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Boost Team Morale & Manage Negativity

Desi Payne

travels from USA

Let Desi Payne transform your team’s stress into success. A leadership expert and humor therapist, she engages audiences with laughter, storytelling, and actionable strategies.

5 out of 5 stars

Desi knocks it out of the park. Her energy, storytelling, and engaging discussions pull you out of the everyday grind and into a place of empowerment. I’d highly recommend Desi to any organization who wants the best out of their team.

Ramon Looby, President & CEO, Maryland Bankers Association See all references

Why you should book Desi Payne for your next event

Desi’s frequent appearances on shows like Hello Iowa! highlight her as a widely respected expert in stress relief and employee well-being, offering credibility to her advice.
Desi provides actionable strategies that help teams manage stress, reduce burnout, and improve overall resilience in high-pressure environments.
As an Executive Program Director with the Maxwell Leadership Team, Desi offers top-tier leadership development strategies, equipping teams with the skills to lead and thrive.

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About Desi

Keynote

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Desi Payne, an award-winning entertainer and Maxwell Leadership Team expert, brings nearly 30 years of experience to help employees overcome negativity and stress. Through humor, storytelling, and actionable strategies, Desi’s engaging keynotes will ignite enthusiasm, increase engagement, and boost productivity. As a TV personality and author of several stress management books, she’s proven to motivate teams to thrive. Book Desi for a high-energy, laughter-filled event that delivers lasting results and transforms your workplace culture.

Why you should book Desi Payne for your next event

Desi’s frequent appearances on shows like Hello Iowa! highlight her as a widely respected expert in stress relief and employee well-being, offering credibility to her advice.
Desi provides actionable strategies that help teams manage stress, reduce burnout, and improve overall resilience in high-pressure environments.
As an Executive Program Director with the Maxwell Leadership Team, Desi offers top-tier leadership development strategies, equipping teams with the skills to lead and thrive.

Keynote Speaker Desi Payne is a highly sought-after expert in workplace stress management and leadership development, known for her engaging, humor-filled presentations that help organizations tackle challenges like stress, negativity, and burnout. As a motivational speaker, Desi provides practical strategies that empower employees to navigate difficult people, reduce workplace stress, and foster a positive, thriving work environment.

With over 30 years of experience across various industries, ranging from education to customer service and leadership training, Desi has honed a unique approach that blends humor, storytelling, and actionable leadership insights to engage audiences and drive meaningful change.

Desi’s keynotes are designed to spark enthusiasm, increase employee engagement, and boost morale. She equips organizations with the tools to create healthier workplace dynamics, reduce stress levels, and promote productivity through her proven techniques. As an Executive Program Director on the Maxwell Leadership Team and a best-selling author, Desi brings both credibility and real-world solutions to the table.

When you book Desi Payne for your event, she offers your organization a unique opportunity to address stress and negativity while cultivating a culture of leadership, positivity, and resilience. Whether your team is dealing with burnout or struggling with communication, Desi’s insights are tailored to fit your needs, ensuring a lasting impact.

See keynotes with Desi Payne

Keynote by Desi Payne

Do You Work with the Living Dead?

Do you work with people who

Drag their feet into work?
Growl and murmur?
Punch the time clock with a blank stare?
Aren’t engaged with their work?
Seem to be retired on duty?
Or spread negativity?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above… Then, you will love this entertaining and engaging keynote! Desi will teach your audience five strategies on how to rise above those workplace zombies.

Participants will learn how to:

Implement strategies to work with negative people
Ensure your attitude doesn’t catch this infectious condition
Understand how to work with different types of people
Energize and increase productivity on the job
Empower a culture of more cohesive teams
Perform “CPR” on the job on lifeless attitudes

Keynote by Desi Payne

Give Me Some Chocolate…I’m Stressed!

Does stress wear you down?
Do you stay up at night due to anxiety?
Are you experiencing burn-out?
Are you frustrated with your workload or the people you work with?

Then you definitely need this session! Nobody is immune to stress. It affects your health, personal life, and professional life. You will learn to be intentional about taking care of the stress that is robbing you of your happiness and joy. This is a very educational and FUN session. You will learn to manage stress so that you can:

Enjoy life
Have more energy
Be in better physical and mental health
Delete a bad attitude
Become more productive on the job
Get along with the people you work with

Learning Objectives:

Manage, reduce, or eliminate stress out of your life
Learn the consequences of unmanaged stress
Know your own “Stress Test” results
Implement the “3-L Strategy” (Lifestyle Changes, Let Go, Laugh)
Make an action plan to manage stress

Keynote by Desi Payne

The Magic of Connecting for Leaders

Do you know the secret to becoming a great leader? It begins with connections.

Truly connecting with people requires more than just being a good communicator. Good leaders know how to build a bridge to others by cultivating relationships — that is the foundation of becoming a great leader. Based on best-selling author John C. Maxwell’s book, Everyone Communicates Few Connect, participants will learn the magic of connecting. As a certified John Maxwell leadership trainer, Desi will help show you as a leader why it’s so important to make the right connections with people.

Learning Objectives:

The value of connecting with others
Why leaders MUST make connections with their employees
Secrets to connecting
How to build a culture of cohesive teamwork

Keynote by Desi Payne

The Incredible Power of Laughter

Would you like to kick off or end your conference with enthusiasm and fun? Or maybe you need to fill that dreaded after-lunch spot? Then this entertaining and engaging keynote will not only have everyone laughing; this presentation will teach everyone about the incredible power of laughter.

Did you know that laughter will:

Boost your immune system
Decrease your stress
Lift your mood
Increase team morale
And much more!

Learning Objectives:

Makes you resilient
Benefits your mind and body
Boosts morale and teamwork
Sparks creativity
Releases feel-good endorphins and decreases cortisol

Keynote by Desi Payne

DISCover Your Communication Style

Why is it that some people…?
Are very task-oriented
Are more people-oriented
Are so outgoing and fast-paced
Are reserved and slower-placed

Why are some people…?
Dominant, Driving, Demanding, Determined
Inspirational, Influencing, Interacting, Interesting
Stable, Steady, Sentimental, Shy
Cautious, Careful, Concerned, Calculating

Many times we don’t get along with other people because we don’t understand that we are all wired differently. If we understand that we all work at different paces, think differently, and function differently, we will work better with other team members. DISC personality traits show us why we are different. This session will show you your strong and weak traits, which will help you succeed on your job and communicate more effectively. A very fun and helpful workshop to create a culture of cohesive teamwork and a better working environment.

Learning Objectives:

Identity the four personality styles
Describe their personal personality style
Explain how to successfully engage and interact with styles that are different than their own.
Discuss how to flex and adapt their personal communication style to gain greater connection with others and reduce conflict

Watch Desi Payne in action!