Virtual or Live Keynotes:
Igniting your Leadership Vitality
To lead in a world that never stops
WHAT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IS YOUR ORGANIZATION MISSING?
In this keynote, Sara Ross will share the missing piece of the success equation that all too often is over-looked and under-valued. The thing that not only fuels people and organizations but amplifies their emotional and intellectual abilities, while strengthening their capacity to buffer the impact of stress. This key piece is what Sara calls the Vitality Factor.
This isn’t just about stress management, time management or simply sleeping more and working less. This is about strategy. How to move performance and leadership to the next level in an on-demand world where an abundance of information, distractions, and expectations are unrelentingly pulling on time, energy and attention.
The research is clear, how an organization manages that vitality factor will either burn their people out or allow them to burn bright and bring their best work forward.
WHICH TYPE OF LEADER DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION WANT?
Sara will leave audiences with fresh insights, practical know-how and the inspiration to make things happen as she shares how to implement the right kind of vitality boosting practices to help leaders show-up day after day with energy, focus and enthusiasm, including:
- The three biggest misconceptions leading to over-stressed, under-fueled brains and how this deceivingly influences decisions, effectiveness and performance impact;
- A Key Vitality Indicator (KVI) system to identify the tipping point where more work becomes counterproductive and healthy challenge becomes unhealthy stress;
- A Brain C.A.R.E. Scorecard to identify capacity drainers (including email and meeting depletion), and how to re-engineer practices that expand productive vitality ranges;
- Insights to help leaders shift from inadvertently being a Vitality-Depleter to a positive Vitality Ambassador by multiplying each of these practices across teams and workplaces.
Stand Out Without Burning Out
By Increasing Your Stress Vitality Quotient
Taking on anything challenging, even when meaningful, is going to involve stress. In a world defined by unrelenting intensity and change – all on the heels of a global pandemic, it’s not surprising that there has been a spike in stress levels and a drop in energy levels with many feeling consumed by work, behind on life, and perpetually stressed out!
The challenge is that traditional approaches focus on getting rid of stress and exhaustion, but this doesn’t work because it causes people to inadvertently disconnect from the activities, the people, and the values that replenish and refuel them.
There is another, better option.
In this Keynote, Sara Ross will share her latest research that shows shifting focus towards increasing your Stress Vitality QuotientTM (SVQ) is a more powerful and sustainable approach. If you feel like you’ve been running on fumes, Sara will give you tools to get you back to firing on all cylinders, including
- Helping you spot and avoid the two most deceiving “Brain Traps” that disguise themselves as paths to success but instead negatively influence your decisions, effectiveness, energy and relationships.
- A Key Vitality Indicator (KVI) system to identify the tipping point where more work becomes counterproductive and healthy challenge becomes unhealthy stress.
- Strategies to give you the courage and confidence to address boundary-creep with practices to expand your productive vitality ranges.
- A set of what Sara calls “Small-Shift-Strategies” to help you disconnect from work stresses, manage digital devices, and better replenish your energy with the quality of practices even when you don’t have an abundance of time.
Using the Science of EQ
To Stress-Proof You
Whether at work or at home, there is no doubt that Emotional Intelligence (EQ), has been one of the most heavily tested skills of 2020. Never has it been as important to demonstrate, and yet, in the face of constant uncertainty, working virtually, and on the heels of a global pandemic - never has it been as difficult to practice, especially when feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted. In this keynote, Sara Ross is going to help you change that.
Sara has studied stress and the influence of emotions on performance, leadership, and burnout for over a decade. Her research shows that EQ not only helps buffer stress, but it also instills a sense of vitality by amplifying one’s experience and expertise, helping people make good decisions in demanding situations, and creating the confidence to adapt to uncertainty. Perhaps most importantly, EQ is key to building strong connections to help you manage your energy both at work and at home.
Building on cutting-edge research from positive psychology, neuroscience, and her current work coaching companies through the pandemic, Sara will share:
- The top two behaviors that differentiate the best from the rest, and the mindset shifts that are required to practice them regardless of your role or title.
- The brain science of emotions with insights to more effectively separate work and home and cope with "digital depletion" brought on by virtual collaboration.
- A stress-buffering strategy to deal with difficult emotions, manage energy and adapt to change.
- A model to help extend empathy for others experiences, emotions, and unique circumstances while also addressing challenges and your needs in a head-on way, trust strengthening way.
*This Keynote is best for general and mixed level audiences
Powerfully integrating cutting-edge research with real-life examples of success and failure from both her work with leaders from across the globe as well as her own learning experiences, Sara Ross translates the science of leadership into actionable strategies transforming the way people succeed at work and thrive in life.
Sara will engage audiences, inspire conversation and most importantly, create a blueprint for true change with actionable strategies that positively and immediately shift results and lift relationships.
Alternate Approaches Deeper Learning
Breakout Learning Sessions
Panel Discussions or “Fireside Leader-to-Leader Chats”
“Power Talks” with Q&A
Interviews for follow-up articles and podcasts
On-site Group Training or Coaching
See what people are saying about Sara’s keynotes
I do not say this lightly - Sara is one of the THE MOST engaging speakers I have ever listened to. I have heard her speak three times and every time I learn something new but even more notable, I am taken in by her openness, energy and insight. I promise you can count on Sara to over-deliver.

Within the hour Sara made us laugh, reflect and stirred a deep emotion that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Sara’s insights were the thread that connected the rest of the conference, it was awesome!
- Women in Engineering Conference Organizer
Today I was challenged by Sara’s message. Mistakes are not something I accept very well (nor do I often admit), and perfection is often the expectation I have. Today you made me realize a goal of excellence is far more powerful then perfection. Our goals don’t need to change but how we get there could use some work (crisis versus opportunity). Thank you Sara for challenging my beliefs and approaches with your presentation today!
- Minneapolis Hospital Executive
Would I recommend Sara Ross? Are you kidding - I want to be her! Seriously, Sara was awesome!!! She was so real and authentic that I felt like I was in a 1-1 conversation with her not sitting in the audience. Some of the stories she told and examples she shared were so relatable I felt like they were about me! She gave me a game plan to use with my team, thanks Sara!
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation