Talk Topics

Signature Talk: The Language of Leadership

Why the words we use to champion people determine who rises — and what to say instead

Most managers believe they're effective advocates for their teams. Research suggests otherwise — not because they don't mean it, but because the language we use to describe people is shaped by stereotypes we don't know we hold. The result: even our most enthusiastic endorsements can inadvertently dampen rather than amplify the people we're trying to champion.

This talk draws on original research to show exactly how word choice shapes who gets promoted, who gets sponsored, and who gets seen as leadership material. Audiences leave with a concrete framework — agentic vs. communal language, stand-out words, removing doubt — they can apply to the next performance review, recommendation, or sponsorship conversation they have.

Best for: Leadership teams, talent and HR leaders, management development programs, women's professional conferences

Format: Keynote (45–60 min) or Workshop (half-day)

Why Good Intentions Aren't Enough

The hidden patterns that cost organizations their best people — and how to interrupt them

Organizations don't lose high-potential talent because leaders want to. They lose them because of invisible patterns baked into the way performance gets evaluated, feedback gets delivered, and talent gets discussed. These patterns are well-documented in organizational research — and largely invisible to the well-meaning people perpetuating them.

This talk pulls back the curtain on how bias surfaces in the everyday moments that shape careers: who gets asked to lead the project, how feedback is worded, what language gets used in a talent review. Audiences leave not with a new mindset, but with specific interventions they can implement immediately.

Best for: Executive teams, people managers, HR and talent leaders

Format: Keynote (45–60 min) or Executive Workshop (half-day)

Talk 3: The Unwritten Rules of Work

What the research shows about who advances — and the invisible advantages many leaders don't know they have

Career success in most organizations is shaped less by talent than by access to unwritten knowledge: how to be seen as leadership material, how to navigate a talent review, how to build the relationships that open doors. People with insider access absorb these rules early. Everyone else figures them out the hard way — or doesn't.

Drawing on research in sociology, organizational behavior, and Lori's work coaching professionals across industries and backgrounds, this talk names the unwritten rules, explains why they persist, and gives both leaders and emerging professionals tools to navigate them more intentionally.

Best for: Leadership development programs, ERGs and affinity groups, first-generation professional audiences, women's conferences

Format: Keynote (45–60 min) or Workshop (2 hours)

Talk 4: The Words in the Room

What happens to your team's talent when you're not there — and how to change it

Three words. High stakes. You're not in the room. Research shows that the informal conversations — in hallways, in talent reviews, in the moment someone's name comes up for an opportunity — are where careers often get made. And the words chosen in those moments are shaped by patterns most leaders have never examined.

This talk builds on Lori's research on advocacy language to show what effective sponsorship actually sounds like, why even well-intentioned sponsors get it wrong, and what both leaders and the people they champion can do differently. A particular focus: the unwritten rule most people don't know they're allowed to use.

Best for: Sponsorship programs, leadership development, women's professional networks, talent and succession planning teams

Format: Keynote (45 min) or Workshop (half-day)

BOOKING INFORMATION

Lori speaks at corporate leadership events, professional conferences, and executive off-sites. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and available for engagements nationally and internationally.