The Human Renaissance: The Need to Be Courageously Human
As organisations navigate increasing complexity, uncertainty, and change, there is a growing need to shift from a mindset of performance-driven humans to one of human-driven performance. While businesses invest heavily in strategy, systems, and metrics, research consistently shows that psychological safety, emotional wellbeing, and meaningful human connection are among the strongest predictors of sustained high performance. Yet many people have never been taught the skills of emotional regulation, self-awareness, compassion, or resilience, leaving individuals and teams operating in survival mode rather than growth mode.
This session explores what it means to be courageously human in today’s workplace and why human qualities such as empathy, purpose, belonging, and authenticity have become critical leadership capabilities. Drawing on leadership lessons from Nelson Mandela and contemporary insights into wellbeing and performance, participants will discover how creating environments that encourage human growth can unlock engagement, innovation, resilience, and sustainable success.
Key Takeaways
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the shift from performance-driven cultures to human-driven performance.
- Recognise the impact of psychological safety, belonging, and emotional wellbeing on team effectiveness.
- Identify how fear and survival-mode thinking limit innovation, collaboration, and growth.
- Apply leadership lessons from Nelson Mandela to foster trust, courage, and human connection.
- Explore practical ways to encourage personal and professional growth within teams and organisations.
- Develop a stronger sense of purpose and meaning as a foundation for performance and fulfilment.
- Establish healthy boundaries that support wellbeing, resilience, and sustainable success.
- Gain tools for owning their personal story with authenticity and courage.
- Understand how workplace environments shape behaviour, engagement, and human potential.
- Create conditions where people can thrive, contribute fully, and perform at their best.
Karen’s Bio
Karen’s vision is to guide people to discover their potential and help them to define and achieve their goals. Her passion is developing people of all ages and in all environments.
As a registered NBI whole-brain practitioner and master trainer, she leads companies to achieve goals, improve communication, and better understand. Developing material and guiding organisations to effectively employ and tap into the diversity of thinking styles in the workplace to produce future role players and economic contributors to benefit both parties is an exciting role she gets to play. She achieves this through developing material that is both engaging and applicable to the organisation’s specific needs. Her highly interactive sessions are delivered passionately and energetically, backed by solid factual content. Her motto is “Bring people to solutions, not solutions to people”. Karen says, ‘I am encouraged by the solutions that have been reached by those I have had the privilege to guide along the path of discovery’.
Her background lies in the financial sector of the building industry. Still, she has over a decade’s experience in corporate, public and educational sectors, specialising in whole-brain development, creativity, training and public speaking. She is a regular keynote speaker and has presented at numerous conferences globally.
Her formal qualifications include degrees in Applied Psychology in the Professional Context (Industrial and Organisational). She received an Excellence in Creativity Award and a Beyonder Award from the South African Creativity Foundation. She has co-authored Taking You Beyond with Liesl Schoonwinkel, which has been published in three different languages.
She has worked with organisations such as World Health Organisation’s Council on Health Research and Development Geneva, GASCO Abu Dhabi, Clearstream Deutsche Boerse and Bank in Europe and Ireland, Cognizant Spain, Celgene Denmark, Care Concept Germany, Barclays, Nedbank Motor Finance Corporation, ACSA (Airports Company South Africa), ABSA Private Bank, Bank Windhoek Namibia, Montego, Global Education and Leadership Foundation India, WOW Factors India, Creative Education Foundation (USA), Tswane University of Technology and The Education Department Eastern Cape South Africa.
Karen’s Links
- Linkedin: Karen Hodges
Liesl’s Bio
Liesl believes that the individual contribution of its employees determines the success of any organisation. As a registered Whole-Brain Master Trainer and accredited Creativity Specialist, Liesl applies her knowledge and experience to the development of individuals so that they can make a productive contribution to the sustained success of their own careers and their organisation.
By designing and facilitating unique learning experiences, Liesl engages individuals in their development and self-mastery. Because she takes great care to understand the challenges and needs of every client, Liest delivers relevant information, practical understanding and the development of applicable skills. Liesl involves every delegate with her interactive and lively presentations.
She also does career guidance in a private practice. She has co-authored “Taking You Beyond” – the first university-accredited online career development programme turned into a hard-copy publication. She presents a community upliftment training programme to improve teaching at schools. She coaches corporate leadership skills and mentoring for a better future. She is a corporate trainer, coach, career counsellor, keynote speaker, MC and conference weaver.
Liesl’s Links
- LinkedIn: Liesl Schoonwinkel