Topic: The 5A’s of High-Stakes Conversations: A Leadership Toolkit for Women Driving Leadership in Financial Strategy

Speaker: Esther Weinberg, Founder & Chief Leadership Development Officer, The Ready Zone

Presentation: 
70% of employees avoid tough conversations with their boss, colleagues, or direct reports. The cost of avoidance is staggering: an average of $7,500 lost per conversation, and 1 in 5 employees estimate that staying silent in crucial moments cost their organization over $50,000. On top of that, 40% admit to losing two or more weeks ruminating on unresolved issues. U.S. employees spend 2.8 hours per week managing conflict—adding up to $59 billion in paid hours. 

It’s even more complex for women. Many avoid hard conversations due to fear of damaging relationships, triggering anger, being misunderstood, or losing emotional control. And the way women are socialized to “be nice” while boys are taught to speak up? That only compounds the challenge. 

In this interactive session, leadership strategist Esther Weinberg reveals how to handle uncomfortable, high-stakes conversations with clarity, strength, and emotional agility—so you can build trust, command respect, and drive results. 

You’ll learn how to: 
• Use the 5A’s Framework to reframe, refocus, and realign tough conversations—moving from reactive to proactive. 
• Recognize the three core emotional triggers that derail communication. 
• Apply breakthrough strategies to avoid taking conversations personally—and lead with impact.

Speaker's bio:
Esther Weinberg is a globally recognized leadership strategist and organizational transformation expert, working at the intersection of people and performance to help leaders, teams, and organizations achieve the results they are committed to. With over 20 years of experience, she has impacted more than 25,000 executives, transformed over 100 brands - including Netflix, NBCUniversal, Microsoft, Adobe, Disney, and Nike - and generated over $150 million in measurable business growth. 

A former executive at Disney and Fox, Esther has also served as an interim CEO and worked internationally in Botswana, Israel, and Uganda, shaping high-performance cultures across industries. As AI and technology redefine the workplace, her Future-Proof Leadership System™ equips leaders with the tools to enhance productivity, engagement, and profitability while fostering trust and psychological safety. A Forbes contributor and host of the podcast Deeply Simply Human, Esther is a sought-after speaker and advisor helping organizations scale and thrive in times of change.