Speaking & Facilitated Conversations
Bringing the Work Into the Room
Michael Karlsrud delivers keynote talks and facilitates leadership conversations that help organizations pause, reflect, and reconnect with the principles that make leadership work. Rather than focusing on trends or techniques, his sessions explore the deeper conditions that allow leaders and teams to build trust, navigate complexity, and move forward with clarity.
Michael creates space for honest reflection, practical insight, and meaningful dialogue around the real work of leadership as an executive speaker and business leadership speaker.
SPEAKING PROGRAM 1
The Six Principles of Leadership
DURATION: 45-60 MINUTES
Most leadership conversations focus on tactics, tools, and performance.
This one focuses on what actually holds the underlying principles that shape trust, create clarity, and influence.
The Six Principles of Leadership examine the conditions necessary for individuals to lead effectively and collaborate effectively. These are not trends or techniques. They are timeless principles that show up in every healthy leader and every healthy organization.
This talk invites leaders to slow down, examine how they show up, and reconnect with what truly matters in leadership: presence, clarity, courage, relationship, discernment, and inner authority. It is especially relevant for organizations focused on leadership transformation, values-based leadership development, and high-impact leadership.
Best for:
- Leadership teams
- Executive offsites
- CEO forums
- Organizations navigating change, growth, or cultural strain
This session creates shared language, deeper reflection, and a grounded reset around what leadership actually requires while supporting teams focused on building a high-performance culture.
SPEAKING PROGRAM 2
Generative Listening: How Critical Conversations Happen
DURATION: 45-60 MINUTE KEYNOTE OR UP TO 3 HOUR WORKSHOP
Most leaders listen to respond, defend, or solve.
Very few listen in a way that creates trust, insight, and forward movement.
Generative Listening is about learning how to be fully present in critical conversations, especially the difficult ones. It explores how leaders can listen beneath words, create psychological safety, and engage in conversations that lead to clarity instead of conflict.
This session is grounded in real leadership experience and practical application. Leaders leave with a deeper understanding of how listening shapes culture, trust, and decision-making, and how to stay grounded when conversations are charged. It is especially useful for teams that want to strengthen leadership communication skills across the organization.
Best for:
- Leadership teams
- Boards and senior executives
- Organizations navigating conflict, tension, or change
- Groups that need to improve communication without increasing noise
This work helps leaders slow conversations down, hear what actually matters, and respond with intention rather than reaction.
These keynotes aren’t all inspirational.
They’re about creating the conditions for clarity and honest leadership.
Ready to explore how this could fit into your next event?
CONTACT MICHAEL FOR more information about SPEAKING & WORKSHOPS!
Contact Michael to learn about speaking engagements and workshops to help keep your teams engaged and inspired—which is key to creating a better business!