A few of the places Barb has spoken
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See Barb in Action
Meet
Barb Monson helps people and teams do their best work. She speaks on visibility, building trust, understanding differences, and leading through change, to audiences from individual contributors to executives.
She's a former CFO who is actually funny! After 26 years in corporate finance and executive leadership, she knows how decisions get made and what gets in the way. Her talks mix real stories with practical tools.
Audiences leave with something they can implement the next day.
Why Audiences Love Barb's Style
Interactive
Barb brings humor, stories, and interactive moments that keep your audience engaged. (Yes, even after lunch!) People don't just listen - they participate, laugh, and leave with ideas.
Practical
Barb is big on implementation. Every session includes solid steps to use right away. Also, every talk comes with a digital handbook, so audience members have tools they can reference over time.
Relatable
She's been the clerk, the manager, and the CFO. Barb knows what it’s like to juggle demands and fight to be heard, making her stories and strategies connect with every audience.
Speaking Topics
Every talk comes with a digital handbook your audience keeps. Choose one below, or ask Barb to customize.
Chameleons & Peacocks:
How To Stand Out At Work
For: Quiet, capable professionals who get overlooked.
Hard work alone doesn't get people noticed. Your audience learns when to blend in, when to stand out, and how to make their contribution hard to overlook.
Most requested: 45-60 minute session or extended half-day workshop
How to Delegate
So It Gets DONE!
For: Managers, team leads, new leaders moving from doing to leading.
Delegating well takes a strategy, not just a task list. Your audience diagnoses what's going wrong, builds a delegation strategy, and leaves ready to put it into practice.
45-60 minute session
ALIGN: How Leaders Build Trust and Get Their Team Moving
For: Leaders who want to build trust and keep their team moving forward.
Trust doesn't come with the title, but it can be built on purpose. Your audience uses the ALIGN framework to find their style, see where their team stands, and practice one visible change. Then they leave with a plan.
Extended half-day workshop
Leading Without Authority: Getting Results Without the Title
For: Project managers, team leads, anyone responsible for results from people who don't report to them
You're responsible for the result, but you don't control the people. Your audience learns why someone goes quiet, falls behind, or stops delivering, and how to get results without pulling rank.
45-60 minute session
Understanding Differences
(and People Who Bug You)
For: Leaders who want to work well with people who think and work differently.
Every team has people who work differently than we do. Your audience learns to bring out everyone's best, check their own bias, and work well with the person who bugs them.
45-60 minute session
Managing Performance:
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
For: Managers with direct reports, HR
Performance conversations go better when the ground rules come first. Your audience learns to set them up, give feedback both ways, and know what to say whether performance is good or bad.
45-60 minute session
What Organizers Say
We had 49 participants on Zoom including a couple of my colleagues who gave raving reviews, too!
You have been an absolute delight to work with and I hope [we] have the opportunity to partner with you in the future!
- Nicole C.
Associate Director and Alumni Career Coach
Your point that peacocking without value is simply being showy was a standout message. It reinforced the importance of building real outcomes, not just visibility.
Thank you again for an engaging, memorable session and for equipping us with tools to elevate our presence and influence.
- Anca B.
Events Team from PMI Chapter
I have worked with Barb Monson several times for both monthly meetings and Professional Development Days. She is easy to work with, has fun topics, engages the audience very well and has great post-event reviews.
I would highly recommend her.
- Joe P.
PDD Director, IIBA-Mpls/St. Paul and PMI-Madison/South Central Wisconsin
Barb at a Glance
26+ years of firsthand experience, from team member to executive leadership in Manufacturing, Medical Device, and Nonprofit
25+ keynotes, breakouts, workshops, and company talks for conferences, associations, summits, and corporate teams
Audiences on 3 continents, in person and online: North America, South America, and Europe
Audiences include professional chapters, women's leadership networks, municipal leaders, universities, chambers, banks, and global companies.
Built for implementation: practical tools for project managers, business analysts, whole teams, and leaders at every level
Ways to Work With Barb
Keynotes and workshops, shaped to your audience and your agenda.
Keynotes and breakouts
45 to 60 minutes. Ideas your audience can use the next day. Fits conferences, chapter meetings, and company events.
Workshops
Extended half-day. Hands-on with time to practice and leave with a plan.
Team sessions
Virtual or on-site, for one organization. Built around your team's goals.
Hire Barb For:
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Conferences & Summits
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Chapter meetings and development days
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Company and all-employee meetings
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Employee Resource Groups
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Women's leadership events
Interested in learning more or customizing a program for your team?
Schedule a call or email your questions to info@barbmonson.com.
More places Barb has spoken
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MEDIA & SUMMITS
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