Dr. Margie Warrell

In times of relentless change and rising complexity, hesitation is costly. It’s not enough for leaders to know what to do—they must become the kind of leaders who can do it. That requires more than strategy. It requires courage—turning fear into fuel for transformative growth across teams and culture. Starting with the hardest person we ever have to lead—ourselves.

In this high-impact keynote, Dr. Margie Warrell delivers a bold recalibration of what’s possible when clarity, courage, and conviction converge. Margie unpacks why the real work of leadership begins where comfort zones end, bridging the gap between inner evolution and outer results.

With compelling stories and evidence-based insight, she guides leaders to dismantle the psychological barriers—fear of judgment, risk-aversion, imposter beliefs—that subtly sabotage execution, stall growth, and silence candor. This keynote equips leaders to stop operating from insecurity and start leading from conviction—resetting their trajectory for next-level growth and sustained impact.

While many leadership speakers focus on change, innovation, or growth, Dr. Margie Warrell goes deeper—unpacking the human fears and mindset patterns that quietly undermine all three. Drawing on decades of global experience—including as Senior Partner in C-Suite Advisory at Korn Ferry—she equips leaders to embed courage into how they show up, communicate, build trust and lead change.

Whether working with Fortune 500 executives, YPO forums, or Special Operations teams, Margie provides the real-world frameworks that turn bold ideas into bolder results. This keynote delivers more than inspiration—it’s a reset. A proven path for turning insight into action, fear into fuel, and potential into performance.

This keynote is ideal for executive teams, senior and mid-level leaders, high-potential programs, and innovation-driven organizations navigating growth, disruption, or transformation. It can be adapted into interactive workshops or multi-day deep dives.

Key audience takeaways:

• The case for courage: Understand how fear-based leadership exacts a “timidity tax” and long-term vulnerability—and how scaling courage unlocks stronger performance and sustained advantage.
• Lead from values, not emotions: Learn how inner alignment drives outer effectiveness, shifting from insecurity alleviation to purpose-powered action.
• From groupthink to generative thinking: Foster ‘loyal dissent’ and bold thinking that breaks from convention to fuel innovation and resilience.
• Galvanize shared purpose: Craft and communicate a compelling “why” to ignite accountability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
• Scale a culture of courage: Apply four principles that build psychological safety, reduce perceived risk, and create the conditions for bold, aligned action at scale.

We often know what to do—but fear keeps us from doing it.

Fear of failure, fallout, or making the wrong call. In times of rapid change and uncertainty, it’s easy to rationalise caution. Yet it is precisely when the instinct to play it safe is loudest that we must widen how we frame risk and strengthen our capacity to step forward anyway. To brave the awkward moment. To make the call amid uncertainty. To drive change with no clear roadmap. Because every delay carries an invisible but very real timidity tax—missed opportunity, weaker trust, shallow connection, and stalled growth that ultimately leave us less secure, not more.

In this keynote, Dr. Margie Warrell—author of The Courage Gap and global leadership advisor—draws on three decades of experience empowering people around the world to teach how to practice courage when it counts. In a world where over 85% of people cite fear of failure as their number one barrier to action, Margie bridges head and heart to show how to transform fear into deeper connection, better decisions, and meaningful change—so people can grow through uncertainty rather than retreat from it. This message resonates equally with leaders, teams, and individuals navigating change, pressure, and personal uncertainty.

Audiences will come away learning how to:

• Flip fear – Turn discomfort and hesitation into useful data and signals for when to speak up, step forward, and lead from values—not emotion.
• Rescript limiting narratives – Use practical language tools to turn setbacks and derailed plans into “plot twists” that strengthen self-belief, agency, and momentum.
• Take smart risks – Apply a simple decision lens to choose courage wisely, reduce over-caution, and move forward with clarity when the path isn’t obvious.
• Build everyday resilience – Apply simple, evidence-based micro-habits that sustain energy, speed recovery from setbacks, and protect against burnout.
• Create real connection – Learn to brave the awkward moments that are the birthplace of meaningful connection, deepening trust, fostering belonging, and unlocking collective courage grounded in genuine psychological safety.