A Message from the Road: Speaker Molly Kawahata Shares Her Post-Event Readout
/
Hot off the stage of EF Global Leaderhip summit, we were thrilled to receive a glowing feedback email from Outspoken speaker Molly Kawahata. Usually we want to hear feedback from our event hosts, but we couldn’t help, but love this message from Molly so we asked and she obliged a first-hand account shared with you!
Content of Presentations (Setting the stage - pun intended)
The first event was half presentation and half Q&A. I created a customized presentation tailored for educators and parents, focusing on hope-based leadership and communications and how they can be applied to working with teens and children. When I offered to do this on the call, the EF team seemed quite happy, with EF describing it as going above and beyond.
The closing keynote was customized for the students, starting with the environment and expanding to broader social impact, as per EF's request. I had dinner with a representative from EF the night before, and she expressed that EF had some challenges with students not knowing how to apply their skills when they got home, so I modified a portion of the presentation to talk about what they can do as next steps. She seemed happy with this! I also touched on the three verticals of the theme around water and society—access, the economy, and the environment.
Readout of the two days (What went down)
The event was incredible—what a wonderful group of students and an amazing organization. On Saturday, I joined their happy hour where I got to meet and spend time with some of the students and the EF team. I also had dinner with an EF rep, where I got to hear more about the current opportunities and challenges EF is facing as an organization. The next morning kicked off with a fun photoshoot with a great team of photographers.
The first presentation with educators went great! It was a larger group than we expected, and the teachers were engaged and asked a lot of great questions about applying the things we discussed, the state of Gen Z mental health, and how to use hope-based strategies to create collective hope in their classrooms. There were parents in the audience as well, so I touched on how to support kids at home. I included a section about vulnerable leadership and emotional validation, and those seemed to be the topics that most stood out to the teachers.
The closing keynote was one of the most energetic crowds I’ve ever presented to. Several students sent me messages saying they got a lot out of it (some described it as life-changing), and many shared that the mental health component of the presentation resonated in particular. Another feedback theme was that people seemed to like that the presentation provided such actionable, clear steps.
All in all, I was with them from around 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. -- and every second was a joy. On the second night, I had dinner with the students and then hung out after with members of the EF team -- it was wonderful to hear about their passions and the dedication they bring to their work.
Feedback (The buzz)
Feedback seemed really positive! Alexander Huber, the President of EF Tours, described it as "phenomenal." Other EF reps also shared their happiness with the presentation. I received messages after from students and EF team members about how the presentation positively impacted them. For the teacher presentation, one educator mentioned to an EF staff member that in her 30 years of teaching, it was the most helpful presentation she'd attended. This made my day!
I sent the EF team a thank you note earlier today and offered for them to share any feedback. I thanked them for hosting me and for all they did to make the event go so smoothly and congratulated them on a wonderful week.
About Molly Kawahata
Molly Kawahata is an award-winning speaker, strategist, ice climber, and former climate advisor to the Obama White House who specializes in unlocking the transformative potential of hope within organizations. Her expertise centers around utilizing the science of hope as a catalyst for positive change, with a particular focus on cultivating transformative leadership, reshaping work cultures, and revitalizing brand and societal narratives. Molly's strategies have helped organizations bolster retention, productivity, morale, and employee mental health. Dubbed "the hope whisperer," Molly has proven that hope is not a fluffy concept—it's one of the most effective strategies at our disposal. And there is a lot of research to back it.
Perfect for Audiences such as:
Universities/Higher Ed, K-12, HR and Workforce, Storytelling, Disruption & Innovation, Nonprofits, ERGs, Innovation, Advocacy Institutions, Communications Training, Medical/Healthcare Professionals, Mental Health, Climate Change, Team Building, Leadership/Management, Foundations, Education Associations, Social Justice, Inspirational, and more!
Outspoken Agency is a women-owned speaking agency representing leaders, founders, public intellectuals, authors and entertainers for paid keynotes, workshops and panels at in-person and virtual events. Learn more about our female founders here.