Member since April 2023
Robin Golinski teaches people to speak when it matters most - and when it's hardest. As creator of the Speak Even Though™ framework, she shows audiences how to communicate with clarity under pressure, whether they're facing self-doubt, manipulation, or the fear of being disliked.
Robin has spent 20+ years as an Executive Communication Coach with The Speech Improvement Company, developing and leading training programs for clients including Insulet, Forrester, Eversource, Hologic, and Vistra. She co-authored Outwitting the Manipulator with Dennis Becker and contributed to The Handbook of Communication Training, the first book of its kind in the U.S.
She's also a stand-up comedian who has performed in Boston, London, and Edinburgh. She founded Boston Comedy Chicks to develop and showcase female comedic talent, and is the U.S. Producer for Funny Women, the international female comedy platform based in London.
Her keynotes combine real expertise with real humor - no slides, no fluff. Audiences leave having learned something about themselves and having had a genuinely good time.
Storytelling, Comedy, Podcasting, Reading, Sewing, Pilates, and being "GoGo" — my grandma nickname.
What actually drives Robin? The moment someone realizes it's not in their interest - or anyone else's - for them to remain quiet. She's spent 20+ years watching people swallow what they want to say — in meetings, in negotiations, in conversations that matter — and she's built a career around fixing that. Strong, effective communication skills don't just help people succeed. They create a competence that builds genuine confidence - and once that happens, there's no going back.
Forrester asked Robin and her co-author Dennis Becker to train employees on storytelling - and then run a StorySlam at a company-wide event. Five seasoned employees were "voluntold" to participate. The theme: "It Happened at Forrester..." Dennis and Robin trained the full group, then spent 30 minutes one-on-one with each of the five presenters, helping them transform their stories into riveting, funny, five-minute pieces. One guy told the story of his wedding ceremony, conducted entirely in Sanskrit. Robin had him add one line - "I still don't know what I agreed to" - and he got the biggest laugh of the night. The event was a huge hit, and every one of those five walked away with a completely different relationship to public speaking.
Robin is the oldest of seven, born to teenage parents in the 1960s. Persuasion, negotiation, and creative problem-solving weren't career aspirations — they were survival skills. She was always left in charge, so she never learned how not to lead or how not to feel responsible for outcomes. Fortunately, she landed in a career that capitalizes on every one of those skills — so her work is filled with purpose and joy.
Robin performs her signature "Guru" character — a self-appointed expert who sees problems everywhere and can't stop herself from fixing them. Traffic cop not gesturing effectively? Sorted. Millennial at Home Depot needs a makeover and a customer service tutorial? Sorted. Bride worried about her weight? Sorted. ("Sorted" is British slang for "handled" — Robin picked it up from her work with Funny Women in London, and it stuck.) If you've ever wondered what happens when someone who teaches communication for a living can't stop communicating, this is it.
My hobby is stand up comedy and Improv. I'm very proud to be associated with http://funnywomen.comsince 2010. I decided to do five minutes of 'proper' stand up at the world's largest Arts Festival in Aug 2025 at the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland. It was a blast! That led to me going back to The Comedy Store in London to do a longer set which you can find here: https://youtu.be/bAQ8Fohe2sw?si=9BiCiHpeM9y9NsKN
Welcome to Outwitting the Manipulator, the podcast that gives you powerful techniques to protect yourself as manipulation is taking place. Your hosts are authors and communication experts Robin Golinski and Dr. Dennis Becker.
Listen Now
Communication is the primary tool that manipulators use to impact and control the momentum of the moment. We have identified the 24 most commonly used manipulation tactics and the specific techniques to use as the manipulation occurs, giving you the
Buy NowForrester asked Robin and her co-author Dennis Becker to train employees on storytelling - and then run a StorySlam at a company-wide event. Five seasoned employees were "voluntold" to participate. The theme: "It Happened at Forrester..." Dennis and Robin trained the full group, then spent 30 minutes one-on-one with each of the five presenters, helping them transform their stories into riveting, funny, five-minute pieces. One guy told the story of his wedding ceremony, conducted entirely in Sanskrit. Robin had him add one line - "I still don't know what I agreed to" - and he got the biggest laugh of the night. The event was a huge hit, and every one of those five walked away with a completely different relationship to public speaking.
Robin is the oldest of seven, born to teenage parents in the 1960s. Persuasion, negotiation, and creative problem-solving weren't career aspirations — they were survival skills. She was always left in charge, so she never learned how not to lead or how not to feel responsible for outcomes. Fortunately, she landed in a career that capitalizes on every one of those skills — so her work is filled with purpose and joy.
Robin performs her signature "Guru" character — a self-appointed expert who sees problems everywhere and can't stop herself from fixing them. Traffic cop not gesturing effectively? Sorted. Millennial at Home Depot needs a makeover and a customer service tutorial? Sorted. Bride worried about her weight? Sorted. ("Sorted" is British slang for "handled" — Robin picked it up from her work with Funny Women in London, and it stuck.) If you've ever wondered what happens when someone who teaches communication for a living can't stop communicating, this is it.
My hobby is stand up comedy and Improv. I'm very proud to be associated with http://funnywomen.comsince 2010. I decided to do five minutes of 'proper' stand up at the world's largest Arts Festival in Aug 2025 at the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland. It was a blast! That led to me going back to The Comedy Store in London to do a longer set which you can find here: https://youtu.be/bAQ8Fohe2sw?si=9BiCiHpeM9y9NsKN
