Paula Stone Williams

Paula Stone Williams Speaking Topics

• Leadership Lessons from An Ancient Story

  The seventh-century epic poem, Beowulf, will be told in modern day language and mined for its leadership lessons. The first is that the biggest problem is not the monster you fear, but that which gave birth to the monster you fear. The second is that courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to move forward in the face of fear. The third is that the tools you take into battle are not the ones needed to slay the dragon. It is only the tools found in the midst of the battle that slay the dragon. The fourth is that what sets great leaders apart from others is a willingness to go alone where no one else will go. And the fifth is that it takes a long time to kill a monster.

  Attendees will leave with new insights about the kind of leadership necessary in difficult times. They will better understand the fears beneath their anxiety, and the route to confident leadership.

• The Two Major Passages of Life

  Early in adult life we are busy slaying dragons, amassing fortunes and building résumé virtues. Later we begin to shift our focus. We have fewer friends, but deeper friendships. We no longer look outside ourselves for our sense of affirmation, but deep inside our souls. We are more interested in being in relationship than being right, and we are more interested in building eulogy virtues than we are in résumé virtues.

  In this talk, Paula will explore the liminal space between the two passages, and how we can gracefully move from one to the other. She will talk about the development of emotional intelligence (EQ) and how we tend to change our definition of success as we navigate through life.

  Attendees will better understand the shifts in motivation, goals, and outcomes that may be taking place in their own lives as they move from one passage to another.

Becoming a Better Work Team

Dr. Paula Stone Williams did both her second Master's degree and her Doctoral degree with a focus on the DiSC test, one of the most popular and accurate predictors of workplace behavior.

After taking the test together, Paula will talk in a completely non-threatening way, about why you prefer to interact with others as you do, and what role you can play in your work team that will utilize the best of your gifts. The DiSC test helps identify the areas in which you are likely to be most affirmed, as well as the areas in which you need the assistance of others.

Paula has interpreted thousands of DiSC tests and has a unique ability to help you see the subtleties in your personality that help you do your best work in all group environments.

Who Is Afraid of Postmodernism?

This workshop, developed for evangelical and post-evangelical leaders, looks at the shift from the modern age to the postmodern age and the affect it has had on evangelical Christianity. It focuses on the three major shifts taking place within American Christianity, the likes of which have not been seen in five centuries.

Attendees will leave with a simple, but not simplistic, understanding of why the Millennial generation and Generation Z are so indifferent to organized religion, and what type of spiritual community it will take to meet their evolving spiritual needs.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Being Transgender, But Were Afraid to Ask

Dr. Paula Stone Williams will talk about all things related to gender dysphoria, the technical name for what it means to be transgender. The talk will begin by looking at what gender dysphoria is not, describing the differences between crossdressers, drag queens, and transgender people. The talk then explores causation of gender dysphoria, medical procedures of transition, and the reason for high levels of suicidal ideation among transgender people.

Those attending will learn how to be allies of the transgender population and will leave with practical suggestions of how they can help make their work, home, and social environments welcoming places for LGBTQ people.

This workshop includes a long period of Q&A, in which Paula does not shy away from answering any and all questions about her experience of life as a transgender woman.

LGBT Inclusion and American Religion

Over half of those who identify as LGBTQ identify with a specific religion, most as Christian. Eighty-three percent of non-religious Americans are supportive of LGBTQ equality, but only 36 percent of evangelicals are supportive. Why such a disparity between the two groups?

Dr. Paula Stone Williams will explain the origins of the animosity toward the LGBTQ population, and why she is convinced that positive change is coming soon. She will talk about the three major shifts taking place that will usher in this change, as well as the ongoing challenges that remain. Those who attend the workshop will leave with a greater understanding of the religious landscape, and suggestions of what they can do to bring about greater acceptance toward the LGBTQ population in America.