Michelle Ray

As an award-winning, hall of fame motivational keynote speaker, Michelle Ray delivers powerful messages on change management, resilient leadership, accountability, talent retention and employee engagement. Discover your highest potential through Michelle’s compelling presentations, coaching and workshops. A dynamic motivational speaker, Michelle goes one step further to understand your unique challenges and she is instrumental in inspiring positive change. Her passion is her power.

For more than twenty five years leadership speaker Michelle Ray has helped thousands of audiences as well as organizations of every description to take the lead, get out of their comfort zones and develop the willingness to risk. Delivering her powerful message on self-leadership with insight, humour, and passion, Michelle’s engaging, interactive, presentations resonate with a diverse clientele who are seeking to inspire their teams and take personal responsibility for creating their own reality at work, in business and in life. +

According to a recent Gallop survey, only thirteen percent of employees are actively engaged and satisfied in their chosen vocation. High levels of disenchantment and frustration impact productivity and performance, as many seek a greater connection to their work and life purpose.

Michelle began her career in the media industry with one of Australia’s leading broadcasting networks. She worked her way up the management ladder and was responsible for the sales revenues of 25 radio and television affiliate stations, and was subsequently hired by one of the world’s largest cinema advertising contractors to lead the company’s sales team and was also responsible for successfully generating record–breaking revenues during a severely depressed economic climate.

In addition to her corporate background, Michelle broadened her leadership experience during her tenure as a program director with Junior Achievement, an internationally renowned non-profit organization committed to educating future generations about business. She secured financial commitments and volunteer support from an array of corporations, facilitating enduring partnerships between youth, entrepreneurs and educators.

Michelle has delivered her powerful messages on leadership, accountability and engaged workplaces to the “C-Suites” of global corporations, academia, diverse associations, government groups, as well as front-line staff. Her client list includes notable brands such as Proctor and Gamble, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Shell, Xerox, PayPal, Qantas Airways, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Playboy Enterprises and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Having addressed thousands of audiences across five continents, Michelle’s combination of wit, masterful humor, practical content and an engaging, interactive style resonates with a diverse clientele seeking to inspire, educate and captivate the imagination of their leaders and teams.

Michelle is the author of Lead Yourself First! Indispensable Lessons in Business and in Life. She has appeared as a guest on numerous news and current affairs programs including CBC Radio, CTV, Global TV and was featured in esteemed publications such as Investor’s Business Daily, The National Post, Huffington Post, BC Business and Inc Magazine. Michelle is a regular contributor for The Globe and Mail’s Leadership Lab Column. --

Problems Michelle Ray solves:

• How to embrace change and manage uncertainty
• How to get people to be more accountable
• How to keep your best people from leaving
• How to deal with employee disengagement
• How to build a great leadership team

In-person or Virtual Presentations:

Leadership: It Starts with You
Harness the Power of Personal Leadership

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.

Expected outcomes for attendees:

• Build a leadership blueprint to use in business and in life;
• Realize the incredible leverage of modeling a “do what it takes” attitude;
• Decrease stress and negativity for greater productivity and positive results;
• Realign your core personal values to those of your workplace;
• Re-energize attitudes toward your peers and management;
• Tap into your innovative potential to bring out the best in yourself   --

Leading in Real Time:
How to be Ready, Responsive & 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. --

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 economic conditions, it is no wonder many people feel stuck; taking the leap of faith when there is no safety net feels overwhelming. It is during these times that organizations tighten their collective belts and become even more risk-adverse. Adapting to rapidly changing economic conditions is expected, yet many people feel even more afraid.

So, where to start?

The first step is to recognize that change is emotional. Organizations can achieve more success with change initiatives by acknowledging the human side before expecting acceptance of new ideas. When leaders understand what lies behind people’s fears, they will be better equipped to obtain buy-in.

During this dynamic, interactive and content-rich keynote, your attendees will learn the five 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.

Expected learning outcomes for attendees:

• Experience Michelle’s 7-step process to managing change
• Develop a repertoire of communication skills to achieve buy-in and build rapport
• Adopt a “can-do” mindset and rise above the “naysayers”
• Address the fear of change and the fear of failure
• Learn to respond vs. react to change and uncertainty  --

The Transformational Leader:
Be Bold. Be Real. Be Ready.

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.

Expected Outcomes for Attendees:

• Discover the four key characteristics of transformation leadership and why these matter
  to your workforce
• Realize the incredible leverage of modeling authenticity and integrity in all interactions
• Develop greater trust between leaders and teams for higher engagement and retention
• Enhance the perception of your organization’s reputation from the lens of future talent
• Tap into your innovative potential to bring out the best in yourself and others -- 

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

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.

Expected learning outcomes for attendees:

• Reframe your perspective regarding life’s ups and downs;
• Develop a resiliency mindset and tap into your inner strengths;
• Learn from setbacks and hone your “bouncebackability” skills;
• Approach adversity with clarity, confidence, and composure;
• Look forward to the future with positive anticipation;
• Become a resiliency role model to others at work and in life   --

SAFETY KEYNOTES FROM MICHELLE RAY

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 --

 Michelle Ray is represented by K&M Productions. To inquire about Michelle Ray's speaking schedule & booking speaker Michelle Ray, contact us.