Michele Sullivan

Featured Keynote Programs

Michele’s passage from a young person born with dwarfism, who, in spite of being looked down upon by others, learned to look up: to lead with an elevated view of others, a philosophy that landed her at the helm of one of the world most prominent philanthropy organizations and ultimately changed the course of millions of lives.

While Michele’s height has presented challenges that are different from those most have experienced (including uniquely humorous moments), it allowed her to see things, literally and figuratively, that others do not. With her “looking up” inspiring style and emotional storytelling, she offers unique takeaways for individuals such as the importance of making the first move, being wrong at first, choosing intimacy over influence, and learning that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
Yes, the world is at your fingertips if you are looking up!

Learning Objective:
Seeing others takes sacrifice. There is a critical difference between having sight and actually seeing something for what it really is. Our sight fails us when we don’t learn to look further into the faces and figures we see around us. To truly see each others’ value, we must give up our preconceived notions of who they are or appear to be. We must let go of the premature belief that we have all the necessary facts to form an accurate conclusion.

Rarely in life do you do anything completely by yourself. Michele’s truth is, she could not get through a day in her life without asking for help. A sampling of objects she cannot reach: elevator buttons for high floors, the overhead compartment on airplanes, the latch in airplane bathrooms, groceries above the second shelf, dead bolts, or parking tickets under the windshield wipers. While this existence may sound daunting to some, it is reality to Michele.

In this talk, Michele discusses how being open to accepting help from others has impacted her life- so profoundly so that it led her to a position which enabled her to help millions of others. With her signature humorous style, she keeps the conversation comfortable without sacrificing significance.

Learning Objective:
Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. The biggest life we can live is not an independent one- but an interdependent one. It might sound weird to say but learning to lean on interdependence is a challenge in the current day and age. Independence is commonly seen as a sign of physical capability, an emotional strength, and even an innovative mind. But it takes more strength to admit your fears and insecurities, learn to lean on others.

There is no such thing as knowledge about another person at first sight. Because we live in a world that frequently rewards us for looking a certain way, we’re often punished––from being bullied to teased to overlooked––for not measuring up to certain physical standards. However, in our hearts I think most of us know that the real measure of any person has little to do with what can be gauged by a lens, ruler or scale. To see a person’s real worth, and to help him or her realize it, we must grow beyond a reliance on visual cues like height and weight or skin color and shirt labels.

Michele’s inspiring storytelling will highlight how we all are so much more than we can see and why learning the skill of seeing past the surface of others leads to a more fulfilling life. After all, surviving isn’t the point of life. Thriving is. This requires embracing a broader perspective on others than the snap judgments our brains form at first glance.

Learning Objective:
There are two kinds of growth—outward growth and inward growth—but one matters more than the other. How do you prioritize your own growth? Are you focused on the outside or the inside? Your answer is a good indication of how you assign value to others. We all tend to see and celebrate in others what we value most in ourselves.

Michele’s perspective on moving things – physically and mentally – is as unique as her high energy storytelling prowess. So how do you move anything within a large corporation from transactional to influential and strategic? Ha! You don’t! In all seriousness, it can be done. But it takes changing habits, the reliance of existing infrastructure, and most importantly- perception. Rallying the people around you to view things differently is an essential art to being a strategic and influential leader.

When she took over the helm of one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world, it was stuck in a mentality of ‘the way it has always been done’. In contrast, she strongly believed monumental and sustainable change in our largest global challenges can only happen through partnerships and collaboration between public, private, and non-profit entities. Michele will walk you through the challenges and strategies of transforming a large corporate foundation.

Learning Objective:
Find a new line of sight. I wonder how often we miss solutions to problems and opportunities for progress because we have the wrong perspective to begin with. Our line of sight is often the only factor that determines whether we see a problem or a solution before us. When you look around at the faces in your primary environments, do you see problems or potential for progress?