Speaking & leadership facilitation

Give people something
to think about.
Something they can put to work.

I speak about how people make decisions, work with systems, and put ideas into practice. Talks connect those subjects to the audience’s responsibilities. Facilitated sessions help groups examine a question, consider different perspectives, and identify what deserves action.

Available for virtual and in-person engagements

Denise Marshall speaking at a lectern.

Choose the kind of engagement

A talk to spark thinking.
A session to work it through.

Speaking

A talk can introduce an idea, offer a fresh perspective, and inspire an audience to consider what it means for their work. I connect the message to recognizable situations and practical application.

The brief shapes the topic, length, and balance of presentation, reflection, and questions.

Discuss a speaking engagement

Leadership facilitation

A facilitated session gives a group time and structure to examine a question together. I prepare the discussion around its purpose, surface different perspectives, and help participants clarify decisions or actions.

The brief identifies the issue, the people who need to contribute, and what the group needs to accomplish.

Discuss a facilitated session

A signature perspective

Strategic Friction.

Before you label it resistance, look at what people are being asked to work around.

Strategic Friction describes the drag created when strategy, systems, communication, and execution pull in different directions.

A talk introduces the perspective through practical examples. A facilitated session gives leaders space to examine how it applies to a situation they bring.

Explore Strategic Friction for your audience

Other directions to explore

Useful questions make
room for better thinking.

When is training
the right tool?

Training can build knowledge and capability. It cannot, by itself, resolve a conflicting process or an unclear responsibility. A session can help leaders examine what learning should address and what else needs attention.

What do people need
to put an idea to work?

Explore how roles, responsibilities, and meaningful learning objectives change the way a subject is taught and discussed.

What does the human
bring to AI?

Consider the experience, context, and responsibility people bring when using AI. A talk or discussion can introduce the topic; a practical training session can build the skills.

Explore AI training

These are starting points for an engagement brief. The topic and format are agreed around the audience and purpose.

A free resource to put to work

Six questions before you prescribe anything.

When an initiative stalls, training may be only part of the answer. Use this one-page quick reference to examine knowledge and skill, tools and access, workflow, ownership and decision rights, incentives, and support and reinforcement.

The quick reference is a free one-page PDF. The full 12-page guide includes evidence prompts, practical tests, and ways to match the response to the problem. Both are available without an email address or signup.

Preparation that serves the room

Start with the audience.
Give the session a purpose.

I prepare around the people attending, the context they share, and what you want them to consider or accomplish.

What belongs in the brief?

Include the audience, event or meeting purpose, date, location or virtual format, and time available. Share the topic you have in mind and any relevant context or sensitivities.

Can a talk include discussion?

Yes. Questions, reflection, or facilitated discussion can be included when the format and time support them. The balance is agreed during preparation.

What if the group needs skills practice?

A workshop may be the better fit. Run the Room, for example, focuses on building and delivering presentations, communicating data, and responding to an audience.

Explore Run the Room

Tell me about the room

Who is gathering?
What should the session make possible?

Share the audience, purpose, date, and format. Mention whether you are considering a talk, facilitated discussion, or a combination.

Name
Tell me about the audience, topic, timing, and any materials you already have.
hello@iamdmarshall.com
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