Lectures & Workshops

Rachel combines dynamic energy, storytelling and cutting edge research to create unforgettable learning experiences. Never canned, Rachel packs each talk with actionable tools you’ll use right away. Find out why clients bring Rachel back again and again.

You can also find lectures & workshops at the following links for Parents, Students, and Educators.

The Art of Boundary Setting and Saying “No”

The pressure to please others makes boundary setting a struggle for many women. Our ability to say no, delegate, or ask for what we need directly impacts our relationships, wellness and growth potential every day. Yet research shows women are expected to perform more “non-promotable tasks” at work than men, which stunts their ability to advance. In this workshop, you’ll learn practical tools to draw your line in the sand with grace, purpose, and authority, so you can use this crucial tool to define who you are and where you want to go next.

Participants Learn:

How gender norms shape boundary setting skills
Research on the pressure women face to undertake more non-promotable work than men
Mental frameworks for approaching boundary setting
Scripts for saying no gracefully and with confidence

Own Your Impact: Share Your Value and Build Social Capital

Sharing your distinctive impact with colleagues is increasingly critical to one’s visibility and advancement. Yet women face mixed messages about self-promotion: research shows many grow up being told not to “brag,” while those who do self-promote often endure bias. Others are moving so quickly they have not invested the time developing a narrative about their impact. In this session, you’ll immerse yourself in exercises designed to help you identify and weave together your strengths into a coherent narrative you can leverage in any setting.

Participants Learn:

Systemic causes of the challenge many women face around self-promotion
Powerful questions to give you access to your distinctive strengths and accomplishments
A simple, powerful tool to build a personal statement packed with your distinctive impact

The Art and Science of Risk Taking

Risk taking is the basis of how we learn and drive change. Yet women face mixed messages about stepping forward in the face of uncertainty: research shows many grow up being told to play it safe, while those who do take risks often face additional scrutiny. In this workshop, learn how skillful risk taking comes down toyour mindset as much as your action. Get grounded in the research on gender and risk taking, learn strategies to flex your risk-taking muscles and explore powerful frameworks to size up the risks on your horizon.

Participants Learn:

Systemic causes of the challenge many women face around risk taking
Three mental frameworks for calculating risk
Tactical strategies for risk taking

Unlocking Resilience: Mental Strength for Challenging Times

Women are disproportionately suffering from high levels of stress and burnout, and their wellness at work directly impacts engagement, belonging and retention. Overthinking is a particular scourge for women, undermining their motivation, confidence and problem solving skills. In this session, you’ll learn why women overthink and practice strategies to manage it. You’ll also come away with a research-based, three-step practice for self-compassion, which studies show increases resilience and wellness, all while helping us maintain high levels of motivation.

Participants Learn:

Current research on women and overthinking
Tactical strategies to reduce overthinking
A three-step practice to increase self-compassion

How to Find and Keep a Sponsor

Research shows that having a sponsor – a more senior leader who invests in the organization by advocating for your growth – is crucial for career growth. Yet finding and keeping a sponsor can feel both mysterious and overwhelming, especially for those in non-dominant groups. In this session, built on Rachel’s Harvard Business Review article (co-written with Professor Herminia Ibarra), learn the Sponsee Skillset: practical strategies to identify and build a relationship with a sponsor.

Participants Learn:

Research on the value of sponsorship
Tools to create the conditions for sponsorship, visibility and sharing your value
Strategies to identify, approach and maintain a relationship with a sponsor

Gender Intelligence & Allyship for Men

Men want to be allies to women, but most don’t know how. This session is the answer. Equal parts inspiring and tactical, it gives male colleagues a grounding in the systemic challenges facing women, then unlocks a battery of strategies to try as soon as the session is over. It begins with a group exercise renowned for its “a-ha moments,” and keeps the vibe light so participants can learn in a safe space that avoids blame or shame.

Participants Learn:

How early gender norms shape gender bias and the modern workplace
Tactical strategies for allyship during meetings and performance conversations
A framework for sponsoring women

Sessions for Allies

Hacking Feedback Bias

Feedback is a vital engine for our growth; after all, we can’t improve if we don’t know how. But research finds gender and racial bias are pervasive in performance conversations, and shows that women are more likely to receive feedback that is not actionable. In this session, learn how to identify and stamp out the most common forms of feedback bias. This session includes handouts with suggested language for how to convey challenging feedback.

Participants Learn:

Research on gender and racial bias in feedback delivery
Specific types of biased feedback
Tools to identify and prevent bias in feedback

What Great Sponsors Do: Developing Junior Talent

Sponsoring junior talent is a vital leadership skill. Research shows it delivers on hiring investments by keeping young leaders engaged, while bolstering the health of the organization. Sponsors are also more likely to get promoted and have a bench of talent they can depend on – a phenomenon known as the “Sponsor Effect.” Rachel is globally recognized for her expertise building sponsorship programs. In this session, you’ll get her Sponsor Playbook, chock full of tools you can use immediately to invest in talent you believe in. You’ll also find out why sponsorship eludes certain groups and learn tools to ensure underrepresented talent is not overlooked.

Participants Learn: