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Colette Carlson

Business Communication & Human Behavior Expert

Colette Carlson is a human behavior expert and CPAE Hall of Fame motivational keynote speaker who is renowned for her expertise in cultivating human-centric workplaces that turbocharge business results. Audiences connect with Colette through her relevant, inspiring content, laugh-out-loud humor, and extensive customization.

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Bio

Colette Carlson is a human behavior expert and CPAE Hall of Fame keynote speaker who is acclaimed for her transformative approach in cultivating human-centric workplaces that turbocharge business results. Colette’s presentations captivate audiences with her unparalleled energy and humor, engaging interaction, extensive customization, research-backed strategies, and the call to action for personal and professional success.

Since founding her company, Speak Your Truth, Inc., Colette has delivered hundreds of customied keynote programs across five continents, grounded in extensive interviews with leaders, sales professionals, and frontline employees across diverse industries. Colette’s trusted clientele includes industry giants like Microsoft, Pepsi, FedEx, Exxon Mobil, Costco, Procter & Gamble, Fidelity, and Domino’s.

With a Master’s Degree in Human Behavior and more than 20 years of experience helping individuals prioritize intentional, impactful communication that builds trust, fuels engagement, and increases performance, Colette understands the psychology, mindset, and skills required to thrive in today’s modern, changing world.

Colette is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), a designation held by fewer than 10% of the members belonging to the International Federation for Professional Speakers, and was also inducted into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, a recognition that honors professional speakers who have reached the top echelon of career excellence.

Attendees leave Colette’s programs more inspired, more resilient, and equipped with an abundance of tangible strategies and actionable guidance designed to enhance human interactions, ultimately boosting business outcomes.

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Keynotes

Featured Keynote

The Connected Leader
Drive positive change through intentional and impactful communication

The future of leadership is human.

The ability to create a connection that is real, emotional, and personal drives employee motivation, engagement, and outcomes.

Connected leaders, through their own transparency, inclusion, and accountability, create a psychologically safe environment where individuals feel like they belong and matter – which is key to job satisfaction and mental health.

The demands of new hybrid workplaces require that leaders be compassionate and conscious communicators who can lead change, and influence and impact their teams.

In this engaging, uplifting, and research-based program, leaders will master their ability to communicate and connect on deeper levels by learning how to:
- Strengthen emotional intelligence to maximize impact and influence
- Invest time to grow and develop the whole person to attain and retain talent
- Create intentional rituals to build a healthy, engaged, and committed team
- Learn specific, human-centric conversations that inspire action and cooperation
- Champion the accomplishments and strengths of every individual on your team
- Create a culture of growth where individuals flourish and thrive

Sincere Selling: Stop Transacting, Start Connecting
Sincere Selling: Stop Transacting, Start Connecting
Essential skills to increase engagement, build trust, and deepen relationships.

To build relationships that close sales and earn customers, you must first make a connection. In today’s selling environment, where trust has become more fragile, the ability to quickly connect and captivate is paramount.

How sales are made today has drastically changed. Salespeople must humanize and customize their communications, show up prepared, and demonstrate empathy to build an emotional connection.

In this engaging, research-based program, learn how to adopt the skillset and mindset to cultivate authentic relationships and partnerships that increase sales, repeat customers, and powerful referrals.

As a former national sales trainer, who cut her teeth in straight commission sales, Colette will provide practical, actionable strategies to maximize relationships, revenue, and results.

Customized for each audience and their unique objectives, attendees will learn how to:

Stop transacting and start connecting to build deeper, richer relationships

Deliver a personal experience in all communications allowing your customer to feel seen, heard, and valued

Ask deeper, richer questions to identify the customer’s needs and challenges

Listen empathetically to create a collaborative environment conducive to problem-solving

Demonstrate value and gain emotional connection through the power of story

Leverage your physical and digital body language to clearly communicate and build trust
Many Communicate. Few Connect.
Many Communicate. Few Connect.
The common denominators of the most successful individuals are their ability to effectively communicate and connect, regardless of situation, location, or audience. In a competitive world filled with a global workforce, numerous communication channels, and daily digital distractions, getting your message heard has never been more challenging.

Clear, concise communication is no longer enough to get results: connection must be part of the equation.

Amplify your impact and form crucial relationships that drive productivity, engagement, and collaboration by learning how to:

Up your emotional quotient to increase your credibility and gain support

Foster healthy communication through focused, dedicated behaviors

Align your thoughts, words, and actions to build trust and increase influence

Communicate with candor and clarity while maintaining a respectful, human connection

Be a human highlighter who champions the accomplishments and strengths of every individual on your team
Connection Culture: Create a Cohesive Team That Thrives
Connection Culture: Create a Cohesive Team That Thrives
Your business is only as strong as your people.

Workplace culture often lacks connection, empathy, and collaboration – which leads to a toxic environment of unmotivated and under-performing employees. Purposeful, aligned organizational cultures allow individuals to do their best work as they feel safe, seen, heard, and valued. These types of workplace environments honor people, not just profits, which drives loyalty, productivity, and a sense of belonging.

This program teaches companies how to create teams that feel psychologically safe, supported, engaged, inspired, and motivated to perform at their highest potential.

Attendees will learn how to:

Prioritize the human experience to build trust, cooperation, and commitment toward an inclusive workplace

Effectively communicate who matters, what matters, and why it matters to create meaning and purpose

Foster an open and honest exchange of feedback, ideas, and insights to support individual and organizational growth

Make workplace connection a ritual in a distributed workforce to break down silos, deepen relationships, and increase overall employee well-being

Support the growth and development of the whole person to attain and retain talent
Workplace Wellness: Avoid Burnout, Boost Resilience, and Accelerate Success
Workplace Wellness: Avoid Burnout, Boost Resilience, and Accelerate Success
Strategies to build resilience, beat burnout, and accelerate performance

Given the volume of change, uncertainty, and relentless pressure in today’s modern workplace, it’s time to take employee health seriously.

We need to grow beyond the outdated concept of work-life balance, or that self-care is a day off or a bubble bath. More importantly, we must move past the belief that exhaustion is a requirement of success.

The digital environment collapsed the boundaries between work and home, leaving people juggling opposing demands for time, energy, and attention – while others experience isolation and disconnection. And levels of stress and burnout for every title and role are only intensifying.

Without the strategies and support to manage these situations and emotions, even the most-resilient individuals can experience chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout. When left untreated, these feelings impact motivation, engagement, and productivity.

In this program, Colette shares practical, powerful, science-based strategies to remain resilient, create a healthier workplace; and accelerate performance during the most challenging of circumstances.

Attendees will learn how to:

Control the controllables to preempt worry, stress, and emotional exhaustion

Implement science-backed steps to master your mindset, increasing mental toughness and emotional regulation

Reprioritize well-being. The relationship you have with yourself, and how you take care of yourself, affects all your relationships and your work.

Create healthy boundaries through intentional rituals to stay focused, present, and productive

Ask for and create the support you need to perform at your best and improve your quality of life
Women Leading with Impact: Accelerate Your Position with Confidence
Women Leading with Impact: Accelerate Your Position with Confidence
When women show up, stand up, and speak out, positive change happens. In this engaging, uplifting, and research-based program, specific to women in leadership, participants gain the strategies and skills necessary to become authentic, credible, and confident leaders. Be recognized, respected, and rewarded in your career by learning how to:

Cultivate connections that count

Identify, access, and develop strategic relationships

Express your success to advocate for yourself and others

Conquer self-imposed limits to take risks and accelerate growth

Breakthrough barriers by mastering the power of the ASK

Stay resilient through constant change and challenges

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Topics

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Sales Trending

Communication and Leadership Keynote Speaker Colette Carlson

Virtual Reel Colette Carlson, MA, CSP, CPAE

7 Communication Strategies for Virtual Meetings

The recent pandemic has forced our hand to rely on technology over in-person meetings, events or conferences. To continue to connect, inform, and inspire others, everyone must up their virtual meeting game.

May I Ask Where you Gathered That Information?

“May I ask where you gathered that information? I'd like to learn more.” It is a simple, straightforward statement that should be on everyone's lips, and yet the general lack of facts in regard to just about anything is tearing so many of us apart. When all is said and done, the simple, innocent phrase, “May I ask where you gathered that information? I'd like to learn more,” may be the best possible approach to clarify and verify.

5 Ways Leaders Show Respect

Without respect, relationships falter. Here's five strategies to up your ability to show respect and build deeper relationships.

7 Thoughtful Ways to Stress Less

Up your connection quotient and lower your stress with these seven strategies.

Too Much Tech to Connect? 4 Strategies to Reconnect

Avoid these relationship barriers that prevent richer relationships and connection.

7 Keys to a Flawless Conversations

Why not connect through conversational strategies?

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Colette is a truly world-class keynote speaker. Her message and ability within the presentation to connect with our audience of Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub leadership was extraordinary. I was impressed by her preparation prior to the conference which was evident in the relevance of her material woven through her time on stage. The feedback was universally positive with many referencing elements of the presentation through the rest of the conference. I highly and wholeheartedly recommend her!!!

Craig Barber, CEO, Restaurant Growth Services, LLC

Colette delivered two keynote addresses at our National Sales Meeting, "Stress less, Connect more" and "Stop transacting, start connecting"- I'm not quite sure which one resonated more with our team- they were both exceptional! I have hosted and attended sales meetings for over 3 decades, Colette's presentations were the best. Colette was able to connect with our Account Executives on an entirely different level than other keynote speakers with ALL in attendance feeling that Colette was talking directly to "them". This connection was the result of Colette working directly with me and others within our organization to understand our culture, sales strategy, differentiators and customers. Colette was able to seamlessly incorporate many of these points into her keynote. I would highly recommend Colette as a keynote speaker at your next sales meeting,

Greg Wittlinger, VP Sales at MDC Wallcoverings

Colette recently spoke for us as the Opening Keynote Speaker and Virtual Chat Emcee/Moderator of our first virtual IAEE Women's Leadership Forum and as always, she was AMAZING! I have used Colette numerous times in my career and she never disappoints; True professional when it comes to presenting virtually. I always know I can count on her to do what's needed to make our program as huge success! Always on point, providing leadership tips to women; she is top notch, has a true pulse on what our attendees need and always able to engage! We love Colette!

International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), Stacy Riddler, Senior Education Manager

Colette was the keynote speaker at our annual meeting this year. Our group is a team of 75 seasoned consultants who spend a significant portion of their waking hours supporting clients in transformative and stressful situations. Ahead of her session, Colette made sure to speak with selected members of the team to understand our circumstances, gain familiarity with our vocabulary, and customize her talking points to address our needs. This attention to our specific situation led to a highly effective discussion. The event itself was high energy, engaging, and impactful (I did not see anyone looking at their phones). Following the session, I was approached by many team members who reflected on the applicability of the content and the high energy way Colette delivered the message. I am happy to recommend Colette. She is now part of our extended friends and family.

Jeff Shaffer, Manager Director at Alvarez & Marsal

Colette's ability to connect with McKesson's US Pharm leadership team was truly remarkable. Her expertise in resilience and leading through change is unmatched. Colette skillfully guided us through the importance of connection and navigating the ever-changing landscape of life and business. She provided practical strategies and actionable steps that empowered us to not only survive, but thrive in the face of adversity. What truly set her apart was her ability to infuse positivity and optimism into her message, along with tailoring it for our audience and business. Her energy was infectious, leaving us all feeling invigorated and eager to embrace change as an opportunity for growth and success. Her skit was also unmatched and really got the audience engaged and laughing! I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking guidance and inspiration in navigating the challenges of life and leadership.

Joe Urby, Director, US Pharm McKesson

Colette spoke recently at the LeadingAge PA Virtual Conference Experience. Colette has received rave reviews from our membership. Senior living providers have been under attack in the media lately and Colette's keynote was the perfect way to celebrate the amazing work they have done! She offered a way for all of us to realize that taking care of ourselves is just as important as taking care of others. Colette did extensive research into our field and was able to reach through the virtual environment to make each person feel like you were having a personal conversation with a friend. We laughed, we cried and we learned. If you want a great keynote to celebrate people, have fun and walk away uplifted, book Colette for your event, you will not be disappointed.

LeadingAge, SVP and COO Luanne Reese

Colette recently spoke to our team about the importance of relationships and how to better cultivate and manage them. She had her work cut out for her - she was asked to present via Teams and it was a mixed audience including sales, engineering, department heads and senior management, and yet she found a way to deliver a message that resonated with the entire group. Everybody took something from her presentation. Leading up to the event, she did her work with pre-calls, email and text exchanges to ensure she understood our business, culture and challenges. She was engaging, relatable, high energy and an absolute professional. I enthusiastically recommend her as a speaker if you are looking for someone to deliver a message with lasting impact.

Michael Newcome, VP of Sales, JLS Automation

Colette's engaging style and the creative presentation made our virtual event a great success! The post-event survey identified her as the most highly rated session and rated as the "highlight" of the entire 2 days of the Learning and Development program. It was no surprise given her ability to tailor the content to meet the needs of our team members!

Microsoft CELA

We had the pleasure of having Colette speak to our sales team of about 1000 people, and she was fantastic! She worked really well with our leadership team before the meeting to tailor and personalize her message and that really separated her from other speakers. Additionally, she has a great blend of serious content mixed in humor to keep the audience engaged the whole time. We polled our team after our meetings on all content and Colette scored as "highly impactful" and the comments were all extremely complimentary. I would highly recommend her as a speaker for your next engagement!

Ryan Steck, Executive Director, Strategic Marketing, Henry Schein

Who wants a speaker that is witty, intelligent and engaging? We did and we found her! Colette nailed the opening keynote presentation at our annual management conference. She spent time tailoring her presentation to our participants, not only meeting with us, but also contacting several of our members prior to completing her presentation. It was the next best thing to having her boots on the ground in our district. Participants loved the presentation and left with several take-aways. Working with her was a fantastic experience.

Susan Day, CMP Meeting & Event Mgr, Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka

4.60/5.00 weighted feedback score. See full survey results under "files" tab.

Kelly Stahl, Wisconsin Realtor's Association

Colette was great! Her session was fun, entertaining, humorous and most importantly educational! Our attendees loved her session. Colette connected with the audience and engaged them. It was wonderful to see a speaker like Colette who had really done her research about our organization, our attendees and who they are and what they do. She just didn’t throw a few key words into her presentation so that it would sound like “it fit”. She actually did her research and knew what she was talking about in terms of this audience. That really helped the audience connect with her as she was able to relate to them, their businesses and our industry! I had a number of our attendees come up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed her session. I personally enjoyed her session very much! She is a high energy, well –spoken, professional speaker/trainer.

Kim Specht, Ensemble Travel Group

Colette was fantastic! everyone really enjoyed her presentation and continued to speak about her content throughout the retreat. I would highly recommend Colette to anyone.

Stacy Coleman, SSM Health Care of Oklahoma, Inc., an Oklahoma nonprofit corporation, owning and operating St. Anthony Hospital

Colette Carlson

Bio

Keynotes

The Connected Leader

Topics

4.60/5.00 weighted feedback score. See full survey results under "files" tab.

Colette was fantastic! everyone really enjoyed her presentation and continued to speak about her content throughout the retreat. I would highly recommend Colette to anyone.

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Colette Carlson

Bio

Keynotes

The Connected Leader

Sincere Selling: Stop Transacting, Start Connecting

Many Communicate. Few Connect.

Connection Culture: Create a Cohesive Team That Thrives

Workplace Wellness: Avoid Burnout, Boost Resilience, and Accelerate Success

Women Leading with Impact: Accelerate Your Position with Confidence

Topics

4.60/5.00 weighted feedback score. See full survey results under "files" tab.

Colette was fantastic! everyone really enjoyed her presentation and continued to speak about her content throughout the retreat. I would highly recommend Colette to anyone.

Let's find your perfect speaker!

Explore

Quick Links

Keep Up To Date