a blind eye to unethical or intolerant behaviour, where change fatigue set in many months or years ago and where you are rarely in the same room as the people you work with, I explain how to create an environment where people become enthusiasts for change, taking responsibility for it themselves and acting as if the business was their own.

Change starts at the top - an organisation can only be as sophisticated as its leaders. So it's time to place your bets - are you going to stick with the way you've always 'done change'? Or are you going to try something new?

Audiences discover –

Why you don't have a 'communication problem', you have a connection problem. (Tip: Change isn't logical, it's emotional and no amount of explaining 'the why' will be enough to convince people to go through the pain of change)
The limits that we unwittingly put on our willingness to trust and the urgent need to create trust between all levels in the organisation
What stops people stepping up and taking ownership (even though you mean it when you say "My door is always open") and how to create an energising, empowering culture where people not only embrace change but lead it themselves

This is an entertaining, provocative, energising keynote for leaders and their teams. Audiences leave with practical actions they can immediately take away and feeling reinvigorated about change themselves.

Call now or speak to your preferred speaker bureau to book Blaire for your next leadership conference.

"There was a great sense of collaboration at our Top 100 Leaders meeting today and that was, in no small way, down to the thought-provoking messages and enthusiasm that Blaire brought to the event. Just what we needed." Petar Cvetkovic, Chief Executive, DX Group

Busting the Myths of Change - 'A Brilliant Gamble'

To book Blaire for your conference or event, please contact your preferred speaker bureau.