Thought Leader, Speaker, Executive and Leadership Coach
Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan
Speaking Fee: $20,000 to $30,000
Travels From:
Primary Topic Category: Inspiration / Motivation / Overcoming Obstacles
Secondary Topic Category: Asian & Pacific Islander
Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan At A Glance:
Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan is the founder and CEO of The Infinite Impact Group, a leadership and organizational development firm that helps its clients crack the code of who they are, how to create outcomes that matter most—and scale that capacity to others in authentic and fulfilling ways.
Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan is the founder and CEO of The Infinite Impact Group, a leadership and organizational development firm that helps its clients crack the code of who they are—and how to create outcomes that matter most and scale that capacity to others in authentic and fulfilling ways.
Lakshmi’s diverse background—25 years of global business and people leadership and consulting in Fortune 5 tech, 13 years as an entrepreneur, and over 7,300 hours of professional coaching experience—and ability to connect with people have driven successful partnerships with hundreds of executives and teams across 26 countries.
As a leader and as a coach for leaders, Lakshmi has developed a deep understanding of what motivates people to be their best and do their best. And as an immigrant, woman of color, and hard-charging business executive who prided herself on always having it together—until she didn’t—her imperfect courage and rich storytelling strike an immediate chord with audiences all over the world.
Lakshmi also works closely with best-selling author, researcher, and podcast host Dr. Brené Brown on Dare to Lead™, a ground-breaking program that teaches leaders and corporations how to build and operationalize Courage, the #1 skill for success in our complex times. Through speaking, coaching, and mentoring, she arms her clients with practical tools and innovative strategies to integrate that Courage into everyday leadership and life in observable, measurable ways.
Lakshmi has thoughtfully crafted two presentations packed with disruptive insights, practical tools, and memorable moments designed to help organizations—leaders and employees alike—break through to new levels of engagement, optimism, and impact.
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THE OUTSIDER’S EDGE
Employee engagement—the emotional commitment that employees have to their organization—is one of the top drivers of every company’s bottom line. Data shows that high-engagement organizations attract and retain better talent; build higher-quality products and services; and—unsurprisingly—drive higher customer satisfaction, loyalty, and profitability. Yet: A whopping 85% percent of employees globally are disengaged—or, worse, actively disengaged.
And this was before 2020, before a global pandemic, widespread social unrest, and wrenching cultural divides set the world on edge. In July 2020, employee engagement recorded its lowest levels in the 20 years it’s been tracked.
Escalating feelings of disconnection, emotional exhaustion, and social isolation also make us much more vulnerable to what Lakshmi describes as “The Outsider Syndrome”—that all-too familiar feeling of being the only one who doesn’t belong, who doesn’t get it, who isn’t one of the group. We’ve all experienced this Outsider feeling, and we know that it results in a crushing loss of confidence, optimism, and morale. Especially at work, where it pushes us to play smaller and safer, sit on the sidelines, or disengage entirely—none of which are viable options in today’s market. Whether you’re a leader responsible for the bottom line or an employee resolved to do their best, you know you must act.
The Outsider’s Edge gives organizations a deceptively simple, yet radical new way to re-engage employees. Anchored in the universal psychological need to feel seen, valued, and connected, it gives managers a step-by-step process for initiating truly inclusive conversations in everyday language, no jargon needed. And, equally, it shows employees how to reframe that Outsider feeling as an opportunity and asset, inspiring them to step forward to be and do their best.
Drawing on her own professional and personal struggles with The Outsider Syndrome and the stories of hundreds of executive clients, Lakshmi shows you that you no longer need to keep a part of yourself—often the part that has the most potential—hidden. And that when you’re having the right conversations and building The Outsider’s Edge together, engagement soars, right along with the bottom line.
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BUILDING COURAGE INSIDE-OUT
What does it take to show up and lead people? What does organizational leadership look like during a global pandemic, when we’re all feeling vulnerable and exposed?
If you’re a leader, you know there’s one constant through all of the chaos: You’re still on the hook. You’re being asked to step up and show up like never before. To reassure customers and shareholders, make big decisions at warp speed and demonstrate adaptability and resilience. And to build and nurture your most powerful asset: a diverse and highly engaged workforce.
To lead successfully through unpredictable, shape-shifting times takes great Courage—not as a lofty aspiration but as a practical, observable skill that delivers exceptional outcomes for business and people.
Join Lakshmi for Building Courage Inside Out: Transformative Leadership in Uncertain Times, a hands-on, learn-by-doing session that is equally suited to virtual and live delivery. You will choose, and work through, a real-life challenge where the stakes feel high and you’re feeling uncertain and vulnerable. You will then learn how to replace your instinctive, often disserving reactions with actionable self-awareness and practical skills that radically transform how you lead in such moments. By the end of this session, you will have a new perspective on that gnarly challenge as well as a durable artifact for immediate and future use. Not only that, but you and your team will emerge with a proven framework and shared vocabulary for Courage, which Dr. Brené Brown identifies in her best-selling book Dare to Lead™ as the #1 skillset for leaders and teams to be successful.
Lakshmi has worked closely with Brené on several aspects of Dare to Lead™, starting with an 18-month pilot prior to the book’s publication. Her deep subject matter expertise, combined with 25 years of corporate and business experience, make her a uniquely credible speaker, coach, and mentor on Courageous Leadership. Carefully customizing each keynote to each audience, Lakshmi will challenge you, inspire you, and equip you to step up and show up when your people and the world need you to be that leader—the one who models courageous leadership by example.
Your keynote was such a hit and the message really resonated, especially during these challenging times. The attendees had so many takeaways and were raving about your keynote all day! THANK YOU for your partnership!— Kristina O'Hare, Director of Talent, MAA
Lakshmi brought enthusiasm, warmth and relevance to our session, spotlighting key concepts around empathy and inclusion; and the powerful link between expression of vulnerability and courage. Our time together planning the session was an important investment, and it resulted in a program that was customized for nVent, reflecting our values and where we are in our culture journey. Her personal stories and concepts really resonated with our people.— Lynnette Heath, CHRO, nVent
Working with Lakshmi over the past 8 months was both a life and career changing experience. I originally sought an Executive Coach for the purpose of scaling my leadership; developing a tool kit that would allow me to grow from managing a team to leading an organization. After each session with Lakshmi, I felt as though I had developed a much deeper understanding of my own values and drivers, but had also gained tangible tools that I could apply as soon as I got back to work. Over the course of our time together I was able to craft an authentic and inspiring leadership narrative that gave me the confidence and skills I needed to take my career to the next level. Lakshmi is a fantastic coach and an even better person, I look forward to having the opportunity to work together in the future— VP Strategy and Innovation, Seattle
Coaching with Lakshmi was a great experience for me. I could never forget it. The tools she uses, the focus she puts in every session, together with her ability to understand human being inner psychology and triggers, make the outcome outstanding. But what most important she will drive you towards a deeper self knowledge and how to transform your weakness in strengths. I would recommend coaching with her to anyone who is looking for a deeper self awareness and who is willing to step up to the next level.— Category Leader, Rome, Italy
Lakshmi’s professional background and natural insight are unmatched. She is able to relate to high-stress, high-achieving, quick minds who are diligently carving their way, and her solutions can be easily extended from personal to professional to spiritual lives. Because of her ability to navigate corporate environments, I both respect and trust her judgement on “what works” in those areas. Starting on our first session, Lakshmi pivoted the process to something positive, sustainable, and energy-giving rather than sucking. She structured the program for me in a way that showed immediate results and freedom but gave us enough flex room to adapt the work as the tides were changing. I feel like every time we meet I learn new ‘life skills’ I should have been born with! It’s amazing how revealing the process has been and how our work together has affected every corner of my life.— Director Marketing, Amazon.com
