Leadership is an attitude and mindset.
Sonia McDonald is a courageous leader. A cutting edge entrepreneur. A high performing businesswoman and seasoned professional. A caring mother. An impactful speaker. All with an action bias.
Following a forced lifestyle change in 2006, founder Sonia McDonald joined the consulting world and discovered her purpose in inspiring people to learn and grow. With a flair for leadership and strong writing talents, Sonia started the LeadershipHQ blog in 2007. It quickly became a must-read for leaders looking for a more people-centred way of leading.
Current Work:
With a growing following and the desire to make an even greater impact, Sonia established the LeadershipHQ consulting business in 2008 and then McDonald Inc. in 2019. Since then, she has helped thousands of leaders through her advisory work, keynotes, coaching, workshops and presentations across the Globe.
Sonia believes we should lead with kindness and courage, from the heart, doing rather than telling. She is known for her mantra ‘just lead’.
She leads by example. But not content with words alone, Sonia inspires action, helping individuals and organisations grow through one-on-one practical coaching, keynotes, workshops and advisory services.
Sonia has helped thousands of good leaders become great leaders; progressing their leadership journey to become the best version of themselves and in turn, inspire others to join them.
For more than 25 years, Sonia has been on the front lines of Human Resources, Leadership and People and Culture. She has held leadership positions worldwide. Through experience, research and study, Sonia has come to realise what it takes to be a truly courageous leader.
Sonia speaks bravely and authentically about her own development as a leader, her personal journey and career challenges. It is this relatable, heart-warming and humorous approach that resonates with her audience and has seen her become an in-demand keynote speaker with a timely message of courageous, kind leadership.
Putting people at ease, Sonia starts important conversations and inspires courageous action in people around the world. She is an award-winning author of Leadership Attitude and Just Rock It! and writes regularly for publications such as The Australian, HRD Magazine, Smart Healthy Women and Women’s Business Media. Her next book First Comes Courage is now launched!
Talking Points
Leadership is an Attitude
This is a powerful keynote which explores why leadership is an attitude not a role or a title. Discover the five keys to a leadership attitude and learn how you can be a leader through your values, actions, mindset and behaviour.
Leadership is an Attitude
Just Rock It!
This high-energy inspiring keynote has become a life-changer for many attendees. Sonia talks about overcoming fear from a neuroscience perspective. We need a world of courageous and brave people where everyone feels empowered to shine and stand tall and help make others reach for the stars.
Just Rock It!
Courageous is Kindness
You can be strong as a leader and be kind. Sonia will take you on a journey to give you the tools and inspirational to lead with kindness, strength and courage.
Courageous is Kindness
Courageous Leadership
What does it mean to be a courageous leader? How do you build a team who have trust in you and are in turn brave and resilient? Explore the philosophy behind courageous leadership and in turn dare to step into your own power as a leader.
Courageous Leadership
Courage is Impact
This is a powerful keynote which explores why leadership is an attitude not a role or a title. Discover the five keys to a leadership attitude and learn how you can be a leader through your values, actions, mindset and behaviour.
Courage is Impact
First Comes Courage
What traits and actions make a great leader? There are many but the foundation of them all begins with courage. Learn how to start your leadership journey with courage.
First Comes Courage
Courageous is Resilience
Sonia will take the whole room on an adventure to overcome fear and reveal the inner courageous leader. Resilience is one of the keys to courage.
Courageous is Resilience
Courageous is Purpose
This is a powerful keynote which explores why leadership is an attitude not a role or a title. Discover the five keys to a leadership attitude and learn how you can be a leader through your values, actions, mindset and behaviour.
Courageous is Purpose
Workshop: Building High Performance Teams
All organisations today realise the importance of creating team cultures in the workplace in order to realise maximum productivity and efficiency. To achieve high performing and courageous teams requires skills not traditionally acquired by managers. This workshop is designed to provide leadership, practical skills and great tools that will have an immediate result back in the workplace.Workshop: Building High Performance Teams
Objectives
- In this fun and empowering workshop; participants will learn how to: Improve the levels of performance in their team
- Apply models for building a high-performance team
- Analyse their team and identify issues that need to be addressed
- Focus on problem-solving and decision making that relates to workplace issues Develop meeting skills and guidelines
- Measure and monitor team performance
- Generate creative and innovative team ideas and solutions Formulate team strategies for implementation
Outcomes
As a result of this program the participants will:
- Learn practical methods to increase team efficiency and productivity Be able to utilise a number of team models to benchmark team effectiveness and identify areas for change
- Build a SWOT analysis and leadership for the team Identify workplace issues that their team needs to resolve
- Know how to effectively run a meeting and gain high levels of participation
- Design key team performance measures and the means of monitoring performance
- Gain a range of techniques for generating innovative a creative ideas with their teams
- Use all of the information and knowledge they have gathered to develop an action plan to build a more effective team
Video
Sonia McDonald - Keynote Speaker
Sonia McDonald believes we should lead with kindness, from the heart, doing rather than telling, and is known for her mantra ‘Just lead’. As an experienced leader, Sonia can facilitate meetings, assist teams in navigating the challenges of growth. She works with organsiations dealing with change management issues and will guide your people as they develop their leadership capacity.Sonia McDonald | Speaker Reel
Sonia McDonald believes we should lead with kindness, from the heart, doing rather than telling, and is known for her mantra ‘Just lead’. As an experienced leader, Sonia can facilitate meetings, assist teams in navigating the challenges of growth. She works with organsiations dealing with change management issues and will guide your people as they develop their leadership capacity.Sonia is an enthusiastic speaker who communicates complex concepts in an entertaining and engaging manner. Her depth of knowledge and understanding of leadership is exemplified in the detail ... keep reading La’Quar
Sonia held the 300 attendee audiences attention the whole time. She energised them, she made them laugh, she made them think. I would recommend anyone looking for a speaker to empower their staff - Sonia should be your choice. She exudes energy and positivity and leaves you feeling like you can do anything. She is incredible.
Sonia was so motivating and encouraging, and I left the room feeling like I really could accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I believe that Sonia has the potential to influence leaders at every stage of their journey, and as I progress through my professional career I always find that Sonia has unique content to help me along my personal development as a leader in my field."
Sonia facilitated the Women in Mantra leadership workshop for us on International Women’s Day. Her passion and energy left our Team Members feeling inspired to achieve leadership roles at Mantra Group, and they have already set up local networking groups and put measurable goals in place.
