Misha S.
Keynote Speaker at CEEQ, Center for Empathy and Emotional Intelligence, LLC
Leadership
Education: Southern Oregon State University - University of Oregon
Martinez, CA, USA
Biography
Misha Safran is a highly engaging trilingual speaker and 2024 award winning consultant for Martinez, CA. In 2022, She earned the CEO Award from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in recognition of successful DEIA training. Misha is a published author and holds her Professional Coaching Certification (PCC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and is the founder of CEEQ, the Center for Empathy and Emotional Intelligence, LLC.
Misha's infectious positivity, intuitiveness, and empathy create healthy spaces for leaders and their teams while learning to navigate being uncomfortable as they develop new skills. Working with Misha, professional communities thrive as team members discover, value, and celebrate one another’s successes, and find new enthusiasm for their work together.
She inspires leaders and their teams to reset their mindset and empower their voices, resulting in renewed energy, creativity, increased productivity, and thoughtful communication transforming conflict into connection, collaboration, and currency.
Misha has dedicated her career to creating and sustaining successful learning opportunities and positive, inclusive relationships in the Education, Medical, and Legal sectors.
Finally, she is now a best-selling author for her recent publication of "A Teacher's Companion: How to Center Empathy and Emotional Well-Being for Yourself and Your Students"
Passion
There are many topics which make me smile, I am most passionate about the following two areas: 1. Helping people embrace the duality of pain and joy so they can move from surviving to thriving and 2. Empowering people to develop, nurture, and sustain healthy relationships at home and in the workplace transforming conflict into connection, collaboration, and Currency.
My mission, which is empowered by compassion and driven by empathy, is to ignite graceful transformation, joyful inclusivity, and unprecedented cohesion in high-stress workplaces by creating positive communication practices and sustainable healthy relationships.
My vision is to help one million people feel seen, heard, valued, and understood.
Featured Video
Featured Book
I am willing to travel
More than 100 miles
When it comes to payments
I generally get paid for speaking but make exceptions
Topics
Best Story
Most people will look at another person and in less than seven seconds make a decision about them without ever getting to know them. People don't know I am hearing impaired or that I spent a number of years using a cane, walker, and sometimes a wheelchair. If they say hello to me and I don't reply, they might label me as snooty or rude. If they see me parking in an assigned disabled space, they may question my integrity. The fact is that we are all judgmental - good, bad, or indifferent. What is most important is what we decide to say and/or do differently as a result of acknowledging our first thought.
Example talks
Centering Empathy and Creating Joy in Your Leadership and Your Life
Leadership thrives when grounded in empathy and fueled by joy. In this dynamic and interactive presentation, participants will explore how to transform their leadership and life by integrating emotional intelligence, compassionate communication, and inclusive practices. Leaders will learn how to wear their Super CAPE© (Compassionate Communication, Assuming Positive Intent, IDEAB Principles, and Empathy Before Accusation) and leverage their organization’s guiding BEACON© (Building trust, Easing tension, Allowing for Creativity, Creating confidence and connection, Opening doorways to diverse perspectives, and Nurturing inclusivity and belonging). Together, these frameworks foster meaningful relationships, enhance morale, and create sustainable cultures of care and productivity.
Through real-life anecdotes, practical tools, and interactive activities, attendees will gain the skills to model empathy, navigate challenges with grace, and lead with joy amidst adversity. Whether addressing team dynamics, promoting inclusion, or cultivating individual well-being, this session offers actionable steps to transform leaders from transactional to relational where empathy and joy coexist and thrive.
Learning Objectives:
⭐️ Empathetic Leadership in Action: Learn to model Super CAPE© principles, fostering compassionate communication, positive intent, and inclusive leadership.
⭐️ Building a Thriving Workplace: Utilize the BEACON© framework to create trust, encourage creativity, and nurture belonging for sustainable inclusion.
⭐️ Resilient & Compassionate Cultures: Master strategies for leader well-being, meaningful conversations, and honoring the coexistence of joy and pain in workplace relationships.
Key Takeaways:
* Super CAPE©: Learn how to model Compassionate Communication, Assume Positive Intent, implement I & B Principles, and practice Empathy Before Accusation.
* BEACON© Framework: Understand how to foster trust, ease tension, encourage creativity, build confidence and connection, embrace diverse perspectives, and nurture inclusivity.
* Sustainable Inclusion: Develop tools for creating belonging and inclusion in your organization.
* Compassionate Communication: Master a three-step process to facilitate meaningful conversations during challenging moments.
* Leader-Care: Recognize the importance of leader well-being in sustaining a thriving workplace culture.
* Honoring Joy and Pain: Learn the transformative power of honoring the coexistence of joy and pain to build compassionate and resilient teams.
Joy Amidst Adversity in the Workplace
Improve staff morale and retention, increase productivity, and nurture workplace relationships by letting joy be your workplace BEACON© (BEACON© = Building trust, Easing tension, Allowing for Creativity, Creating confidence and connection, Opening doorways to diverse perspectives, and Nurturing inclusivity and belonging).
Takeaways:
🤩 The impact of moving away from a transactional to relational workplace
🤩 Understanding the coexistence of joy and pain leads to care and empathy
🤩 The benefits of centering and honoring the coexistence of joy and pain in the workplace
🤩 How to build your organization’s guiding BEACON©
This talk is great for full staff & leader (from ground level employees to CEOs and Presidents professional development. It can be both virtual and live.
"I found Misha's trainings to be incredibly beneficial both personally and professionally. Her expertise and advice for coping with times of stress or disappointment helps to reset the mindset and provide renewed energy and problem-solving skills. Although everyone could benefit from her exercises and insights, those in high-stress professions will learn skills critical to their performance and internal well-being.
Not only are her trainings transformative, they are also filled with joy. The time our team spent with Misha allowed a respite from the difficulties and frustrations imposed by the current pandemic so that we were able to come back with renewed vigor and sense of purpose.
One of my takeaways was the importance of intentionally reviewing a gratitude inventory as part of a daily routine.
The joy experienced by all participants during these sessions is truly wonderful. I wish that all those I care about could experience the benefits of Misha's workshops." - Deanne, Scranton, PA
Centering Empathy in Your Leadership and Beyond 💜
Get ready for an empathy breakthrough. Being able to understand the people you work with is an essential skill in supporting cohesive and productive teams while also building belonging and inclusion.
Takeaways:
💜 Wear and model your Super CAPE© (CAPE© = Compassionate Communication, Assuming Positive Intent, Principles of IDEAB (IDEAB = Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, Belonging)
💜 The empathy and grace blueprint and how it supports your organization
💜 The impact of developing sustainable belonging and inclusion in your organization
💜 Three steps for compassionate communication
💜 Leader-Care
This talk is great for full staff & leader professional development. It can be both virtual and live.
Leading the Way to Culture Change 🗺
Transforming workplace culture can feel unattainable and lonely. Learn tangible skills that will take you towards change.
Takeaways:
🌎 Practical skills for change: Participants will learn tangible skills through the DEVELOPS© acronym, including direct communication, staff well-being, valuing self and others, empathy, and more.
🌍 Inclusive approach: Emphasis on leaving no one behind and promoting the greater good, fostering inclusivity and empowerment for all.
🌏 Open-mindedness and creativity: Encouragement to embrace diverse perspectives and cultivate innovation through open-mindedness and playful perspectives.
🌎 Work-life balance and boundaries: Importance of setting healthy boundaries for promoting work-life balance and overall well-being
This talk is great for executive and leader professional development. It can be both virtual and live.
3 Keys to Effectively Mediating Conflict and Extreme Thinking in the Workplace 📉
Listening for understanding, leaning into the “yes, and”, and building staff cohesion can elevate and ignite better outcomes for all, developing a healthy workplace inside and out!
Takeaways
🗂 The benefits of centering and honoring dualities in the workplace
🗂 Effective Leader-Care
🗂 Open-mindedness and creativity: Encouragement to embrace diverse perspectives and cultivate innovation through open-mindedness and playful perspectives.
This talk is great for full staff & leader professional development. It can be both virtual and live.