Michael McRay

Keynote Speaker | Award-Winning Author | Storyteller | Founder of Becoming Restoried

Michael McRay is an expert facilitator and experiential coach. He’s the author of multiple books, including the award-winning I Am Not Your Enemy. His storytelling has received praise from internationally acclaimed authors, like Ishmael Beah, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Raja Shehadeh, and National Book Award winner Colum McCann.

Michael’s story experience and expertise are sought after by all types of organizations—from VMware and Cigna to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and even NASA.

Michael has spoken for thousands of people across the United States, from NYC to LA, Seattle to Fort Worth. He delivers passionate, engaging keynotes on story, conflict, healing, and curiosity.

His list of credentials is long. And yet, beyond all these lines on a resumé, Michael’s greatest credential is his own human experience of turning his pain into purpose. Out of a story of self-loathing, self-harm, and attempted suicide, Michael has spent a decade digging deeply into what’s buried in his own past. Retreats, intensives, workbooks, all manner of therapy…he’s done them all. And now he’s taken all the learning from these years and distilled it into one, streamlined, transformative program: Becoming Restoried.

Trusted by leaders at:

“I get the privilege of curating one of the world’s premier gatherings for storytellers. After 6 years of events and 100+ speakers, Michael remains one of our top-rated and most-loved speakers. That’s why we have continued to partner with him not only as a speaker, but a go-to coach for our community.

He’s quite simply one of the best there is.”

Harris III

—bestselling author, prolific speaker, and producer of STORY Gatherings

Restoried: Turning Our Pain Points into Purposeful Paths

Michael’s signature talk

We all have stories we tell ourselves about who we are. Individuals, teams, organizations, or movements—all the same. We need stories to make sense of ourselves.

And here’s the thing—what we focus on in our stories becomes our core identity which becomes our anticipated future. So our stories matter—a lot. The stories we tell ourselves about who we are have the power to get us stuck, or unstuck.

In this deeply personal and powerfully motivating keynote, Michael McRay shows firsthand how the stories he told himself about himself nearly got him killed. And yet, when he uncovered the lies he was telling himself, he recovered the fullness of his humanity, and discovered the path to his purpose.

Whether as a group or an individual, the path to clarity and purpose begins with the transformation of our pain. On the other side of that transformation lies more possibility than we’ve ever dreamed of.

The importance of self-curiosity.

Here is my TEDx Nashville talk at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. In these 15 minutes, I:

  • explore the 3 pillars of self-curiosity

  • narrate the trauma of my own story that led to self-hatred and attempted suicide

  • and casts a vision for how our lives can transform through the power of relentless curiosity

It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.

Here is my talk at the 2022 STORY conference at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN. In these 15 minutes, I:

  • retell an old German folktale called “The Handless Maiden”

  • share how such a story can hold the fullness of who we are and cast a vision for who we can be with one another

  • and offer a glimpse into some of the pain of my own story

most requested keynotes

  • The Power of the 3 C's: Courage, Curiosity, and Connection

    Leaders are often encouraged to be confident. “People trust a confident leader,” we hear. But this is not true. It is not actually confidence that people trust—it’s courage.

    In times of change, your team is not truly looking to you for confidence. They are seeking a leader that is connected to each person’s fears, curious about creative solutions, and courageous to move forward even in the midst of uncertainty.

    Rather than learning the performance of feigning confidence when you don’t feel it, focus on cultivating the transformative power of curiosity, courage, and connection. These are the ingredients of a trusted leader.

  • Everyone Can Be a Storyteller (And You Probably Should)

    When leaders tell stories well, they have the power to move mountains. Stories can shift systems, inspire revolutions, and elicit empathy. Skillful storytelling is a tool every leader should have in their kit.

    But it’s not just leaders who need this capability. Imagine if everyone in your organization (or movement or team) felt equipped and empowered with the ability to tell a great story! Think of what could be possible if your culture became a storytelling one. More knowledge would be passed along, more ideas generated, more innovation happening, more connection cultivated, and more revenue received.

    This keynote tells you how to make this happen.

    Who is this for?

    Primarily focused on leadership groups: executive teams, religious leadership, management training and leadership development cohorts, etc.

  • The 3 Stories You Should Tell in Times of Change and Uncertainty

    Leading in uncertainty is the new competency for 21st-century leaders. And now in the age of COVID-19 and its variants, the need for such leadership is all the more pressing. In these times, powerful stories are among a leader’s most essential tools.

    In this keynote, I present the three stories you should be telling now to maintain alignment, movement, and possibility. These stories will serve you well as you seek to anchor your team, help them prepare for changes, and navigate the change process with balance.

    Who is this for?

    Primarily focused on leadership groups: executive teams, religious leadership, management training and leadership development cohorts, etc.

  • Conflict and Emotions: What are They Trying to Tell Us?

    Many, if not most of us, fear both conflict and emotions. Why? Because more often than not, we do not understand them. We have not learned their language.

    In this keynote relevant to any group or organization, I draw on true stories, my years facilitating groups, and my knowledge of conflict resolution to offer key learnings in service of two important truths:

    1. Conflict and emotions are inevitable and invaluable.

    2. We can transform our fear of them by learning to speak their languages.

    Who is this for?

    Any group anywhere that has to deal with conflict and people’s emotions. So, pretty much everyone.

Interested in a keynote?

Schedule a quick, 15-minute call with Michael to explore options.