A collection of small, colorful flowers and green leaves arranged in a letter 'Y' shape.
A woman with red hair, dressed in a navy blue blazer and white shirt, smiling as she stands at a podium with two microphones, in a brightly lit indoor space with a colorful, illuminated background.

You don’t need a better strategy, you need better conversations.

Because the things that aren't being said are the things slowing you down.

I'm Emma Gibbens, a Culture and Conversation Strategist. I help leaders and teams have the conversations that build trust, unlock momentum and shift culture for good.

WE CAN’T FIX
WHAT WE CAN’t TALK ABOUT

When people can say what’s hard, teams move faster, waste less, and trust more.

Let's chat!

work with Emma

How I work

A woman in a blue suit speaking on stage, holding a microphone in her right hand, with a purple curtain background.

SPEAK

Keynotes and conversational MCing for events that need to move people.

Want to shift conversation skills across your whole organisation? A keynote is the fastest way to do it. The right talk can hand thousands of people the energy, the will and the practical skills to start better conversations the moment they walk out.

My keynotes aren't one-way. As a conversations expert, I bring the audience in, building real interaction, real reflection and real momentum from the stage. Consistently rated as engaging, energising and inspiring, every session is tailored to your audience and your moment.

Whether it's a mainstage keynote, a conversational MC role weaving the day together, expect a room that leaves people talking and acting differently.

Book a clarity call
A woman with red hair and a blue blazer speaking at a conference or seminar, gesturing with her hands, with an audience of people seated at tables in the background.

PARTNER

Strategic offsites, workshops and group mentoring for executive and leadership teams.

Got an exec team that isn't quite clicking? Everything in your organisation flows from the top. When your leaders aren't talking well to each other, that dysfunction filters down into every team, every meeting, every decision.

I partner with executive and leadership teams to lubricate the conversations that drive business outcomes. Through strategic offsites, group mentoring and tailored workshops, I help leaders communicate through uncertainty, navigate complexity, change and conflict, and stay connected when the pressure is on.

Leaders don't need all the answers. They need to lead the conversation.

Book a clarity call
Two women talking on stage, one with red hair and blue suit holding a notebook, the other with a hijab holding a microphone, sitting in chairs with a dark backdrop.

BUILD

Workshops and training that build conversation capacity across your organisation.

Culture doesn't live in your values. It lives in the conversations your people are having, or avoiding, every day. When those conversations break down, so does trust, momentum and retention.

I work with People and Culture teams to build conversation capacity at scale. From Conversations 101 for early-career professionals to managing emotions or speaking across difference, every program blends practical tools with mindset shifts that actually stick.

Your people leave with the skills to give feedback, navigate friction and lead with curiosity, turning everyday conversations into your strongest cultural infrastructure.

Book a clarity call
Collage of logos for companies including Google, ANZ, Xero, Alinta Energy, Nissan, BlueScope, RAC, Western Australia, Australian Government, and Australian Public Service Commission.

Current highlights reel:

  • Campaigned to elect the First Black President of the USA, Barack Obama

  • Cellist, toured China with the university orchestra and played on the Great Wall of China (I play sporadically now)

  • Delivered TEDx talk “Making Social Change Stick”

  • Ran the Marriage Equality campaign in Western Australia

  • Facilitated a significant cultural conversation about Acknowledgements of Country, training over 30,000+ people to speak from the heart

  • Published two books: From Country with Love, and Anatomy of Conversation. Next book is co-authored “It’s Not Bloody Rocket Science: Mentoring” and will be out later in 2026.

Group of young students playing cellos outdoors, some wearing black hoodies with yellow letters, on a bridge with trees and a house in the background.

RECENT PUBLICATIONs

A plain, gradient background transitioning from dark blue on the left to teal-green on the right.

We Can’t Fix What We Can’t Talk About

Silence has a cost.

When people hold back concerns, avoid challenging ideas or leave what is happening unnamed, the cost shows up in wasted time and effort, slow decisions, preventable problems and drained energy.

This practical paper makes the business case for moving from a polite culture to a powerful one, where people can speak honestly about what is real. It will help you identify where conversations are getting stuck, understand what silence is costing your organisation and shorten the distance between reality and action.

What People Say

  • "What was so impactful was the balance of challenge and safety you brought to the room, it’s a rare skill. "

  • "Loved Emma Gibbens's bold, fun facilitation"

  • “Emma's workshop created conversations across our leadership team that would not normally happen in the course of day-to-day work. It was a powerful and very well-received session.” -Kevin Brown, Group CEO, St John WA

  • "Emma is an incredible facilitator and speaker. A dream to work with, true gold class experience." - Paz Pisarski, Co-Founder @ The Community Collective

  • “Emma is a master facilitator and a sharp thinker on culture. She brings both rigour and warmth to the change process.” - Robyn Batson, Sussan Group People & Community Partnerships Manager

  • "Emma's content was really thought provoking because she focused on the power of face-to-face conversation at a time when many of us are too reliant on digital engagement."

  • "Fun and bright. Loved her energy!"

  • "Great insights into normalising difficult conversations."

  • "Emma's session was great. It was useful and relevant."

  • "Emma has a rare gift for asking the questions that cut through the noise and spark the conversations you can’t stop thinking about."

THe book

Book cover titled 'Anatomy of a Conversation' by Emma Gibbens, featuring a stylized orange flame inside a black circle on a dark green background.

"Anatomy of Conversation" by Emma Gibbens explores the heart of human connection, masterfully dissecting the elements that make our interactions meaningful, transformative, and, at times, challenging. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to elevate their communication skills, forge deeper relationships, and navigate the complexities of interpersonal exchanges with grace and confidence.

This book is not merely a guide to talking; it is a blueprint for building bridges through words. It addresses the nuances of communication across different contexts like in the workplace, within personal relationships, or across cultural divides. She provides inspiration and practical strategies to move forward together.

ORDER NOW

Join the conversation

Stylized flame in red, orange, and yellow hues surrounded by black background.