Lead with HEART.

Lead With HEART™ — Align People, Purpose, and Performance

I help organizations build leaders who align people, purpose, and performance.

I’m Charlene Ridley, keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and creator of the HEART Goals™ Framework — a SHRM-aligned system that transforms the way organizations develop leaders, engage teams, and retain top talent.

After nearly three decades in leadership and business strategy — including roles with Fortune 500 companies such as Deloitte, U.S. Bank, and E*TRADE — I discovered that most companies don’t lose talent because of skill gaps.
They lose them because leaders don’t truly know their people.

Too many managers are promoted for tenure, not talent. They can manage tasks but not the humans behind them — and that disconnect costs organizations engagement, loyalty, and performance.

That insight inspired HEART Goals™ — a leadership framework that helps managers connect who they are to how they lead. By aligning people, purpose, and performance, leaders create teams that thrive, stay, and succeed together.

Speaker One Sheet

98% Actionable. 99% Engaging.

99% Inspiring. 99% Relevant.

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Leaders and teams consistently leave Charlene's keynotes with actionable strategies, renewed focus, and an invigorated approach to leadership and growth.

Why HEART Goals™ Matters

Traditional performance models focus on productivity. HEART Goals™ focuses on alignment — because alignment creates clarity, trust, and momentum.

Each pillar of the HEART model — Holistic, Energizing, Aligned, Realistic, Task-Driven — turns theory into action. Leaders leave every session with tools they can apply immediately to drive engagement and results.

Organizations that integrate HEART Goals™ see:

  • Higher employee engagement and satisfaction

  • Increased retention and leadership pipeline strength

  • More aligned, purpose-driven teams

  • Greater accountability and collaboration across departments

Keynotes & Workshops

  • SHRM-Accredited Workshop or Talk

    Organizations are under increasing pressure to deliver results while prioritizing employee well-being and retention. But traditional goal-setting models drive burnout, disengagement, and turnover.

    HEART Goals™ is a SHRM-accredited framework that helps leaders set goals that are Holistic, Energizing, Aligned, Realistic, and Task-Driven — improving both employee experience and organizational outcomes.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Leverage a people-first framework to increase engagement and retention

    • Align employee purpose with organizational performance

    • Improve productivity without sacrificing well-being

    • Implement a proven, SHRM-accredited methodology to drive measurable results

  • Corporate Keynote / Leadership Training

    Today’s leaders are navigating more disruption than ever — from AI to hybrid workplaces to shifting employee expectations. Traditional goal-setting models simply can’t keep up.

    HEART Goals™ gives leaders a future-ready framework to create clarity, unlock innovation, and drive measurable impact — even in times of rapid change.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Lead with clarity and alignment in a rapidly changing environment

    • Equip teams to innovate without adding burnout

    • Drive sustainable impact while prioritizing employee well-being

    • Learn a repeatable framework that adapts to evolving technology, workforce models, and business landscapes

    Perfect for: Leadership summits, corporate retreats, innovation conferences, and organizational development events.

  • A half- or full-day corporate training designed to develop mid-level leaders and managers. This interactive session strengthens culture, communication, and trust across teams.

    Participants will:

    • Learn to translate company goals into personal meaning for employees

    • Strengthen communication and feedback through values-based alignment

    • Build engagement and accountability across teams

    • Walk away with a 90-day leadership alignment plan to implement immediately

IDEAL FOR

  • Corporate Leadership Offsites

  • HR & SHRM Conferences

  • Women in Leadership Events

  • Employee Engagement & Retention Programs

  • Executive Retreats & Culture Summits

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What attendees say.

  • Game-changer; eye-opener; Mind-shifting perspective.

  • Informative and knowledgeable with great delivery and honesty.

  • Charlene shared a great new perspective on goal setting! I really enjoyed how she suggested balancing SMART goals with HEART goals and that she gave actionable advice on how to do so. Very inspiring!

  • Looking at goals from a different perspective is great and leads to insight.

  • Charlene is so infectious and helpful. I needed to hear this about H.E.A.R.T goals and I cannot wait to attend future events.

  • Insightful and inspiring to become better at balancing life situations, improve self awareness, and be more intentional with focusing on goals.

Charlene Ridley

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