Recent Speaking Engagements
Keynote
Shed the Armor: Make Epic Change Without the Battle
Organizational change doesn't have to be a battle. As a leadership speaker, Katherine talks about driving intentional change in the workplace to help audiences lead positive culture effectively, overcome resistance, manage expectations, and build community and trust to create a workplace where everyone thrives.
Abstract
In today’s ever-changing work environment, leading through uncertainty can feel like an insurmountable challenge. Few want to armor up to tackle organizational change, resistance, fear, and apathy. But what if driving meaningful change and building intentional culture didn’t have to be a battle?
In her engaging keynote, Katherine Robinette explains how to adopt a more thoughtful and collaborative approach to change management, rooted in building trust and community, rather than charging ahead in armor.
Learned and developed from real-world examples — ranging from software adoption to theater management to corporate mergers — Katherine breaks down her process to help her audience successfully navigate workplace change in a way that builds intentional culture. Attendees will learn to target their goals, assess and address expectations, build simplicity into adoption, lead with trust acts, and evaluate and adjust for the unexpected.
Katherine’s refreshing approach reframes change from an intimidating battle into an opportunity for growth, connection, and innovation. Her theatrical background enables her to engage, entertain, and empower her audience with ease. With actionable insights and relatable stories, this keynote is designed to inspire her audience to implement lasting, positive change in their organizations, companies, departments, and teams — no armor required.
Workshops, Webinars, and Speaking Topics
These are our most requested presentations, workshops, and webinars. And they all are part of our Driving Intentional Change philosophy. With good goal-setting, research, analysis, processes, and communication, you can affect positive change management in the workplace, build community and trust, and create the kind of workplace where everyone thrives.
Audit to BHAG
Through a marketing and business development audit, Coffman Engineers, Inc. found a path to bring marketing representation to the C-Suite. Katherine Robinette and Skip Bourgeois, VP of Marketing at Coffman Engineers, Inc., co-present this story of intentional inquiry that led to a wondrous big, hairy, audacious goal (BHAG). For mid-level leaders and managers who want to learn a way to introduce a big change to their organization.
Takeaways:
1. Four questions to ask to get a more objective picture of your current program/department.
2. Three steps to make space for big-picture thinking.
3. Two ways to elevate your department and influence change.
(90-minute, in-person presentation)
Get Your Strengths Off the Bookshelf
So, you've taken a personal assessment and learned some really cool things about yourself. Now, how do you apply that to improve relationships, set and maintain boundaries, and communicate better up, down, and across the company? This workshop leads new staff and mid-level leaders and managers through exercises and self discovery to develop implementable action items that are tailored to their core strengths so they can thrive in the workplace.
Takeaways:
1. How to use your assessment to communicate your needs, preferences, and boundaries effectively.
2. How to increase your success by advocating for more of what you do well and enjoy.
(3.5-hour, in-person workshop)
Working with Multiple Bosses
Everyone has their own filters - their own way of seeing, hearing, and interacting with the world. Figuring out one boss is difficult enough, but what if you work with multiple people in a supervisor/employee dynamic? This workshop engages new staff and mid-level leaders and managers in exercises for finding common ground, getting clarity, and communicating effectively with diverse personalities.
Takeaways:
1. Identify your own communication style and preferences.
2. Assess someone else's communication style and preferences.
3. Find common ground and bridge communication gaps.
(2.5-hour, in-person workshop)
Canyon Culture - Bridging the Hybrid Workplace
This presentation highlights what employees really need and crave when working remotely and how managers and the team can build better community, increase productivity, and achieve greater success.
Takeaways:
1. Identify what motivates us at work, and why remote work makes it hard to connect.
2. Learn how to determine what the team is really thinking and feeling.
3. Three ways to enhance the work experience for greater engagement and productivity.
(60-minute presentation, in-person or webinar)
The Art of the Coffee Chat
Starting a new job? Meeting a new client? Reconnecting with an old connection? The coffee chat is an informal process to develop new business relationships, or rekindle a relationship that has gone cold. Learn the secrets from an experienced leadership speaker on how the brain forms positive connections to others and the techniques for making a meaningful first - and lasting - impression.
Takeaways:
1. Ten questions to learn the most about people in a short period of time.
2. Three repeatable behaviors to solidify connections.
3. Breaking bad listening habits.
(60- to 90-minute presentation, in-person or webinar)
Ratchet Up Your Retention
You are sitting on a secret formula for boosting your company's employee retention: Marketing! Uncover the little steps that have big impact on nurturing a positive company culture, invigorating hybrid workplaces, and increasing employee engagement. Build an applicable, actionable plan to ratchet up your employee retention. Geared towards mid-level leaders and managers, these insights are excellent for anyone with responsibilities for employee engagement, change management, and company culture.
Takeaways:
1. Identifying your retention gaps.
2. Applying marketing approaches to engagement strategies.
3. Three things you can do today to make your retention efforts more effective.
(2-hour, in-person workshop)
PODCAST APPEARANCES
Getting "Schtuff" Done
In this episode, Katherine Robinette joins host Keelin Cox to discuss the challenges of initiating change within organizations, emphasizing the importance of clearly defining goals before embarking on any project. They talk about the process to follow for change management and common scenarios where individuals may feel hesitant to start due to uncertainty or anticipated resistance. They discuss the importance of clear communication throughout the process to mitigate resistance and foster engagement. If you want to know how to really get SCHTUFF done right, listen to uncover strategies for building trust and bringing everyone along in the journey of change.
Leader Advocates
Coffman Engineers is known for having some of the most talented, long-standing, happy marketers in A|E|C. And Chad Heimbigner, COO, and Board Director, is part of the reason why. From his heartfelt servant leadership to collaborative partnerships to lifelong learning, Chad embodies the best traits of a strong technical leader who stands by the team. All leadership speakers, Deirdre Booth of TankGirl Marketing, Katherine (Kate) Robinette (formerly of GO Strategies), and Chad talk about what makes a leader advocate and how to build an intentional, positive marketing-BD-leadership culture.
Advice to My Younger Self
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your younger self? Deirdre Booth and Katherine (Kate) Robinette swap professional and personal advice in this fireside chat.
Enter, Stage Right
Two theater kids walk into an AEC firm… Kathryn Ness visits Kayla McCause from Dragonfly AEC and Katherine (Kate) Robinette, formerly of GO Strategies, about how they apply their performing arts training and experiences to their work in marketing and business development. These three get serious about play and the transferable skills of unusual backgrounds. Enter, stage right.
Organization Tips for 2024
Did you resolve to be better organized or have better follow-through in 2024? Frank Lippert and Katherine (Kate) Robinette share their tips for staying on top of email, scheduling, and to do items in practical, low key ways.
Good Research
Good research begins with a good framework. In the last of our Marketing/BD Plans series, Frank Lippert and Katherine (Kate) Robinette talk to Sarah Kinard of The Flamingo Project to get the facts about how to build those plans on good research. They talk about defining the use of the data before you start, reframing the questions to get out of the rabbit holes and back on track, and resources to get started. This framework also works well for change management and employee engagement initiatives, so listen for the applicable crossover!
Department of One
How do you find balance and success as a department of one? Vicki Menard, Maggie Thornton, and Jodi Sommers share the challenges and advantages of being a solo marketer with guest host, Katherine (Kate) Robinette. Variety is the spice of life.
Now Presenting
Dean Hyers’ background is almost stranger than fiction. He’s worked as a film director, coached courtroom presence, developed closing arguments for trials, and taught acting to covert government agents. Troy Parkinson has his own arts-to-AEC journey as a film producer for Discovery Health and the History Channel and the Director of Production for the Minnesota film commission. Now they teach, coach, and inspire AEC professionals to win more business by maximizing their confident presence. Dean and Troy chat with Katherine (Kate) Robinette about team unity, authenticity, culture, theater, film, and more leading up to their keynote address at SMPS Southeast Regional Conference 2023.
Managing is Theater
Why is being a manager almost as scary as speaking in public? And why are we struggling to do this well? We’ve seen the research – people don’t leave their jobs, they leave their managers. But what if managing others was a team effort? What if it worked like a theater production and you are part of an ensemble cast? Join Mary Abbajay, leadership speaker and author of “Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss” as she and guest host, Katherine (Kate) Robinette, talk about where to start, the roles we play, and how to make work relationships work.
Here, There Be Dragons
Like most of us, Katherine (Kate) Robinette came to A|E|C through a circuitous route. But hers was an intentional path, made by consciously placing stones to learn her strengths, educate herself, fill holes, and gain advocates. Deirdre and Katherine talk about being different, bringing strengths to a conscious level, and dragons in this humorous and deep dive conversation.
Katherine's top 5 tips to grow your career:
- Know your strengths and get use to talking about what you do best and how you bring value.
- Look for things you want to do and find ways to make that happen.
- Ask lots of questions and ask for help.
- Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. (Change happens outside your comfort zone.)
- Do informational interviews.
How to Get the Proposal Information You Need, When You Need It
Have you ever felt like your internal proposal process was taking too long? Your team is spread out, working from home or maybe they just aren’t meeting deadlines? This episode provides insight on how to better prepare and execute your next proposal process. Guest, Katherine (Kate) Robinette, CPSM, outlines steps to help your team juggle multiple proposals, stay on task, and streamline your process.
Webinar Examples
Building an Authentic Long-Distance Culture
Staff are often separated by miles and time zones. Yet, they’re required to work with the same efficiency as team members in the same office.
How can you forge productive long-distance relationships? How do you help your team grow and develop? During this webinar, learn how to foster collaboration, productivity, fun, personal development, and a healthy culture across multiple offices and different levels of influence.
How to Boost Your Culture Through Marketing
As firms struggle to recruit and retain engaged employees in an increasingly competitive environment, you can stand out.
Explore the connection between marketing and culture and come away with ideas for improved resiliency. Learn specific ways your marketing team can optimize the investments in change management, employee engagement, and culture initiatives while being mindful of the marketing workload.
Canyon Culture: Bridging the Hybrid Workspace
Most of us are in a hybrid workplace with a portion of employees working in the office and a portion working remotely, and the research says this model is here to stay for a long time. The hybrid workplace is already creating canyons in our organization’s culture, and the divide feels like it’s getting wider. How can we support our teams when they are physically split? How can we keep both sections of the hybrid model engaged and committed? Whether you are executive, mid-level leaders and managers, or staff, you can build the bridges that connect your organization.