Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan is the driving force behind “The Outsider's Edge,” a future-focused yet practical framework that enables leaders and teams to unlock the power of “different” to boost performance, profitability, and human connection. Her decades-long journey in leadership and speaking has touched the lives of thousands of executives and teams across 26 countries. A former business and people leader at Microsoft and the founder and CEO of The Infinite Impact Group, she has 29 years of professional experience navigating high-velocity corporate environments; over 12,000 hours coaching global category leaders; and the unique perspective of an immigrant and woman of color who has successfully worked through the isolation and loneliness of the Outsider Syndrome to find her unique competitive edge ... and thrive, vs. just survive.
Lakshmi knows, first-hand, what it takes to balance the universal human need to feel seen and valued—and to do great work—with business imperatives like profitability and positive return. And her simple yet radical Outsider’s Edge framework transforms concepts like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging from overused buzzwords and aspirational checklists to everyday behaviors and powerful performance drivers.
Lakshmi has also worked closely with Dr. Brené Brown (best-selling author, podcast host, and creator of Dare to Lead, a transformative program for building Courage in organizations) for several years in various capacities that include public speaking, community mentorship, and program development and facilitation.Deeply committed to her clients and partners, Lakshmi can be counted on to deliver customized keynotes and ROI-focused coaching programs to meet their unique needs. Her keynotes are packed with disruptive insights, tangible tools, and engaging stories that help every event attendee–from the senior-most leader to the newest employee—break through to new levels of fulfillment, connection, and impact. And her coaching programs have consistently yielded exceptional--and measurable--returns from increased performance to inclusive cultures and more. It won’t matter that today’s workplace looks nothing like yesterday’s or that the people we work with tomorrow won’t be the people we went to high school with. Armed with The Outsider’s Edge, your team and you will be motivated and ready to ace the present and shape the future with courage and optimism.Contact her at lg@infinite-impact.com.