Most Requested Speaking Topic

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

For nearly 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 that essential yet elusive foundation of Trust, create psychologically safe environments that foster peak performance; and maximize the relevance and 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! 

What audiences come away with: 

  • 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. 

This keynote is ideal for leaders, teams, and organizations: 

  • Facing nonstop pressure to deliver more, faster, with fewer resources. 

  • Navigating the complexities of ever-evolving technologies, regulations, and workplace practices. 

  • Preparing for or recovering from organizational upheavals like mergers, acquisitions, and restructures. 

  • Looking to build trust, influence, and impact in challenging and competitive environments. 

  • Seeking actionable, budget-conscious solutions to enhance engagement, inclusion, and belonging. 

Lakshmi Keynote Speaker Reel

Popular Speaking Topics

Speaking Topic 2

Leading Diverse and Inclusive Teams: Unlocking the ROI of D&I

Let’s face it: Hiring diverse talent doesn’t automatically create inclusive workplaces, and today’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiatives are a rollercoaster of valuable progress and costly detours. Though meant to drive belonging and productivity in tandem, the sheer complexity of the modern workplace often forces a choice—an “or” instead of an “and.”  

The impact? Growing frustration, disillusionment, and the very real risk of sabotaging a long-overdue opportunity for meaningful change. 

But what if we didn’t have to choose between belonging and productivity? 

Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan’s Outsider’s Edge™ framework shows leaders a path to achieving both. Drawing on her experience as an early female leader of color at Microsoft and a master coach and trusted resource for category-leading companies, this 60-minute keynote is packed with powerful stories and actionable strategies to ensure every team member feels seen, valued, and empowered to bring their best—and it is fully customizable to the unique context of your event. 

    • 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 delivers 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 to foster resilience and lead with confidence in fast-paced environments 

Meeting Planner Resources

  • “Leaders described her as an absolutely incredible keynote speaker, one of the best we’ve ever had. I would highly recommend Lakshmi as a keynote presenter when you want your expectations exceeded.”

    Cassandra Crowe-Jackson,

    Chief Experience Officer, Sharp Healthcare

  • “Lakshmi brought enthusiasm, warmth and relevance to our session. Her personal stories and concepts really resonated with our people.”

    Lynnette Heath,

    EVP & CHRO, nVent

  • ASHRM KEYNOTE 2024

    "You were fabulous! And your message resonated. I loved your advice for building relationships and communicating proactively."

    Tatum O’Sullivan,

    President ASHRM 2024

  • "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

  • “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

Watch Lakshmi

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8 Reasons to Book Lakshmi

  • Backed by 29 years of corporate experience in 26 countries, best-in-class training, and 12,000+ hours of professional coaching, Lakshmi’s approach has accelerated observable individual and system-level transformations in the world’s leading organizations.

  • The world is waking up to the power of Outsider perspectives and the need for Courage. There has never been a better or more relevant time to hear Lakshmi’s message.

  • Many good speakers can make an audience feel great and send them out the door, but Lakshmi offers more than just inspiration. Her educational and interactive talks generate motivational “aha moments” coupled with step-by-step tools to transform those insights into high-value skills and outcomes.

  • Lakshmi’s message is powerful, and her onstage presence and high-energy delivery pack an equally powerful punch. When you combine an impactful message and practical strategies with an inspiring, can’t-miss performance, the result is unforgettable.

  • Lakshmi is deeply committed to understanding her clients’ unique context and needs. As a result, her keynotes are highly customized, maximizing content relevance and building audience connection.​

  • From leading teams in fast-paced competitive corporate environments to coaching C-suite leaders across the globe, Lakshmi has learned firsthand how to unlock individual and team performance at the highest levels.​

  • Lakshmi has the rare gift of connecting with audience members on a personal level. She delivers her message with such intense empathy that it reveals how sincere her desire is to transform lives for the better.

  • A born storyteller, Lakshmi anchors even the geekiest principles in rich stories and compelling examples, keeping audiences engaged every step along the way.

Let’s unlock the power of “different” together.​

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly!