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South Africa
Diversity & inclusion expert and speaker on a mission to help organizations and leaders attract and retain talent
Request fees and availability5 out of 5 stars
"I literally only received positive feedback. People loved your high energy and the feeling of comfort you gave to be open. The CEO said that he was really inspired by the online meeting!"
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Keynote speaker Roy Gluckman has an educational background in law and is a qualified attorney of the High Court of South Africa. Roy is South African and has seen the effects of Apartheid and a truly troubled past. South Africa has an incredible diverse demographic but is also facing social-economic issues, and Roy is on a mission to help South Africans understand culture, their past and show empathy and respect towards each other.
Speaker Roy Gluckman has 8 years experience in diversity and inclusion as a speaker, facilitator, consultant and panelist. Roy is passionate about nation building and standing together as one. Roy is also the founder of Cohesion Collective – a consulting and training firm which provides strategic and practical tools and research to businesses and organizations.
As a speaker Roy Gluckman is interactive, warm and inspiring. His research and keynote material is always up-to-date. The topic of diversity and inclusion seems to become more and more important and relevant, and organizations ought to educate themselves. Below are examples of some of Roy’s popular and sought-after keynote topics.
See keynotes with Roy GluckmanOur world is certainly shifting. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is reshaping the world of work, future work skills, and our understanding of adding value, alongside populism, globalization, and social media that continue to challenge traditional societal narratives around identity, belonging, and social cohesion.
Audience takeaways:
When I think of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (I promise that this will be the last time I reference this term), I believe the response, or counter-balancing force must be a recommitment to the human or people skill set. While yes, a legal chatbot can draft a final will and testament 100 times faster than a human, will they ever know how to console a bereaved family member? No.
Audience takeaways:
The “soft skills”, the human skills that are the skills of the future and that are redefining the landscape of what successful organizations look and feel like.
In 2011, the Institute for the Future 1, in collaboration with the University of Phoenix Research Institute, published Future Work Skills 2020. This report analyzed key drivers that will reshape the landscape of work and identifies key work skills needed in the future. Of the 10
future work skills identified, two stands out and are shared in the keynote.
Audience takeaways:
Roy works exclusively within the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (“EDI”) space. A field that looks at both the workplace, as well as society, and the intimate interrelatedness between the two. He has come to understand one thing in his work: there is no such thing as an endpoint to this discussion. We never get to a point and say “we are now a fully inclusive working environment”. No.
Audience takeaways:
Progressive thinking around the role of organizations within today’s society calls for a much softer, more engaged corporation. The evolution in corporate governance regulations, calls for organizations to practice good corporate citizenry: a movement away from the sole
the mandate of profit and shareholder primacy toward an inclusive and sustainable growth model.
The Millennial Movement too has challenged corporates to develop their purpose statements: asking firms to reinvent their “why”. Further, the changing workforce (talent) now see an inclusive working culture as a necessity before committing their time and energy, thus challenging the way corporates do business.
Audience takeaways:
"I literally only received positive feedback. People loved your high energy and the feeling of comfort you gave to be open. The CEO said that he was really inspired by the online meeting!"
Pim Giesbergen
How did you begin your speaking career?
I began my professional speaking career while doing my legal internship at a corporate law firm in South Africa. I have always been a speaker, but got my opportunities in lunch hours of businesses around my law firm at the time. I have always spoken on matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusion – my material has just developed as I have. Most often my material grows as I am asked to speak more broadly on the matters.
What got you interested in Diversity & Inclusion?
My own personal transformation. I was studying law at the time. One of my courses, Constitutional Law spoke of human rights, equality, social justice and redress. I knew nothing of these concepts. In fact, my inherited perceptions were not in favour of these concepts above.
Through studying Constitutional Law, however, I was challenged to uproot my inherited biases and perceptions in place of a deeper understanding of the world, connection, compassion, diversity and equality. That subject changed my life!
The change was so drastic that I vowed to try and recreate that change for others. I have been doing this work every since. I aim to try and create the challenge and liberation that letting go of bias brought me.
Why do clients typically hire you to speak?
I offer a unique perspective. Being young, white, male and South African, my story and experiences provide me with an insight into how we communication around equality, diversity and inclusion matters. I am honest. I don’t beat around the bush. I create space where we have the tough conversation, yet in a loving and gentle way. I am an engaging speaker. Taking people along the journey with me.
Who or what inspires you most?
South Africa inspires me. Our history and what we have achieved humbles me, constantly.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?
The biggest challenge I have overcome is my own mind. Coming to the realisation that my mind is flawed, that my beliefs are biased and that my perceptions are contrived was incredibly difficult. When you realise that everything you have been taught is a lie, your world rocks! Mine rocked. A necessary requirement for the new foundations I have rebuilt.
What would you like to achieve in the next 5 years?
I would like to be able to spread my message far and wide. I aim to challenge and inspire. TO show love, compassion and possibility of liberation.
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