Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan ("Luck-sh-mee Goh-paal-krish-nun") is the driving force behind The Outsider's Edge™, a future-focused yet practical framework that enables leaders and teams to unlock the power of "different" to boost performance, profitability, and human connection. Lakshmi’s decades-long journey in leadership and speaking has touched the lives of thousands across the globe. A former business and people leader at Microsoft and the founder and CEO of The Infinite Impact Group, she has nearly 30 years of professional experience navigating high-velocity corporate environments; over 12,000 hours coaching global category leaders and teams; and the unique perspective of an immigrant and woman of color who has successfully worked through the isolation and loneliness of the Outsider Syndrome to find her unique competitive edge ... and thrive, vs. just survive.
Lakshmi knows, firsthand, what it takes to balance the universal human need to feel seen and valued—and to do great work—with business imperatives like profitability and positive return. Her simple yet radical Outsider's Edge™ framework transforms concepts like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging from overused buzzwords and aspirational checklists to everyday behaviors and powerful performance drivers. In addition to working with giants like Amazon, Google, Meta, Nissan, Sharp Healthcare, Starbucks, and the US Military, Lakshmi has partnered extensively with best-selling author and podcast host Dr. Brené Brown on Dare to Lead™, building Courage at scale through public speaking, community mentorship, and program development and facilitation.
Deeply committed to her clients and partners, Lakshmi can be counted on to deliver customized presentations and audience experiences that speak to their unique needs. Her keynotes are packed with disruptive insights, actionable tools, and memorable stories, ensuring that every attendee—from senior leaders to new hires—leaves your event feeling empowered and energized. It won't matter that today's workplace looks nothing like yesterday's or that the people we work with tomorrow won't be the people we went to high school with. Armed with The Outsider's Edge™, you and your team will be ready to ace the present and shape the future with courage and optimism.
“Your keynote at our Annual Leadership conference was such a hit! It was amazing to see all of the comments come through on our chat wall during the keynote, in the satisfaction survey, hallways, and breakouts after - and there were several that commented that this was the best keynote ever! It was clear that there were significant takeaways as well and our attendees have been talking about it all day- all week!”
“Your keynote at our Annual Leadership conference was such a hit! It was amazing to see all of the comments come through on our chat wall during the keynote, in the satisfaction survey, hallways, and breakouts after - and there were several that commented that this was the best keynote ever! It was clear that there were significant takeaways as well and our attendees have been talking about it all day- all week!”