Carissa Halton

How do leaders and organizations stay focused and move forward when the future is unclear?

Carissa explores strategies for navigating uncertainty, fostering resilience, and keeping teams aligned—even when the path ahead isn’t clear.

Synopsis

In a world of constant change, uncertainty can stall leaders and teams tasked with making decisions that shape the future. How do you set priorities, keep teams aligned, and move forward with confidence when the path ahead isn’t fully clear?

In this keynote or workshop, Carissa Halton explores practical strategies for leading through uncertainty, drawing from real-world examples of her work strategizing, facilitating, and advising leaders amidst the unknown. Attendees will gain actionable insights on how to build resilience, make best-for-now decisions, and create flexible plans that evolve with shifting circumstances.

Audience Takeaways

• Understanding Uncertainty – Recognize the types of uncertainty organizations face and why traditional planning approaches may fall short.
• The Power of Adaptive Planning – Learn how strategic frameworks can provide direction without rigidity, allowing teams to pivot when needed.
• Fostering Resilience & Alignment – Discover leadership techniques to keep teams engaged, motivated, and focused during uncertain times.
• Decision-Making When the Future is Unclear – Explore methods for making informed choices amidst uncertainty while maintaining trust and confidence.

In an era of increasing division, how do we create space for connection?

This keynote or workshop explores how leaders, teams, and organizations can build trust, encourage dialogue, and move forward together.

Synopsis

In an era of increasing division, people are more than ever feeling disconnected—from their communities, their colleagues, and even their own teams.

How do we create space for real connection?

How do we navigate differences without deepening divides?

How do leaders, teams, and neighborhoods move forward together?

In this keynote or workshop, Carissa Halton explores the art of bridge-building in a polarized world. Drawing from real-world examples and experiences from her work as a consensus and community builder, she shares practical strategies for fostering trust, meaningful dialogue, and collaboration.

Whether you’re leading a team, engaging stakeholders, or strengthening community ties, attendees will learn how to reduce the barriers of division and create environments where people feel heard, valued, and ready to work toward shared goals.

Audience Takeaways

• Understanding Polarization – Learn why divisions are deepening and how this impacts workplaces, leadership, and community engagement.
• The Power of Human Connection – Discover how meaningful conversations and shared experiences can rebuild trust and break down barriers.
• Bridging, Not Battling – Gain techniques for facilitating tough conversations, diffusing tension, and creating space for different perspectives.
• Tools for Leaders & Teams – Learn practical strategies to foster collaboration, strengthen workplace culture, and create inclusive spaces where all voices are valued and willing to move forward together.

Great leaders aren’t just decision-makers—they’re storytellers.

Carissa shares how to craft compelling narratives that engage teams, visualize a shared vision, and inspire action.

Synopsis

Great leaders don’t just make decisions—they move people, shape culture, and drive change through the stories they tell. Whether you’re leading a team, advocating for change, or engaging partners and collaborators, storytelling is a powerful tool to build trust and inspire action.

In this keynote or workshop, award-winning writer Carissa Halton explores how leaders can use storytelling to bring clarity, connection, and momentum to their organizations. She breaks down what makes a story compelling, how to tailor messaging for different audiences, and how to use narrative to strengthen workplace culture, drive engagement, and mobilize people toward action.

This session is designed for leaders, managers, and professionals looking to enhance their communication, build alignment, and lead with authenticity.

Audience Takeaways

• Why Storytelling Matters in Leadership – Understand how stories shape decisions, culture, and organizational success.
• The Science of Storytelling – Learn how narratives engage emotions, create connections, and drive action.
• Storytelling for Team Alignment – Explore how to use stories to clarify vision, reinforce values, and create a shared sense of purpose.
• Authenticity & Connection – Discover techniques for telling stories that resonate, build trust, and inspire meaningful engagement.
• Practical Applications – Gain tools to incorporate storytelling into presentations, team meetings, public speaking, and day-to-day leadership communication.

Strategic planning isn’t just about setting goals—it’s about learning from the past, engaging your team, anticipating what’s next, and creating a plan that lives beyond the page.

In this interactive keynote or webinar session, facilitator and strategic planning expert Carissa Halton explores what strategic planning really is—and why the process matters more than the final document. Attendees will walk away with practical tools to lead effective planning efforts that serve as both a valuable one-time event and an ongoing, adaptive process.

Key Takeaways

• What Is Strategic Planning? – Explore a practical definition and get familiar with different approaches and key terms.
• Why Do It? – Learn the core benefits of strategic planning for teams, leadership, and sound decision-making.
• Who Should Be Involved? – Discover how to identify critical voices and engage staff, board members, and stakeholders meaningfully.
• How to Build a Usable Plan – Understand essential elements of planning: learning from the past, anticipating the future, defining goals, setting priorities, and establishing success metrics.
• How to Keep It Alive – Avoid the dreaded “shelf plan” by integrating evaluation and strategic goals into daily operations.

Consensus is more than just agreement—it’s about moving forward together in a way that values diverse perspectives and strengthens team cohesion.

In this session, facilitator and community-builder Carissa Halton explores what consensus really means, debunks common myths, and examines the values and skills required to facilitate effective consensus-building. Through real-world scenarios and practical strategies, leaders will gain tools to navigate complex group dynamics, foster collaboration, and make decisions that benefit the whole community.

Key Takeaways

• Understand the true nature of consensus, including its advantages and challenges.
• Explore the value systems that support consensus-building, such as humility, shared learning, and community well-being.
• Identify key characteristics of effective consensus facilitators, including curiosity and vulnerability.
• Reflect on how to integrate consensus-building approaches into leadership and organizational processes.