Signature Keynotes
Brittany speaks about how FOMU (Fear of Messing Up) leads to disconnection, missed opportunities, and stagnation in even the highest-performing cultures.
Drawing on her work coaching leaders and her own lived experience, she names the dynamic most teams can't see and shows leaders how to interrupt the cycle.
Audiences have described her talks as "enlightened," "inspiring," "captivating," "engaging," and "relevant."
She helps leaders build cultures where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and innovate.
Beyond Awkward:
Facing FOMU:
Building psychological safety with disability inclusion
Unlocking innovation, talent, and trust
When we are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing conversations get delayed. Feedback gets softened. People avoid each other instead of engaging. Issues take root. 25% of the US workforce has a disability or medical condition, but despite good intentions, we flounder in the face of difference.
Avoidance creates disconnection, inconsistent leadership, and cultures where people don’t feel safe opening up. In this keynote, Brittany uses disability inclusion as the lens to explore this costly, but avoidable dynamic. Through real-life examples, storytelling, and interactive scenarios, leaders shift from avoidance to engagement and prioritize connection over perfection.
Leave with leadership skills teams need most: creating psychologically safe cultures where people engage, ask questions, and take risks without fear.
Too many professionals wait for certainty to act. We've normalized a culture where FOMU (Fear of Messing Up) means overpreparing and waiting for the "right" moment. Opportunities are missed, actions are misaligned, and leadership, creativity, and relationships are undermined. FOMU is an underestimated threat to empathy and innovation, and organizations aren't talking about it enough.
In this keynote, Brittany shows leaders how to recognize FOMU and how to take decisive action. Drawing from her work coaching leaders and her own lived experience, she helps audiences interrupt the cycle that fuels perfectionism and stalls action.
The result is greater self-trust, stronger leadership presence, and the courage and clarity to take action in uncertainty. It starts with building psychological safety for our own mistakes so we can build it in our environments, communities, teams, and businesses.
Key Takeaways
Who It’s For
-
How FOMU leads to avoidance and enables exclusion
-
How to interrupt fear-driven hesitation that blocks inclusive action
-
Strategies for building psychological safety that strengthens communication and trust across difference
-
Why good intentions alone don't translate to inclusive cultures
-
What changes when connection is prioritized over perfection
ROI for Organizations
-
How FOMU limits confidence, communication, and leadership
-
How to interrupt the cycle of fear and avoidance and create psychological safety for growth and innovation
-
Strategies for decisive, values-aligned action in uncertainty
-
Insight into why psychological safety initiatives often fall short
-
A new relationship with fear that enables courageous action
Key Takeaways
Any team or organization where fear of saying or doing the wrong thing is blocking inclusive action. Especially relevant for:
Any group or team where FOMU is costing time, performance, or innovation. Especially relevant for:
-
HR, DEI, and Culture leaders running inclusion programming
-
Disability ERGs specifically (and other ERGs working across difference)
-
DEI conferences and managers of diverse teams
-
Organizations launching or relaunching inclusion initiatives
-
Companies in transition where new cultures need to take root
-
HR, DEI, and L&D leaders responsible for culture and engagement
-
Leadership conferences and professional associations
-
Women's leadership programs
-
ERGs (broad) and high-achieving professional audiences
-
Organizations building cultures of courageous innovation
ROI for Organizations
-
Stronger Connection & Trust As leaders engage directly instead of tiptoeing or avoiding
-
Better Talent Decisions By moving past assumptions and fear-based avoidance
-
Higher Retention & Engagement Because people stay where they feel safe, respected, and valued
-
Reduced Risk As issues are addressed in a timely manner
-
A More Confident, Human Culture Where discomfort doesn’t derail leadership or performance
- Increased confidence and grounded leadership presence, at all levels
- Greater participation, voice, and visibility, especially from women and emerging leaders
- Better decisions guided by stronger self-trust and resilience
- Increased psychological safety and belonging to support individual performance and team cohesion
- Cultures that value growth over perfection, unlocking creativity and innovation
Who It’s For
“
“Brittany propelled me and our team to new levels of understanding and competence. She walked with us without judgment, but with humility, patience and the expertise which she shared with us. Brittany has a unique way of cutting through people's hesitation and discomfort and getting to the heart of what matters.”
Melissa thomas-hunt
Former Global Head of Diversity & Belonging at Airbnb
“
“Brittany was thoughtful in her preparation, responsive throughout the planning process, and incredibly easy to collaborate with. She is one of those speakers who just ‘gets it’. On the day of the event, she showed up with warmth, authenticity, and a presence that put everyone at ease."
WON SHIN
Managing Director at Andersen