Vanessa Van Edwards

Whether you’re seeking a keynote that sparks immediate action, a workshop that builds lasting skills, or a speaker who truly embodies what she teaches—Vanessa delivers. She customizes each speaking engagement through engaging stories and thought-provoking research, leaving people energized and with concrete ways to implement new ideas. Ultimately, she helps individuals and organizations become more effective, authentic, and connected.

Ready to decode the science of people? Let’s make your next event unforgettable.

The Surprising Secrets of High Performers: How the Most Successful People Use Effective Communication to be More Productive

Highly effective people have a unique approach to productivity. Over the last decade, Vanessa has studied the patterns of successful people and found a surprising way to work smarter, not harder. The key is being a productive communicator. Vanessa will teach attendees how to maximize their relationships and streamline their communication with a simple, but powerful framework, as well as how to communicate like a human when leveraging AI tools. The goal is to empower attendees to increase efficiency by connecting and collaborating purposefully. This highly actionable, engaging talk will energize every audience member to look at their to-do list in a completely new way.

The Three Levels of Connection: Build Stronger Relationships by Using the Science of People

Our desire for community and connection doesn’t end at work. While connection with colleagues looks different from purely personal connections, having authentic and healthy connections at work is one of the main determinants of productivity and workplace satisfaction. While virtual mediums present an added challenge, creating meaningful connections is still possible. In fact, there’s a science-based blueprint to fostering connections quickly and maintaining them with professional intention. In this presentation, Vanessa Van Edwards teaches the three levels of connection that build trust and rapport. These principles can be applied at work, within teams, at conferences, and while networking with colleagues and customers alike. Each level builds on the next, providing insight and tools to deepen relationships. Along with gaining a deeper understanding of the levels of connection, attendees will learn how to create a safe space for vulnerability and ideas.

Key Takeaways Can Include:

• How to start a conversation with anyone and build immediate rapport using the conversation blueprint.
• Conversation starters that break down barriers and social scripts, encouraging openness and trust.
• The powerful psychological concept “The Swan Effect” and how it helps stimulate connectedness through openness and vulnerability.
• Improving social perceptiveness – the ability to read the room, predict behavior, and understand underlying emotions for smooth communication.
• How to read people, uncover hidden emotions, and which body language cues can instantly increase trust and charisma.
• The external cues to use to project confidence and trust.

Charismatic Communication: The Art and Science of Presence, Confidence and Trust

Better communication skills pay dividends in every conversation for the rest of your life. There are no downsides to becoming a better communicator, but the upsides may be more powerful than we know. Studies show that people with high interpersonal intelligence (PQ) perform at higher levels, have higher salaries, have better immune systems, and help generate more revenue for the companies they work for. In this research-based and reflective keynote, Vanessa Van Edwards teaches attendees powerful communication strategies based on new science that they can apply professionally and personally.

Pulling from her bestselling books Captivate and Cues, she shares the latest research on behavioral psychology and how to improve professional relationships, make positive and lasting impressions, and better connect with co-workers and customers. Audiences are left with a better understanding of their communication pitfalls and the knowledge and confidence to apply new tools to become more authentically charismatic in their interactions.

Key Takeaways Can Include:

• Improving communication across teams and organizations by understanding the hidden signs and signals embedded in day-to-day interactions, whether internal or external.
• The pitfalls of using the wrong cues and why they slow productivity and strain relationships.
• Developing skills of social perceptiveness to strike the right balance between trust and power, likeability and productivity, collaboration and capability.
• The (surprising) science of charisma and how to use it to make memorable first impressions, craft a confident presence, and improve communication with colleagues, clients, and customers.
• Mastering the art and science of engagement across all communication modes.
• The new science of conversation and how to talk to anyone without falling into the pattern of using tired social scripts, making for more captivating interactions.
• Research-backed verbal and nonverbal cues to maintain charisma on video calls, phone calls, email, and chat.