Somatic intelligence is what allows you to access the full: it brings the body into the leadership equation. In other words, not just what you think or feel — but how your body is operating, and how that state influences decisions, relationships and performance.

 

The science of interoception (body-based sensing), embodied cognition and nervous-system regulation suggests that high-performing leaders are those who can feel what’s going on in their body, regulate their physiology under pressure, and thus lead from a state of clarity rather than reactivity.

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My speeches often relate to topics within positive psychology, somatic resilience, self-mastery, excellence in leadership, and creating psychological safety through everyday interactions to unlock human potential. Sisu, much like all human skills, is a fine art of balance and involves developing inner knowing. Recently, I have been sharing what it means to develop constructive or beneficial sisu in workgroups and how we can make sure we don't overdo sisu in our personal lives either. Below you'll find three examples of talk/workshop topics.

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Speech 1: FHow Not to Burn Out When You’re Burning: A Path to Healthy Expressions of Strength

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Studies show that inner strength is a skill that can be developed and that resilient humans experience lower levels of stress during crises. However, there is a next level to the process of transcending adversity: One that allows us to not only survive but nurture energy in these times and grow from these hardships.

 

This talk redefines resilience—not as endurance at all costs, but as the art of honoring ourselves and others while striving for extraordinary goals. Audiences learn how to transform overdrive into sustainable momentum through the science of recovery, emotional regulation, and somatic resilience—essential especially to those who find it difficult to calm the mind.

 

Ultimately, the keynote reveals how each of us already possess profound inner wisdom about how to thrive under pressure. Rather than adding yet another task to our endless list of self-improvement, it invites us to begin with what is—to recognize and use the resources we already possess.

 

This lecture is a dive into the current research of resilience, managing our energy, and understanding to role of human connection to our collective fortitude. Science-backed tools for unlocking inner strength in times of adversity and putting adversity into perspective are delivered as an easy to follow and personable journey through Elisabet’s field notes from a 2400 km running and cycling expedition across New Zealand and Kung-fu training in rural North China that were the base for her doctoral work on inner fortitude.

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What you can expect:

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1. You will learn key details about why the brain works the way it does during stress and how to focus your mind with the support of our body's intelligence.

 

2. You will walk away with selected practical tools to develop healthy inner strength and find more energy amidst pressure.

 

3. The talk offers a chance to pause, reflect, and notice the  most "low hanging fruits" of resilience that anyone can use to improve their human experience, and that of others.

 

 

Speech 2: Sisu: What the World Can Learn from Finland – The Art of Inner Fortitude Under Pressure
 

Why does Finland, a nation of long winters and quiet people on the far edge of Northern Europe, consistently rank as the world’s happiest country? One of the secrets lies in the ancient practice of sisu—a uniquely Finnish word for courage, perseverance, and integrity in the face of challenge.

 

In this talk combining science and storytelling, Elisabet Lahti, a native Finn and pioneering action researcher in the topic for over a decade, reveals how sisu—and the values it rests upon, such as trust, equality, and authenticity—create the foundation for Finland’s well-being and innovation. Audiences will learn practical ways to bring the Finnish formula of calm strength and contentment into their own lives, organizations, and leadership.

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What you can expect:

 

1. ​Understand how the Finnish mindset of sisu—rooted in trust, equality, and integrity—creates the conditions for collective well-being and innovation.

 

2. Learn the science and practice of sisu. Explore the evidence-based foundations of this capacity for courage and perseverance in everyday life, and how to apply it to your own challenges.

 

3. Bring calm strength into everyday life and leadership. Gain practical tools to cultivate resilience, balance, and authenticity, and find contentment even under pressure.

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Speech 3: Gentle Power: A New Measure for Healthy Leadership, Success and Positive Change

 

​Power is expressed in every conversation, relationship, and choice we make. Too often, we mistake force and domination for strength and leadership, while gentleness and compassion are dismissed as “soft” or “weak.” The destructive impact of this imbalance has never been more visible.

 

Through gentle power, Elisabet Lahti offers a guide to a new definition of strength—one that invites leaders to balance resolve with reason, grit with compassion, and personal success with service to the collective good. Research shows that compassion enhances cooperation, innovation, and psychological safety—the very foundations of thriving organizations and resilient societies. Compassion is not a luxury—it is a biological need and a strategic necessity. To overlook this is a major disadvantage, regardless of one’s field.

 

In this keynote, the latest science from psychology, neuroscience, and her pioneering research on sisu is combined to create a compelling case for the power of compassion in leadership, team work, and everyday life.The times we live in call for nothing less than an evolution of strength itself—to lead with both courage and care, so that our success contributes not only to personal achievement but to the healing and flourishing of the whole.

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What you can expect:​

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1. ​Understand and be able to articulate the case for the benefits of the power of compassion to your team or reference groups. Learn how compassion enhances cooperation, innovation, and psychological safety—and why it’s a biological need and strategic necessity for every thriving organization.

 

2. Redefine what strength and power mean in leadership. Discover how balancing grit with grace and courage with care transforms teams, cultures, and outcomes—without sacrificing performance or wellbeing.

 

3. Adopt a science-based framework for gentle power. Gain practical, research-backed tools from psychology, neuroscience, and the Finnish concept of sisu to lead with strength is healthy and sustainable.

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Send Elisabet a note via the link below to start a conversation around bringing yourself, your team, or your organization toward the next level of change resilience, creativity, and collaboration. Elisabet also works with organizations to help them integrate the practice sisu into their value base.