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Steve Gilbert OBE
Steve Gilbert OBE is the go-to Anti Racism Leadership and Mental Health speaker for organisations serious about delivering meaningful change.
In Person
£4000 - £7000
Price based on UK delivery
Virtual Event
£4000 - £7000
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With over a decade of experience leading work to tackle racism, and improve outcomes for people living with mental illnesses, Steve Gilbert OBE is the go-to speaker, consultant and coach for organisations serious about delivering meaningful change. Widely recognised for his deep understanding of the issues, powerful presentations, clarity of communication, warmth and relatability, meticulous planning, and striking candour, Steve has been trusted to both deliver and chair keynote speeches at industry leading events.
Having battled with mental illness since his late teens, experiencing the painful depths of Depression, destructive highs of Bipolar Disorder, and heart-breaking episodes of Suicidal Ideation and attempts, Steve has repeatedly had to fight for his life. Against the backdrop of psychological abuse from his parents and siblings Steve has continued to display grit and determination as he overcomes the obstacles and pitfalls that accompany life with a serious mental illness. As a Dual-Ethnicity child, with a Black father and a white mother, growing up in a largely white neighbourhood, Steve grew up not ‘fitting in’.
As he grew older Steve became aware of the role racial discrimination had in the high rates of serious mental illness on his father’s side of the family. It is his personal and familial experiences which drive Steve’s work. Steve has made it his life’s work to tackle racism and support organisations and leaders to become Anti Racism organisations. Steve has also set up an Anti Racism Leader Coaching business. Like so many others, Steve started out as a Time to Change Champion, volunteering with others to engage in conversations about mental health with members of the public. Steve was awarded an OBE in 2019 Queens’ Birthday Honours List for services to Mental Health.
As a speaker and facilitator Steve works to explore the needs of the audience, what they need to experience and the intended benefits for them, crucial to delivery of a powerfully, persuasive professional speech which will captivate the attention of your audience, compelling them to take action.
Popular Keynotes:
- Cultivating Equity: Your Role as an Ally in Creating Change: 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.
- Targeted Universalism – Moving Beyond Equity: 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.
- The Business Case for Inclusion: Defending DEI in Challenging Times: 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.
- Mastering the Balancing Act – What Life with Bipolar Disorder Taught Me About Leading in a Turbulent World: Discover the profound journey of Steve, 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.
- Navigating the VUCA-BANI World – Leadership in an Era of Profound Change: 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.
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Steve Gilbert OBE
