Shannon Talbot

Expect a keynote that feels more like a meaningful conversation than a presentation.

Shannon’s talks combine powerful storytelling, practical leadership tools, audience interaction and just the right amount of humour. Participants leave with fresh perspectives, practical strategies and greater confidence in how they lead.

Every keynote is tailored to your audience and designed to help people strengthen three things that matter in every workplace:

• Credibility: build trust and communicate with greater clarity
• Courage: have the conversations that are too often avoided
• Connection: strengthen relationships, collaboration and support

Shannon also knows that a great keynote starts long before she walks on stage. She takes time to understand your audience, goals and event objectives so the content feels relevant, useful and memorable.

And yes, she’s known for being easy to work with, responsive and genuinely invested in helping make your event a success.

Leadership speaker Shannon Talbot helps leaders strengthen credibility, find the courage to have harder conversations, and build stronger connections across their teams.

After 17 years leading teams and driving change at companies including Scotiabank, Loblaw and Publicis Groupe, Shannon learned that many leadership challenges aren’t caused by a lack of intelligence, experience or effort.

They’re caused by the conversations leaders avoid, the hard truths they don’t address and the pressure to appear like they have everything under control.

Some of Shannon’s most powerful leadership lessons came from an unexpected place: a California medium-security prison, where she spent over a year virtually mentoring incarcerated men. Those conversations changed how she thinks about leadership, courage, responsibility and human connection.

Today, Shannon brings those lessons into workplaces to help organizations:

• Build credibility and trust across teams
• Have more honest and productive conversations
• Lead through change with greater confidence
• Strengthen connection and collaboration
• Create cultures where people speak up, contribute and grow

Known for her honest storytelling, humour and practical approach, Shannon leaves audiences with memorable ideas and tools they can apply immediately.

Shannon has worked with organizations including Nestlé, Scotiabank, Publicis Groupe, HRPA, Enbridge, Colliers and the City of Hamilton. Her insights have been featured on CBC Radio, Breakfast Television, Business Insider and Today’s Parent.

She is the author of Breaking Free.

- Projector and screen for presentation (Shannon brings her laptop) and if possible, an internet connection
- Clicker for projector
- Lapel/Clip-On microphone (handheld will do if no lapel is available)