Most Requested Speaking Topic

Unleashing the Power of High-Performing Teams With The Outsider’s Edge™

For three decades, Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan has been at the forefront of building, leading, and coaching high-performance teams, amassing tens of thousands of hours as a trusted advisor to category leaders. Her journey uncovered a powerful secret that sets the most successful teams apart: The Outsider’s Edge™—a unique approach to harnessing the power of a diverse collective to drive extraordinary performance, unmatched profitability, and deep human connection.

In this high-energy 60-minute keynote that she tailors to each audience, Lakshmi reveals her transformative framework for building that coveted Edge. Rich storytelling fueled by her diverse background combines with practical, field-tested guidance to show you exactly how to build an essential yet elusive foundation of trust, create psychologically safe environments that foster peak performance, and maximize the impact of your hard-earned skills and experience in a shape-shifting world.

Prepare to be energized, empowered, and equipped with proven strategies that aren’t just transformative, they’re also budget-free!

- An actionable framework to create high-performing teams by harnessing diverse perspectives with The Outsider’s Edge™. 
- High-impact (but low-risk and budget-free) strategies for building trust and creating psychologically safe environments where bold ideas flourish and mistakes lead to growth. 
- Research-backed, field-tested tools tailored to their specific challenges. 
- Practical approaches to ensure their contributions are recognized and valued, increasing their influence and impact. 
- The motivation to apply their learning and customized tools to help.

- Facing nonstop pressure to deliver more, faster, with fewer resources. 
- Navigating the complexities of ever-evolving technologies, regulations, and workplace practices. 
- Dealing with organizational upheavals like mergers, acquisitions, and restructurings. 
- Looking to build trust, influence, and impact in challenging and competitive environments. 
- Seeking actionable, budget-conscious approaches to employee engagement, inclusion, and belonging

Keynote Speaker Reel

Conference Highlight Reel

Belonging That Delivers: Creating Cultures That Win

Companies have made incredible progress in hiring diverse talent—a critical and overdue step. But translating that progress into workplaces where people feel truly valued, empowered, and motivated to engage fully? Now that’s the real challenge.

Too often, leaders feel forced to choose between fostering belonging and driving results, as if one must come at the expense of the other. This false choice not only creates friction but also leaves untapped potential on the table.

In this keynote, Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan shares The Outsider’s Edge™—a practical framework that shows how belonging and productivity can thrive together. Drawing on her experience as an early female leader of color at Microsoft and a trusted high-performance coach for executives and teams at brand leaders like Google, Meta, and Starbucks, Lakshmi’s unique combination of powerful stories and actionable strategies will leave attendees both inspired and equipped to create cultures that drive connection, unleash performance, and deliver measurable results.

- A 3-step framework that empowers everyone—not just HR or management—to harness diverse talent and drive both productivity and belonging.
- Practical tools to build trust and psychological safety, essential for achieving both outcomes.
- Real-world stories with actionable takeaways drawn from Lakshmi’s diverse background and global experience as a business leader and master coach.
- Research-based yet simple-to-implement strategies that revitalize D&I by making it feel achievable.
- The confidence and motivation to quickly apply their learning, boosting engagement, productivity, and morale.

- Unlock the full potential of diverse talent.
- Drive Inclusion and Belonging that are 100% authentic but also productive and profitable.
- Develop lasting, practical skills that drive both business success and cultural excellence.
- Find practical strategies to revitalize D&I investments in ways employees care about.
- Boost employee engagement and morale.

Speaking Topic 3

Building Courage Inside-Out: Leadership Strategies for Adapting to Change

Courage and change adaptability are not nice-to-haves anymore: They are essential skills that make or break success. Today’s workplace requires leaders to navigate complex transformations, keep teams motivated, do more with less, make major decisions at warp speed ... the list goes on. While it’s natural to feel vulnerable and play it safe when the stakes are high, the world belongs to those who demonstrate adaptability, resilience, and optimism.

In this celebrated 60-minute keynote, Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan draws on the research of Dr. Brené Brown, with whom she has partnered for several years, to deliver a masterclass on how to get there. She invites you to pick a current, real-life work challenge and “learn by doing,” applying your learning immediately to jumpstart the process of getting unstuck. Packed with practical tools and captivating stories from Lakshmi's multicultural upbringing and experience as a corporate leader, this keynote and proven toolkit will help you become not only the leader the world needs you to be but also the leader you've dreamed of becoming.

- A clear understanding of how to build and lead with courage, adaptability, and resilience.
- Proven strategies to identify and overcome self-limiting beliefs and patterns.
- A personal reference map capturing a path forward on their chosen challenge.
- Real-world examples and memorable stories that help embed and extend the learning.
- Renewed confidence and optimism.

- Successfully manage the constant pressure to adapt and excel.
- Be prepared to tackle both known and unknown challenges.
- Overcome self-limiting behaviors and patterns but don't know where to start.
- Learn research-backed, proven tools that are easy to apply and recall.
- Master practical strategies for resilience and confidence in fast-paced environments.

Meeting Planner Resources

“Absolutely incredible speaker, one of the best we’ve ever had. I highly recommend Lakshmi when you want your expectations exceeded.”

Cassandra Crowe-Jackson,
Chief Experience Officer, Sharp Healthcare
"Inspiring, motivating, energizing ... masterful! Thank you for the outstanding session, incredible partnership, and flawless delivery."

Susie McNamara,
VP Talent Management, Fortive
“Her business credibility and powerful storytelling energized a tough Microsoft audience … one of the highest ratings in years!”

Pedro Gutierrez,
Sr. Director, Microsoft
“Lakshmi brought enthusiasm, warmth and relevance to our session. Her personal stories and concepts really resonated with our people.”

Lynnette Heath,
EVP & CHRO, nVent
"You were fabulous! And your message resonated. I loved your advice for building relationships and communicating proactively."

Tatum O’Sullivan,
President ASHRM 2024
“She helped me bring my whole self to work with confidence, vs. being scared because I come from a different background ...”

Aimee Johnson,
CMO, Zillow