BEYOND DECISION 2020 – WASHINGTON FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE
U.S. politics has been upended by the coronavirus. The pandemic will dominate the election race; the outcome of which will affect America’s chances of getting out a massive economic shock and determine U.S. leadership around the world. The challenge is clear, but the outcome is anything but. President Trump will hold on to the White House if Americans believe he did a good job. Did he lead through the darkest moments of medical disaster and did he help the economy rebound afterward? Joe Biden will win if he persuades voters Mr. Trump mishandled the outbreak in the early months of 2020 and that he is best suited to get America out of recession. In some ways, the pandemic brought Americans together but it didn’t diminish the country’s political divides. We’ve never seen an election like this and stakes, for America and the world, could not be higher. As a British journalist in Washington, DC, Katty Kay looks at all this from a different angle and she offers a fresh perspective on American politics that only an outsider can provide.
COVID-19 CHANGED THE WORLD – WHAT NEXT?
The Coronavirus of 2020 changed the world and America’s role in it. Everything from business to politics, to the way we work and socialize, has been disrupted. The economy crashed and some industries will never recover. Others thrived in a world where delivery and connectivity became essential. The virus accelerated automation and made that future now. We all became remote workers overnight. Politics was upended too. Leaders and political systems were under a spotlight - some made good decisions, others floundered. Authoritarian politicians used the crisis to seize control. President Trump said it gave him total authority. But the virus made the U.S. look vulnerable and it accelerated the stand-off between the world’s two big superpowers. The relationship between China and America just got a whole lot more complicated. Katty Kay covered the coronavirus every day right from the beginning, interviewing business leaders, doctors, and politicians from around the world. She reported on America’s response and the global reaction. She gives the big picture, how the virus changed the world and America’s role in it.
THE CONFIDENCE CODE
Confidence! With it, we can take on the world; without it, we don’t ask for raises, request that important meeting, or take risks. In the success equation, research shows that confidence is even more critical than competence. But what is confidence? Where does it come from? Are we born with it or do we acquire it? And why do women have less of it than their talents deserve? This speech can be tailored to women or girls/parents and is based on Katty’s two bestselling books on the subject. Katty Kay inspires audiences with the latest scientific research and anecdotes from her career and the many women and girls she interviewed. “Neurologists have isolated a ‘confidence gene,’” says Katty “and when I was tested, I learned I am not genetically predisposed to being confident.” Her experience is like that of so many women, even senior women, whose lack of confidence is what holds them back. But confidence is also art – impacted by how we choose to live with our genes. The good news then is that being confident is a choice. Katty’s talk inspires audiences to take action – to go outside their comfort zones, to try new hard things, to take risks, to be prepared to fail, and to discover the secret to success.
WOMENOMICS
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde called the advancement of women the greatest economic opportunity of our time. She was recognizing what Katty Kay calls Womenomics, the extraordinary value of women in the workforce. Global studies show that companies that employ more senior women make more money. But too many women in their mid-thirties hit the brick wall of kids vs. career and decide to leave the workforce. We can’t afford to keep losing them. Katty marshals evidence from employers large and small to show how it’s possible to help women meet the demands of family and career and keep these valuable contributors in the workforce. What starts as a talent retention initiative becomes a profit bonus any company would be happy to have. Katty’s talk inspires women and provides a practical guide to employers.
MODERATOR, DISCUSSION LEADER & INTERVIEWER
Katty Kay has interviewed scores of political dignitaries and business leaders for her news broadcasts and at top live events. The skills, grace, and humor she brings to the live stage as a panel moderator, discussion leader, and interviewer help create a memorable experience for the audience.
