Holly Ransom

One of Australia’s 100 Most Influential Women, an internationally acclaimed speaker and leadership trailblazer who is inspiring leaders across the globe to turn knowledge into action for real-world change.

Holly Ransom is a globally renowned keynote speaker, host and emcee, master interviewer, author, and leadership expert.

As the CEO of Emergent Global and author of The Leading Edge, she has driven transformative initiatives in leadership development, diversity, and innovation across corporate, non-profit, and public sectors.

Holly has led discussions with influential figures including Barack Obama, Condoleeza Rice, Malcolm Gladwell, Richard Branson, Matthew McConaughey and Venus Williams.

Named one of Australia’s 100 Most Influential Women by the Australian Financial Review, she received the US Embassy’s Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Leadership Excellence in 2019.

As a dynamic leader, Holly serves as a Non-Executive Director at Port Adelaide Football Club, and is cofounder of the award-winning Energy Disruptors.

Holly’s electrifying energy and profound insights empower leaders worldwide to navigate change and drive real-world impact.

Holly Ransom talks about:

Humanising Leadership in a Tech Enhanced World

In a world on auto-pilot, human leadership means hijacking the shared narrative to author a shared purpose.

Navigating the digital age has thrown many leaders into free fall.. As humans, we can no longer win on intellect, speed, systems, or control.

In the rapidly evolving digital age, leadership is at a crossroads. While technological advancements reshape industries, the workforce yearns for more than just a paycheck. Authenticity, empathy, purpose, and flexibility have become the new currency of fulfillment in work and the World Economic Forum predicts that by 2027, these ‘human’ skills will be paramount.

But how can leaders navigate this intersection, acknowledging and nurturing the essence of humanity amidst algorithms and innovations?

In ‘Humanising Leadership in the Digital Age,’ Holly reveals game-changing strategies to effortlessly blend social and emotional intelligence (EQ) – the very essence of our humanity – into your leadership DNA. With a knack for distilling intricate academic research on the human experience, Holly seamlessly connects theory to tangible leadership impact. Everyone will walk away armed with actionable skills, ready to elevate their leadership journey in the fast-paced, real-world arena.

Key takeaways:

• Uncover core practices you can embed into your organisational culture that can help bring authentic, human leadership to the fore.
• Gain actionable insights on applying emotional intelligence (EQ) principles in real-world leadership scenarios.
• Dive into practical strategies for navigating the emotional load of modern leadership.
• Redefine your approach to time management, with a focus on optimising energy and mindset over mere hours on the clock.
• Explore how to effectively navigate the challenges of leading in a remote or hybrid work environment with empathy and inclusivity.

Activating Emergent Leadership

The future beckons us to look beyond traditional leadership and recognise the latent leaders within us all.

Holly’s passion for leadership is contagious, fuelled by the idea that we’re all born with the ability to lead the change we care enough to make —a concept she delves into extensively in her book, ‘The Leading Edge.’

Within every individual lies a treasure trove of ideas, distinct perspectives, and untapped energy, eager to make its mark and propel your organisation forward. Yet, in many instances, this latent potential remains dormant, stifled by rigid hierarchies and conventional notions of leadership.

But what if we challenged those conventional notions and empowered every individual to lead from where they stand? How might this reshape your organisational culture?

In ‘Activating Emergent Leadership,’ Holly illuminates the stark contrast between traditional hierarchical models and the agile, decentralised essence of emergent leadership. This approach is not merely about adaptation—it’s about leveraging the full spectrum of your workforce’s potential to strategically position your organisation for success in an ever-evolving landscape.

Join Holly to explore innovative strategies for unleashing the latent leaders within your organisation, to cultivate a culture defined by innovation, adaptability, and collective achievement.

Key takeaways:

• Learn strategies to unlock creativity and foster a feedback-driven culture.
• Uncover the key traits of leaders who supercharge others into leadership roles, fuelling confidence and autonomy within the team.
• Explore support frameworks that encourage individuals to push boundaries and broaden their perspectives.
• Gain insights into the unique characteristics of millennials and Gen Z in the workforce and how to think about best supporting these generations to thrive.

Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

In Holly’s opinion, the single most important habit any leader can be building right now is to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

You’ve heard the adage that there is no growth in your comfort zone – it’s true, by its very definition learning requires us to venture into the ‘new’ and tangle with the unknown. But it’s also a perfect example of a phrase that’s easier said than done.

Staying within familiar boundaries may offer a sense of security, but it also limits creativity and stifles adaptability. Research consistently underscores this point, demonstrating that the act of stepping out of our comfort zones triggers a significant boost in performance. This intentional discomfort acts as a catalyst, compelling us to explore uncharted territories and continuously expand our capabilities.

For leaders, this dynamic process is a strategic approach to enhancing both individual growth and overall leadership effectiveness in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Drawing from her own extraordinary ‘Year of Fear,’ where she confronted fears daily, and leveraging insights from guiding countless leaders through the process since, Holly not only shares her personal insights but also introduces a proven methodology. A tried-and-true approach to help you venture out of your comfort zone and build your ‘courage zone’ muscle.

Get ready to redefine your limits and embark on a transformative adventure into the heart of courage.

Key takeaways:

• Understand how embracing discomfort positions you as a dynamic and agile leader in an ever-evolving landscape.
• Learn how to systematically build your courage muscle, enabling you to face challenges with resilience and fortitude.
• Unlock the barriers hindering your next-stage growth and develop a practical plan to overcome them systematically.
• Explore leadership strategies that inspire team members to venture out of their comfort zones, fostering collective growth.

Leading Change in an Era of Disruption

Surviving disruption is one thing; Holly will help build your capacity to thrive in it.

In today’s fast-paced world, leaders face relentless change. Accenture’s 2024 Pulse of Change Index reveals a staggering 183% increase in the rate of change since 2019, with a 33% spike in 2023 alone. Adding to the complexity of this increase in pace is a change capability gap: 82% of HR leaders believe their managers are not equipped to lead change. 77% say their organisation is suffering from change fatigue.

This is the challenge of modern leadership: navigating rapidly-changing uncertainty and complexity while bringing your people and stakeholders along for the ride.

In defence of our leaders, this dynamic challenge requires new skillsets and tools that few have been afforded the opportunity to build and develop. Creating a change ‘gymnasium’ where leaders can build their individual and collective match fitness for this challenge is one of the most important investments organisations can make.

In ‘Leading Change in an Era of Disruption’, you’ll garner practical tools and insights for leading successful organisational change. You’ll learn how to build your tolerance for uncertainty, frameworks for approaching decision-making and techniques for ensuring your team remains resilient, engaged, and ready for what’s next.

This is your essential guide to mastering disruption and leading effective organisational change.

Key Takeaways:

• Decode the impact of uncertainty on cognition, and learn simple tools to reduce anxiety and stress-induced uncertainty.
• Sharpen your peripheral vision for change mastery – while predicting change might be elusive, preparation is within our control.
• Uncover the the single most important habit you can build (individually and collectively) to thrive in uncertainty, and learn how to build it.
• Harness the transformative power of a growth mindset, unlocking new avenues of innovation and resilience for yourself and your team.
• Gain strategies for enabling followership and making change ‘stick’.

Sustaining Your Edge: High-Performance Teams & Culture

Organisational performance doesn’t stem from the work of solo high performers; culture-building is the daily work-out required for exceptional teams.

In a 2023 survey of 300 executives, an overwhelming 99% acknowledged the crucial role of a robust culture in achieving business goals such as growth and revenue. Yet, only 58% deemed their own culture highly successful.

Closing the culture gap means deliberately building an organisational culture anchored in robust systems, streamlined processes, shared values, and ingrained behaviours. Intentional culture-buiding empowers your organisation to thrive consistently, even as personnel change and new challenges arise.

Drawing on her experience working with some of the world’s highest-performing cultures across sport, arts and business, Holly breaks down the essence of high-performance cultures into pragmatic building blocks that every team can step up to.

Key takeaways:

• Program in the key mindsets, methods, and systems that fuel high-performing cultures.
• Learn how to embrace your pivotal role as a ‘culture captain,’ driving positive change within your team and organisation.
• Learn the ropes of being a force multiplier for cultural fitness.
• Gain inspiration and practical wisdom from tangible examples and best practices across diverse high-performing cultures, offering actionable insights for transformative leadership.