Steve Gilbert OBE

Steve draws on his expertise and experiences to inspire and empower the audience to become effective allies in their organisations and spheres of influence. Through powerful anecdotes, real-life examples, and practical strategies, Steve describes the transformative impact of allyship and offers actionable insights to drive meaningful change.

Get ready to be inspired, informed, and equipped to take tangible steps towards becoming a proactive ally in the pursuit of equity and social justice, leveraging your influence and privilege. 

Discover the profound journey of Steve Gilbert, OBE, as he shares compelling insights from his personal experience with bipolar disorder and resilient leadership.

Steve authentically shares the challenges he has faced and the invaluable lessons learned, offering practical strategies for leading effectively in a rapidly changing world. His compelling narrative and authentic approach resonate deeply, bridging the emotional and practical aspects of leadership in turbulent times.

Book Steve Gilbert as your keynote speaker to engage and inspire your audience, leaving them equipped with tangible takeaways to navigate challenges, foster empathetic leadership, and drive meaningful change in their professional and personal endeavours.

This compelling speech chronicles Steve's remarkable journey from surviving the depths of mental illness, familial abuse and suicidal thoughts to embracing a life full of hope. With powerful storytelling, Steve shares the pivotal moments that shaped his path, offering profound insights and practical wisdom.

Steve's inspirational and motivational tone encourages the audience to nurture hope, destigmatize mental illness, and take proactive steps towards wellbeing.

Through this impactful keynote, Steve ignites a call to action, urging individuals to join the movement of breaking down barriers and fostering a community of support. Book this keynote to empower your audience with a message of courage, transformation, and unwavering hope.

Beginning with a summary of emotional intelligence (EI) and its role in leadership Steve explores the role of self-awareness, empathy, and relationship management as key components of EI.

Sharing personal experiences to illustrate the transformative influence of EI in leadership, Steve highlights how EI enhances communication, team dynamics, decisionmaking, and adaptability. Addressing the common obstacles to EI, Steve will offer practical strategies and insights to nurture EI in leadership role. Concluding with a powerful call-toaction, Steve will leave attendees inspired to develop their own EI.

As a renowned motivational speaker, Steve empowers audiences to break free from limiting beliefs and embrace new possibilities. Through inspiring anecdotes and practical strategies, he guides individuals on a journey of self-discovery, tapping into their unique strengths and talents.

This compelling speech challenges the status quo, ignites a passion for growth, and empowers the audience to turn bold aspirations into actionable plans. Join Steve Gilbert on a captivating exploration of potential and possibility, and unlock the extraordinary within.

In this powerful exploration of equity in action, Steve tackles the pervasive challenge of 'whataboutism' that often derails productive conversations about inclusion and belonging. Drawing on his unique perspective as someone with dual ethnicity, Steve presents targeted universalism as a transformative framework that establishes universal goals while acknowledging the different paths needed to reach them. Through compelling storytelling and evidence-based approaches, he addresses common resistance points: concerns about reverse discrimination, questions about group-specific focus, fears of divisiveness, and limitations of colourblind approaches.

Steve authentically shares his experiences growing up as a dual-ethnicity child while presenting the evidence based case for DEI as a driver of innovation, financial performance, and talent retention. In an era of increasing pushback against inclusion initiatives, this keynote provides a strategic roadmap for reframing DEI conversations from compliance to competitive advantage, from isolated programs to cultural transformation. Drawing on his extensive background in mental health advocacy and anti-racism work, Steve offers practical communication strategies that build bridges rather than walls when DEI is challenged. Through powerful case studies and actionable insights, audiences gain the confidence and tools to defend inclusion efforts, culminating in "Five Commitments for Inclusive Leaders" that empower attendees to create lasting change in their organisations and communities.

This compelling keynote draws on Steve’s unique insights from building his career whilst managing bipolar disorder to illuminate leadership strategies in our increasingly volatile world. Steve masterfully bridges personal resilience tactics with organisational approaches, offering a powerful framework for understanding both traditional VUCA challenges and the emerging BANI paradigm that better captures our post‑pandemic reality. Through authentic storytelling and evidence‑based strategies, Steve guides leaders through building resilient systems, cultivating psychological safety, embracing diversity of thought, and developing adaptive leadership capabilities. Audiences leave equipped with “The Three Commitments” – specific leadership practices they can implement immediately to transform uncertainty into opportunity and create organisations that bend without breaking in turbulent times.

This insightful keynote unlocks the hidden dynamics that shape organisational behaviour, revealing how unconscious processes drive seemingly irrational decisions and resistance to change. Steve expertly guides audiences through understanding organisations as emotional systems, drawing parallels between his personal journey navigating psychological challenges and the system‑psychodynamic consultant’s role in making the invisible visible within complex organisations. With compelling case studies and practical frameworks, Steve illuminates the modern consultant’s multifaceted responsibilities: containing anxiety, decoding hidden patterns, building bridges across boundaries, and accompanying leaders through uncertainty. His authentic approach to addressing both technical solutions and adaptive challenges offers a refreshing perspective on facilitating genuine transformation rather than imposing quick fixes. The session culminates in “The Reflective Consultant” practices that combine technical expertise with emotional intelligence, leaving attendees better equipped to navigate both conscious and unconscious organisational dynamics with confidence and compassion.

Steve presents emotional intelligence (EI) as the cornerstone of effective leadership. He explores the four pillars of EI: self‑awareness, self‑management, social awareness, and relationship management. Drawing from his experiences with Bipolar Disorder and Complex Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (cPTSD), Steve highlights the importance of self‑awareness and provides techniques for recognising emotional triggers. He demonstrates how empathy transforms conflict resolution and enhances cultural intelligence in leadership. Through organisational case studies, Steve illustrates the ripple effect of emotionally intelligent leadership on team performance. The keynote concludes with actionable strategies like the "Emotion Naming" practice and team emotional check‑ins, empowering attendees to leverage EI for personal and organisational success.

In this powerful keynote, Steve tackles the universal challenge of self‑doubt and impostor syndrome. Opening with his experience of receiving an OBE despite battling impostor syndrome, Steve redefines confidence as courage in action rather than fearlessness. He shares practical techniques for managing self‑doubt and building authentic confidence, including creating a personal achievements inventory. Steve emphasises the power of vulnerability in enhancing perceived confidence and introduces his "imperfect action" approach to overcoming perfectionism. The speech concludes with a call to practice authentic confidence, offering actionable takeaways like creating a "confidence evidence file" and implementing the "What Would I Say?" perspective‑shifting technique.

Steve presents courage as a series of decisions available to everyone in this inspiring keynote. He shares his personal story of choosing to speak publicly about his mental illness diagnosis, illustrating that courage is fear plus action, not the absence of fear. Steve explores the neuroscience of courage and how to hack your fear response. He demonstrates the power of strategic vulnerability and how it creates psychological safety for others. The speech emphasises building a "courage muscle" through intentional discomfort and Steve's "courage challenges" system. Attendees leave with practical tools like the "Fear Setting" exercise and the "5 Seconds of Courage" technique, inspired to make brave choices that create permission for others to do the same.

Steve shares his transformative journey from battling Bipolar Disorder to becoming an internationally recognised figure in mental health reforms. He explores how adversity reveals our true strength and potential for growth. Steve discusses his shift from feeling defined by his diagnosis to seeing it as just part of his story. He offers practical resilience strategies and demonstrates how to build supportive networks.

The speech culminates in Steve's path to being a leader on the Mental Health Act Review and receiving an OBE, showing how struggles can become powerful platforms for change. Attendees learn actionable techniques like the "Two‑Minute Reset" and "Future Self" visualisation, leaving empowered to transform their challenges into opportunities for personal growth and positive impact.

Steve explores the transformative power of deliberate personal development in this inspiring keynote. Drawing from his personal journey, Steve illustrates the shift from a fixed to a growth mindset, emphasising that personal development is a deliberate practice. He delves into the science of neuroplasticity and our capacity for change, offering insights on creating a personal development system that challenges comfort zones.

Steve shares his practice of scheduled discomfort and reframing failure as feedback. The speech culminates in aligning development with purpose and avoiding burnout. Attendees leave with actionable takeaways empowered to direct their own change and growth.

As an experienced Workshop Facilitator, Steve blends deep subject-matter expertise with interactive learning design to deliver sessions that not only inform, but ignite real, lasting change. Drawing on a decade of work in mental health reform and anti-racism leadership, Steve’s workshops are carefully crafted to engage diverse audiences, foster inclusive dialogue, and equip participants with practical tools they can apply immediately.

What You Can Expect

• Tailored Learning Experience: Every workshop is designed to meet your organisation’s specific goals, whether you’re building resilience, strengthening leadership, or embedding inclusive practices.
• Hands-On Activities:  Through a mix of group exercises, real-world case studies, and reflective discussion, participants will deepen their understanding and build confidence in applying new strategies.
• Actionable Outcomes: You’ll walk away with a personalised action plan, clear next steps, and the motivation to turn insights into impact.

Why Steve’s Approach Works

• Dynamic Facilitation Style: Energetic, adaptive, and infused with warmth and a touch of humour, Steve keeps participants engaged and accountable from start to finish.
• Inclusive by Design:  Built on principles of cultural sensitivity and psychological safety, his workshops ensure that every voice is heard, respected, and valued.
• Experience & Empathy: Steve brings authenticity, compassion and experience to every session, creating a safe space for honest conversation.

This intensive, transformative workshop equips leaders with advanced emotional intelligence capabilities essential for today’s complex business environment. Drawing on the unique insights of Steve’s personal experience of managing bipolar disorder alongside working with national organisations to transform mental health care in the UK, participants develop practical skills across five critical dimensions of leadership EQ. Through experiential learning and real-time feedback, leaders will develop heightened emotional awareness, regulation techniques, and empathetic communication skills essential for navigating today’s complex workplace challenges.

This transformative workshop draws on Steve’s personal journey of developing self-belief despite significant challenges, providing teams with strategies for building authentic confidence in professional settings. The workshop uniquely combines psychological safety principles with practical confidence-building techniques, addressing both individual barriers and organisational factors that impact team confidence.

The workshop employs a distinctive blend of assessment tools, interactive exercises, and practical application that moves beyond simple affirmations to build genuine self-belief that participants can immediately apply in their professional environments.

This transformative workshop guides participants through a structured self-reflection process to enhance personal and professional growth. The program leverages Steve’s unique combination of lived experience and professional expertise to create meaningful change. Participants engage in a thoughtful journey of self-discovery reflection techniques, values clarification exercises, and purpose alignment activities.

Through contemplative exercises, interactive discussions, and practical application, participants develop greater self-awareness, purpose clarity, and sustainable growth strategies that bridge personal fulfilment with professional excellence