Keynote Speaking & Leadership Events
Keynotes That Build Calm, Courageous Leaders with skills people can use immediately
Liz Jolley is a keynote speaker, former engineer, and leadership coach who helps organizations and women leaders communicate clearly, navigate pressure, and lead with confidence — without burning out.
Keynote Topics
Each keynote is designed to be practical, grounded, and immediately useful. These talks equip leaders and teams with skills they can apply right away — in meetings, conversations, and everyday leadership moments.
How to Have Difficult Conversations
In the name of “being nice,” many leaders avoid hard conversations — or speak about people instead of with them. And yet, feedback is essential for growth, trust, and strong working relationships.
This keynote teaches practical skills for giving and receiving feedback, addressing tension directly, and leaning into uncomfortable conversations in ways that build trust, inclusion, and clarity — rather than defensiveness or resentment.
How to Deal with Difficult People
Every workplace — and every family — includes people who frustrate us. Disagreements, unmet expectations, and misunderstandings can quietly drain energy and take up more mental space than we’d like.
This keynote explains what actually creates that frustration and teaches leaders how to respond with clarity instead of reactivity. Participants learn tools to stay grounded, reduce emotional overwhelm, and show up more effectively — even in challenging interactions.
Building Trust & Asking Better Questions
Trust is essential for strong teams, yet it’s often treated as vague or intangible. When trust breaks down, collaboration suffers — but leaders aren’t always sure how to address it.
This keynote breaks trust into clear, observable behaviors leaders can recognize and strengthen. It also introduces Liz’s Power Question Framework — a practical approach to staying curious, uncovering root issues, and solving the right problems before jumping to solutions, with clear ways to measure progress.
Speaking for Energy, Oil & Gas, and Technical Organizations
I bring more than 22 years of corporate experience to the stage, including over 15 years leading highly technical teams inside complex, high-stakes organizations.
I’m an engineer by training and experience. I’ve lived field life, worked through eight rounds of layoffs, and led teams under intense cost pressure, shifting priorities, and long cycles of uncertainty.
I’ve taken over teams that were burned out, struggling to hire, and watching their best people walk out the door — and helped transform them into cultures where trust was rebuilt, engagement improved, and people were actively seeking to join the group.
My leadership experience spans global, cross-functional work across:
- Engineering and deeply technical teams
- Commercial gas trading organizations
- Outsourced geosteering and service partnerships
- Data analytics and technology adoption initiatives
- Cost reduction and decision-making during downturns
I understand the realities energy and technical organizations face — misaligned incentives, siloed teams, resistance to change, and the human toll that prolonged uncertainty takes on leaders and their people.
Why This Matters on Stage
When I speak to energy and technical audiences, I don’t offer theory or generic motivation.
I speak their language. I understand the constraints leaders operate under when safety, cost, performance, and people are all on the line.
The result is practical, grounded keynotes that resonate with engineers, operators, and executives — because they know I’ve been in their shoes.
Speaking for Women’s Groups, Networks, and Professional Communities
Many of the women I speak to are high-achieving, deeply capable, and quietly exhausted. They care about their work, their families, and the impact they’re making — and they’re carrying far more than most people can see.
I regularly speak at women’s networking events, professional associations, corporate women’s groups, and leadership luncheons. These audiences aren’t looking for motivation or surface-level inspiration — they’re looking for relief, clarity, and tools that actually fit their real lives.
My keynotes resonate with women navigating demanding careers, leadership roles, motherhood, and the constant pressure to “do it all” without falling apart. We talk honestly about overwhelm, guilt, boundaries, self-trust, and what it really looks like to lead without burning out.
These talks are practical, relatable, and grounded — offering insights women can immediately apply at work, at home, and in how they lead their own lives.
Popular Audiences Include
- Women’s networking groups and professional associations
- Corporate women’s leadership initiatives and ERGs
- Leadership luncheons and conference breakout sessions
- Organizations supporting working mothers and caregivers
Why Organizations Bring Liz Jolley In
Organizations don’t bring me in to motivate people for a moment. They bring me in to help leaders and teams think differently, communicate more clearly, and navigate pressure with steadiness and confidence.
I bring a rare combination of deep corporate experience and practical, human-centered leadership tools. I spent more than 22 years inside a large, complex organization, leading teams where the stakes were real and the pressure was constant.
Whether I’m speaking to engineers, executives, or women navigating demanding careers, the work resonates because it’s grounded in lived experience — not theory, trends, or motivational clichés.
Audiences leave with clear language, practical frameworks, and insights they can apply immediately — helping them lead with greater emotional intelligence, strengthen relationships, and reduce unnecessary stress and burnout.
What Makes These Talks Different
- Credibility with technical, energy, and corporate audiences
- Practical tools grounded in real leadership experience
- Calm, relatable delivery that connects without oversharing or hype
- Content that applies equally to work, home, and personal leadership
- Thoughtful customization based on your audience, culture, and goals
Let’s Talk About Your Event
If you’re planning a conference, leadership event, luncheon, or professional gathering, I’d love to learn more about your audience, goals, and what would be most helpful for them.
Speaking InquiryWhat Event Planners Can Expect
I work closely with event planners and organizers to ensure each engagement is thoughtful, aligned, and genuinely useful for your audience — never a one-size-fits-all talk.
Every engagement begins with a conversation. Before your event, we’ll align on your audience, objectives, and any specific challenges your organization or community is navigating.
My talks are designed to meet people where they are. Content and delivery are adapted to fit your format, timing, and tone — whether the setting is formal or conversational.
Events may be delivered in person or virtually, with time for interaction and Q&A when appropriate. The goal is always the same: an experience that feels grounded, engaging, and immediately valuable.
Common Formats
- Keynote presentations (30–90 minutes)
- Interactive workshops and facilitated sessions
- Leadership retreats and team offsites
- Conference breakouts and panel discussions
- Women’s networking events and leadership luncheons
Speaking Inquiry
If you’re interested in having me speak at your event, please share a few details below. I’ll review your inquiry and follow up soon.