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.

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.

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.

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.

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.