Free Speakers Chicago is a pro bono speakers bureau. Every presentation on this page is free to book, with no fees, no honorarium and no mileage. Browse the topics below and request a guest speaker for your next meeting, workshop or community event.
Life is lived on levels and arrived at in stages, at every new level you come to there is a stage that you must go through or you will remain where you are currently. The different levels in life are easy to see however, comfort and fear keep us from venturing out of our comfort zone. For me that comfort
Onboarding new employees is a secure investment that will assist newly hired employees in developing their skills, knowledge, and value within the company. It will help match the technically skilled Millennial workforce with new and emerging needs of your company, which gives your company an advantage within the market. Millennial Onboarding is a specialized type of employee onboarding. With Millennials
Economic inequality has been rising in the US for decades, damaging our economy and society in the process. This presentation will discuss how high it has become, why it happens, how it damages our country, and what we can do about it.
Are you struggling with trying to motivate and inspire your team, employees, clients, or even yourself? Encouraging an unmotivated individual is a challenge and regardless of the reward, nothing seems to work. Based on years of experience working with challenging populations - jail inmates, the homeless, people living with developmental disabilities, Dr.Susan Neustrom teaches you how to motivate and inspire
In our fast paced world, it seems that we are expected to do more and more with less and less. If you are finding that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get things done, then this presentation is for you. In this presentation, Master Certified Business Coach Tom Kelly discusses the 5 shifts that you need to
Many organizations roll out operating systems with enthusiasm, only to watch them fade when production pressure hits. This talk explores why these systems often stall and how leaders can connect them to strategy in a way that actually lasts. John shares how to make operating systems meaningful to frontline teams, how to reinforce expectations through leadership routines, and how to
For years, warnings about democratic erosion could feel abstract. Under Donald Trump, authoritarian tactics — attacks on institutions, personal rule through decree, aggressive tariff wars, and now the extreme deployment of military force — have become concrete. That concreteness is frightening many citizens, elites, and institutions into action, both in the US and in Europe. Come learn how this is
Leadership is hard work because the need to be socially connected at all time is a necessity for leaders to influence, impact, and direct organizations, people, and change. Business challenges require fast, direct decisions, therefore, leaders are relentlessly communicating with multiple stakeholders through email, phone, and technology. Yet, the most powerful leaders understand the demands of being a leader and
We all have those awesome thoughts dripping with possibility, we get a smile on our face and consider how nice it would be then, out of nowhere comes "BUT". The whole show stops when the "BUT" gets in the way. The thinking then turns to all the reasons why we "CAN'T" realize the vision that we were given. We must
Most plants have binders full of processes, charts, and operating systems yet daily execution still varies wildly. The problem isn’t the process; it’s the behavior gap between what leaders expect and what teams actually do. In this session, John explains why even the best systems fall apart without the right leadership habits behind them. Audiences learn how clarity, confirmation, and
According to Merriam Webster networking is “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business”. These and other events can become more easily managed with this great workshop. During this lively, and interactive Power of Networking (Outside the organization) discussion, participants will begin to see how important it
This presentation focuses on Trump's tariffs and their impact on our country - not only the economic consequences, but also how they play out in the larger picture of trade, manufacturing, and everyday costs for families. In addition to exploring the topic of tariffs, Ed Spire will be sharing a look "behind the scenes" at how he use social media
Although we all know that training can have many amazing benefits, sometimes it can be hard to prove those benefits and attach a dollar value to training. Some topics, like sales training or time management, might have direct, tangible benefits. Other topics, like communication or leadership, might have benefits that you can’t put a dollar value on. Through this discussion
Every decade, increasing gerrymandering has created more and more "safe seats", which have resulted in more and more extreme legislators on both sides of the aisle - creating a legislature where compromise is impossible, and very little legislative progress ensures. This presentation shows why this happens, and what we can do about it, using the recent example of the Alaska
While a discussion on workplace manners and courtesy may seem like overkill, the reality is: rudeness is an epidemic costing industry millions a year. Indeed, what society seems to be gaining in terms of both knowledge and technological advancement, it’s losing out on basic social values that directly impact the bottom line. This discussion introduces the concept of civility, its
In "Deportation Nation: America's Immigration Crossroads," Ed will analyze unprecedented changes in federal immigration policy, shedding light on how these actions impact families, communities, and the very fabric of our society. The Trump administration's approach to immigration marks a sharp departure from historic norms. With an enormous escalation in funding directed at enforcement measures, the federal debt continues to rise
Most people find that they wish they had more time in a day. This discussion shows how to organize their lives and find those hidden moments. It helps the audience learn how to establish routines, set goals, create an efficient environment, and use time-honored planning and organizational tools to the maximize their personal productivity. Personal Productivity is a goal most
Learn why we elect the US president via the Electoral College, how our Electoral College damages our demcoracy - and what we can do about it.
Increasing one's happiness can be done through the power of positive thinking. That is one skill that this presenttion will touch on to teach participants how to be happier. Happiness can spread throughout an organization, and have a positive effect on everyone. During this interactive and energetic discussion participants will engage in unique and helpful ways to increase their happiness.
There's been a lot of discussion lately about tighter regulations on assault weapons like the AR-15. If we are going to regulate these weapons, we will need a legal definition describing them. And instead of a definition that depends upon specific configurations or cosmetic appearance, we propose a definition based on the factors that make this class of weapons so
In the United States today, women make up half of the workforce. Unfortunately for women, their male colleagues are promoted at a much higher rate. Women offer great work ethnics, and bring something different from men to the workforce, but many times it goes unnoticed. In this workshop, you will learn about how organizations can develop women leaders, about the
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