Speaking
Keynotes that equip humans for the future of work
The world is rapidly changing. We are drowning in data. And disruptive life events like divorce or losing a loved one, are affecting our clients, our customers, and our teammates.
In the churn of change, human skills are at the heart of thriving cultures and companies, because AI and big tech will never be able to replace the power of purposeful presence.
Equip your leaders, managers, and teams with the skills they need to create unforgettable cultures where people want to do their best work.
In-Person + Virtual
Signature Speaking Engagements
You might benefit from a keynote format if your goal is to…
Bring big energy and inspiring ideas to your audience
Introduce people to a new concept that helps them think (and act!) differently
Keep speaking time to 60 minutes or less
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Alignment call with Liesel before the event to talk about your goals
Pre and post-session attendee surveys to tailor content to your audience
45-60 minute session
Unlimited number of attendees
Post-session, continued learning call within 30 days of the event
KEYNOTE TOPICS
01. Human-Centric Skills
How to Create a Culture of Empathy at Work
Are you doing what it takes to help your people survive, stabilize, and thrive at work?
Approximately 85% of workers report a decline in their overall wellness over the last year. Yet a recent report showed 76% of employees directly linked productivity to the presence (or absence!) of empathy. That means how your organization supports people in the midst of hard times matters.
In this interactive, reflective session, workplace empathy expert Liesel Mertes empowers leaders, managers and teams to be workplace first responders, offering empathy, connection and compassion when it matters most.
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Learn what empathy at work means and why it matters
Build the necessary skills to communicate and support people as they deal with disruptive life events (e.g. miscarriages, divorce, diagnosis)
Overcome common personal and organizational obstacles to empathy
02. Survive, Stabilize, Thrive
Combatting Compassion and Change Fatigue at Work
How do you build cultures of care when you feel personally exhausted and overwhelmed?
Today’s leaders are experiencing change fatigue and exhaustion at work. And it’s not entirely the workplace’s fault. The unrelenting stress of uncertainty and transitions partners with compassion fatigue, which means that people can't show up and do their best work.
In this interactive and inspirational session, workplace empathy expert Liesel Mertes equips the audience with strategies to combat both change and compassion fatigue while boosting their mental wellness.
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How change fatigue affects relationships with clients, coworkers, and community
Embodied practices to combat change fatigue
How to establish boundaries at work to prevent burnout
Actionable tips for sustainable work environments
03. Story As Strategy
Building a brand that resonates
After the death of her daughter, Mercy Joan, Liesel was personally and professionally adrift. The pieces of her story felt disjointed — grief, growth, her MBA, NGO work — until she realized that story itself was the bridge. Her story helps businesses thrive and created a new business category.
In this session, Liesel will teach participants how to do the same: craft a compelling personal brand story that resonates in interviews, reviews, and boardrooms.
Plus, they’ll explore how their experiences (especially the ones that feel hardest to explain) can connect to business value, reveal unique strengths, and resonate with diverse audiences.
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Learn how to craft and tell a powerful story
Identify what key stakeholders need to know about them and their business
How to leverage their story to get where they want to go
04. How To Handle Hard Better
Equip your team to face challenges with strength, stability, and shared purpose
Life rarely goes as planned: customers push back, coworkers clash, personal crises emerge, and expectations pile up. These challenges often stack on top of business demands, leaving us longing for the day when everything finally feels “easy.”
But what if waiting for easy isn’t the answer? What if the real opportunity is in learning to handle hard better?
Drawing from her own story of loss, as well as client experiences and case studies, Liesel helps participants not just endure difficulty, but emerge stronger, more capable, and more connected on the other side.
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Survive, stabilize, and thrive when life is unfair, unexpected, and overwhelming
Shift beyond default stress responses by practicing healthier, more resilient patterns
Apply workplace tools that cultivate fortitude, trust, and care on their teams
05. Things Fall Apart
How To Build, Repair, and Sustain Trust at Work
There is a high cost to low trust at work. Studies show that low-trust teams struggle with miscommunication, silos and disengagement.
In contrast, employees on high-trust teams report 74% less stress, 76% more engagement, and 50% higher productivity.
How can you increase trust on your team, make repairs when trust gets broken, and create strategic buy-in to sustain trust at work?
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Foundations of trust – benevolence, competence, and integrity – and how these pillars impact both relationships and results
Practice active listening
Optimize giving (and receiving) constructive feedback
Avoid common obstacles to trust at work
Watch liesel in action
Watch How Avatars Help You Grow
Watch Learning With Liesel
rave reviews
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![Five star reviews for Liesel Mertes]()
“This was my favorite session of the summit-- Liesel is an incredible storyteller and did a wonderful job challenging my thoughts on how to "correctly" handle situations and reminds me that there is never a good time to be silent during a disruptive life event.”
Participant feedback, Indiana Wellness Summit
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![Five star reviews for Liesel Mertes]()
“I found the material and delivery style to be relatable, which is not always the case in training of this nature and allowed me to better envisage how to integrate the material into my daily work.”
Participant feedback, Zylo
about liesel
Liesel Mertes is an acclaimed workplace empathy expert. After experiencing her own loss, Liesel emerged with a deep understanding of what employees need to feel supported at work after a disruptive life event. As the Founder of Handle W/ Care, Liesel works with groups who want to boost employee satisfaction as well as attract and retain better talent.
Liesel engages with organizations around the globe, where her programs have been utilized by tech companies, government agencies and RV manufacturers (just to name a few). Her favorite clients are those who understand and know the value of supporting their employees with empathy and compassion.
Liesel’s expertise is broad – death and loss, diagnosis, relationship changes and life’s inevitable curveballs – and no disruption is considered less significant. On these topics, Liesel is a dedicated speaker, writer, workplace consultant and host of the Handle With Care podcast.
A calming presence in stressful situations, Liesel provides tools for organizations to help their employees survive, stabilize and thrive in the aftermath of adversity.
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Free Guide:
How to Help During Hard Times
Life is hard and complex, but caring for your people doesn’t have to be. This free guide offers a clear, easy-to-implement checklist for how to care for your team during disruptive life events.
From the first day, week, and month after disruption, this guide helps you show up with consistent meaningful words and actions while maintaining business priorities. Enter your info below and we’ll send you your free guide and put empathy to work.