Culture doesn’t just happen, it’s designed. Deliberately, by the people willing to look at what’s really going on.
Jessica Hickman is an award-winning author, TEDx speaker, and Adjunct Lecturer at Charles Sturt University. She is the Co-Founder of People Powered (a leadership and change consultancy).
For over a decade, she has worked alongside hundreds of leaders and organisations across Australia to shape cultures that are psychosocially safe, emotionally healthy, and built to last.
Known for her grounded and practical approach, Jessica supports executive teams and people leaders navigating growth, change, and complex people challenges.
Her work centres on sensemaking - a distinct alternative to traditional culture approaches built on surveys and surface-level insights. Rather than jumping straight to solutions, Jessica helps leaders understand the systems, pressures, and patterns driving behaviour and translates that understanding into clear, practical action.
Because better decisions shape better cultures.
Jessica is a leading voice on Upstander culture the idea that psychologically safe workplaces aren’t built by bystanders, but by people who choose to see, speak, and act. Her work also explores what it means to lead with emotional health: creating environments where people aren’t just functioning but fully engaged in the work they do.
She is the author of The Upstander Leader: How to Develop a Speak-Up Culture, an internationally award-winning book recognised by the Royal Society of Arts, Australian Career Book Awards, and UK Business Book Awards, and a finalist in the Australian Business Book Awards (HR & Management).
Her TEDx talk, “Why Bystanding Poses the Greatest Threat to Our World,” has reached audiences globally, and she has been formally recognised in NSW Parliament for her contribution as a leading voice in culture change.
Jessica brings a rare combination of research, lived experience, and practical tools to every engagement.
Talking Points
Building Emotionally Healthy Leaders & Teams
In today’s fast-moving world of work, leaders are carrying more complexity, pressure, and emotional load than ever before yet many have never been taught how to lead themselves.Building Emotionally Healthy Leaders & Teams
This keynote explores why emotional health is now the foundation of effective leadership.
Because leadership isn’t just what you know it’s how you show up.
Emotions are contagious. The state of a leader shapes the state of a team. And while many leadership approaches focus on skills and strategy, real transformation comes from something deeper: vertical growth the evolution of how a leader thinks, responds, and leads.
Jessica introduces a practical and human approach to leadership that moves beyond theory, helping leaders build self-awareness, presence, and intentional choice in real time.
Through the lens of head, heart, and body intelligence, leaders learn how to recognise reactive patterns, shift out of “below the line” behaviours, and lead with clarity under pressure.
This session is grounded, practical, and immediately applicable to the real challenges leaders are navigating every day.
In this keynote, audiences will learn how to:
- Strengthen self-awareness and recognise automatic reactions under pressure
- Shift from reactive leadership to intentional decision-making in real time
- Apply above and below the line thinking to navigate challenging moments with clarity
- Use head, heart, and body intelligence to improve judgement and presence
- Build emotional health to sustain performance, relationships, and impact
Why it matters
Without emotional health, even the most capable leaders can:
- React instead of respond
- Avoid or mishandle difficult conversations
- Carry stress that impacts decision-making and team dynamics
Over time, this doesn’t just affect the individual it shapes culture.
Emotionally healthy leaders don’t just cope. They create environments where people can perform, connect, and thrive.
Delivery Options:
- Keynote: 45–60 minutes
- Workshop: Half day (3 hours)
- Customisation: Content can be tailored to your organisation, audience, and current leadership challenges
The Upstander Leader: How to Develop a Speak Up Culture
Across the globe, a movement of Upstanders is rising everyday individuals who defy silence, take action, and advocate for a fairer and more equal world. These Upstanders embody the best of humanity, illuminating every corner of the planet.The Upstander Leader: How to Develop a Speak Up Culture
This keynote will reveal how forward-thinking individuals, committed to upstanding practices, will not only survive but thrive in this new era.
In workplaces, even at the highest levels of government, bullying and bad behaviour can create toxic cultures and dreadful working environments. With 35% of the workforce now from the Millennial generation—the Upstander generation—it is essential that workplaces evolve. Millennials are driving the future of business, and to attract and retain the best talent, workplaces must become safe, inclusive, and empowering.
We’ll delve into how leaders can inspire a culture of upstanding behaviour, fostering environments where everyone feels empowered to speak up and take action. This shift is driven by the increasing demand for accountability and the psychological impacts of inaction. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the five upstanding principles. These principles will guide leaders and team members in integrating responsible practices, fostering trust, loyalty, and innovation within their teams. Organisations that align with these values will enhance their reputation and attract top talent and dedicated employees.
Key Takeaways:
- Insights into Key Trends: Understand the trends driving the Upstander movement (such as bullying, harassment and violence).
- Self-Awareness: Decode the science behind The Bystander Effect and explore The Upstander Effect for change
- Upstander Cultures: Grasp the essential role of individuals in cultivating upstanding cultures.
- Inspiration and Tools: Be inspired to adopt the five principles of the Upstander Leader to build trust, loyalty, and innovation.
Delivery Options:
- Keynote: 45–60 minutes
- Workshop: Half day (3 hours)
- Customisation: Content can be tailored to your organisation, audience, and current leadership challenges
MC & Facilitation
Every event, industry panel, fireside chat or facilitation led by Jessica Hickman is backed by deep research and tailored specifically to your audience’s needs. With a blend of warmth, humour, and energy, Jessica elevates every occasion with a dynamic and engaging presence. She’s the host leaders turn to when they want their message to resonate and inspire.
MC & Facilitation
Video
Why Bystanding Poses the Greatest Threat to Our World | Jessica Hickman | TEDxSwansea
In this pivotal decade, our voices shape humanity's unfolding story. Changemakers create solutions and ignite progress, while detractors contribute to fear and prejudice. However, another group—the bystanders, in their silence, inadvertently pose the greatest threat to our world, with passive complicity and inaction. Jessica Hickman, a pioneering Workplace Culture Expert who is reshaping the narrative on workplace dynamics. As the visionary founder of Bullyology, Jessica is dedicated to cultivating a generation of Upstanders—individuals, workplaces and communities committed to fostering thriving, respectful environments by eliminating bullying, harassment, and bystander behaviour. Jessica shares invaluable tools and strategies empowering audiences to actively contribute to the creation of a positive work environment.The Upstander Effect | Jessica Hickman | Saxton Speakers
Discover how to shift from being a bystander to an upstander with Jess Hickman’s groundbreaking keynote, The Upstander Effect. Jess unpacks the psychology of the bystander effect—our instinct to turn away from challenging situations—and introduces her empowering concept of the Upstander Effect. Through her thought leadership, Jess provides actionable tools for fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and positive change in workplaces and communities. In this keynote, Jess takes audiences on a transformative journey, revealing practical steps from her book, The Upstander Leader, to help individuals and teams: - Build awareness of harmful workplace behaviours. - Develop skills to actively listen and address biases. - Create environments of respect, nurture, and thriving collaboration.The Upstander Economy | Jessica Hickman | Saxton Speakers
In "The Upstander Economy," Jessica Hickman delivers a powerful keynote tailored for Business Leaders, CEOs, and decision-makers who are ready to embrace the future of work. Jessica draws on extensive research and insights from her book to explore how organisations can transition from bystanders to upstanders in critical areas such as sustainability, ethics, and workplace culture. Jessica highlights the importance of engaging Millennials and Gen Z—who now comprise 75% of the workforce—by aligning business practices with their values. She introduces her unique "Upstander Business Matrix," challenging leaders to address cultural, environmental, ethical, and social bystanding. Attendees will walk away with a toolkit based on the five Ps of the Upstander Economy: Product, Price, Promotion, Place, and People, reimagined to promote sustainable, ethical, and purposeful business practices.The Catalyst for Bullylogy with Founder Jessica Hickman | Saxton Speakers
Jessica Hickman, Founder of Bullyology, shares her powerful journey from workplace trauma to becoming a leading advocate for workplace safety and resilience. In this inspiring video, Jessica recounts her personal experience with workplace bullying, its devastating impact on her mental and physical health, and her determination to turn adversity into action. She highlights the importance of creating safe environments, equipping teams with tools to recognise and address bullying, and breaking the bystander effect to drive meaningful change in workplaces. Jessica’s story is a testament to resilience, leadership, and the fight for justice. Her candid and empowering message makes her a sought-after Speaker and MC for organisations aiming to inspire cultural transformation and prioritise employee wellbeing.Jess will trigger a conversation that needs to be had. ... keep reading Department of Primary Industries
Jessica was a guest speaker at one of our national lunch and learn sessions, discussing the subject of "Challenging the status quo, without fear of reprimand". It was an absolute pleasure to have Jessica give an inspirational talk to teams across Australia about her emotional journey. I would highly recommend Jessica to any organisation that would like an honest and sincere discussion on how to be an upstander and not a bystander.
