Shannon Malone-deBenedictis

Shannon Malone-deBenedictis Speaking Topics

• Sell Yourself Like a TV Show: Empowerment for Women Who Don’t Fit the Mold

  You’re not the stereotype—and that’s your superpower. In this dynamic session, participants learn to package their value the way top producers sell a series: with a clear hook, credible proof, and a resonant promise that makes decision-makers lean in. Using a TV “pitch” lens, we reframe nonconformity as market differentiation, turning lived experience into strategic advantage. We’ll explore visibility without apology, boundary-setting that reads as leadership, and tools to navigate biased expectations while staying anchored in voice and values.

  Themes: hook-proof-promise structure; positioning when you don’t fit the template; balancing power + warmth; the psychology of “shrinking” vs. presence; reframing bias into strategy; call-to-action clarity.

  Audience Takeaways (educational & psychological):

  • Narrative identity: how the stories we tell shape self-concept—and outcomes.
  • Cognitive reframing: turning “I don’t fit” into “I differentiate” to reduce stereotype threat.
  • Self-efficacy cues: understanding the beliefs that drive confident action (and how to build them).
  • Relational boundaries as prosocial behavior: why saying no increases trust and influence.
  • Attention management: redirecting energy away from bias triggers and toward strategic goals.
  • Habit formation for presence: tiny, repeated behaviors that rewire default “shrink” responses.

  Ideal for women in male-skewed or traditional environments, career pivots, and anyone tired of contorting to fit. You’ll leave with a sharper mental model for visibility, language that honors your worth, and the confidence to sell yourself—like a show people can’t wait to greenlight.

• Unlearning the Invisible Rules: Empowerment for Women Who Don’t Fit the Mold

  “Be smaller. Be agreeable. Be grateful.” Many of us absorbed unwritten workplace codes that trade authenticity for acceptability. This session surfaces those hidden norms—how they’re formed, how they’re enforced, and how they quietly cap influence—and offers a research-informed path to unlearn them without backlash. We’ll examine impression management, stereotype threat, and the “likeability tax,” then practice reframes that convert compliance into principled influence. The goal isn’t rebellion for rebellion’s sake—it’s self-authorship: choosing strategies that align with your values, role, and ambition.

  Themes: hidden curriculum of work; impression management vs. integrity; power + warmth without self-erasure; cognitive load of masking; reframing bias; values-anchored decision-making; prosocial boundary-setting; designing ally behaviors.

  Audience Takeaways (educational & psychological):

  • Norm literacy: recognize the “hidden curriculum” and its effects on voice, risk-taking, and advancement.
  • Attribution reframes: shift from self-blame to systems-aware analysis to reduce internalized doubt.
  • Self-authorship: move from external validation to values-guided choices under pressure.
  • Stereotype threat buffering: mental skills that protect performance and presence in high-stakes moments.
  • Relational boundaries: understand why clear limits increase trust, clarity, and psychological safety.
  • Ally architecture: translate support into observable behaviors managers and peers can practice.
  • Micro-habits for visibility: small, repeatable moves that retrain “shrink” defaults into confident presence.

  Ideal for women navigating male-skewed or traditional environments, new leaders, and high-achieving “onlys.” Expect a mindset reset grounded in psychology and practical frameworks you can apply immediately.

• Strong Bunny / Inner Swan: Leading from Who You Are (Not Who You Think You Should Be)

  We’re taught to chase “swan energy”—sleek, effortless, unflappable. But when your wiring is bunny—curious, quick, relational—performing swan drains confidence and caps impact. This talk reframes difference as design, not defect. Using story craft and research on self-discrepancy, perfectionism, and strengths-based leadership, we’ll map the cost of masking, replace comparison with calibration, and build a personal operating system that lets your natural style drive results. The goal isn’t to become a better swan; it’s to become a strong bunny—distinctive, energized, and effective.

  Themes: self-discrepancy (ideal/ought/actual); authenticity vs. masking; strengths-based work; perfectionism → progress; values-aligned visibility; comparison traps; sustainable confidence.

  Audience Takeaways (educational & psychological):

  • Self-discrepancy literacy: spot the gap between “ought-to” and authentic self—and how it fuels burnout.
  • Strengths activation: identify signature strengths and convert them into daily “high-yield” behaviors.
  • Cognitive reframing: shift from comparison to calibration (what works for my design in this context).
  • Self-compassion as performance skill: reduce threat responses to unlock creativity and risk-taking.
  • Goal congruence: set self-concordant goals that boost motivation and resilience.
  • Boundary psychology: design limits that protect energy and preserve your distinct style.
  • Anti-masking micro-habits: small, repeatable actions that replace performative polish with real presence.

  Ideal for high performers who feel like “the only,” new leaders contending with stereotype pressure, and teams craving sustainable confidence rooted in who they really are.