Most Requested Speaking Topic

Built to Thrive ™ : Beyond Burnout in the Age of Overload.

The most urgent leadership challenge today isn’t AI, competition, or even constant change: It’s that chronic burnout has become a performance metric. And that exhaustion is mistaken for resilience—and rewarded.

Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan has 30 years of hands-on experience as a Microsoft executive, successful entrepreneur, and trusted advisor to some of the world’s most demanding organizations. She is IN the rooms where today’s pressures play out, coaching C-suite leaders through their biggest challenges, helping teams navigate impossible change curves, and witnessing firsthand what constant strain does to even the strongest performers.

Lakshmi’s Built to Thrive™ framework is a practical system with three simple, repeatable strategies to build resilience and adaptability as a renewable force—without adding to the overwhelm. Tailored to your unique context and brought to life through her infectious energy and vivid storytelling, these actionable tools won’t just remind your people it’s possible to thrive under pressure—they’ll know exactly how to get started Monday morning (and look forward to diving in)!

- An actionable framework for building resilience and adaptability as renewable capacities.
- High-impact (but low-risk and budget-free) strategies for reclaiming a sense of control, connecting effort to impact, and flipping the frame from crisis to creativity and learning.
- Research-backed, field-tested tools tailored to audience-specific challenges.
- Renewed confidence in their value and contribution and the motivation to apply their learning right away.

- Navigating the Age of Overload: nonstop transformation, relentless expectations, and pressure to do more with less.
- Operating in environments where AI, technology shifts, and market disruption require constant adaptation.
- Dealing with unprecedented organizational change, where reorgs, layoffs, and restructures have become the new normal.
- Seeking practical, budget-conscious strategies to build resilience and adaptability as renewable capacities.

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Speaking Topic 2

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.

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“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