James Barnes
HE / HIM / HIS
James Barnes is a passionate keynote speaker who is on a mission to reconnect us. A Trans man who has ADHD, he empowers leaders to create thriving workplaces and lives by unlocking their full potential with core values, vulnerability, and stress management.
People matter. (My parents taught me and my sisters this simple mantra as kids so we would stand up to bullies, advocate for ourselves, and use our voice for those who couldn't. It's completely shaped who we are today.)
Popular Talks
Identity Development
Using my transition and my relationship to myself, the audience is given tools on how to establish their own core values and re-build their perspective with themselves. This allows them to reframe stereotypes, how they react to stress, and anchors them in prioritizing empathy for themselves and others.
Communication Skills
The audience will gain clear examples and tools for active listening, clarifying questions, and how to be fully present with others and themselves. They will see how the way they communicate with themselves ripples into how they communicate with others, especially those they disagree with which again grows their capacity for empathy.
Strategic Stress Management
Most stress management skills are vague, the audience instead will be given a 3 step method that focuses on how to intentionally create controlled tension in their lives so their capacity for stress grows, how to manage in the moment so their brain can think rationally, and lastly how to decompress so they are able to reset and maintain a sustainable and thriving life without burning out and broadening their capacity for empathy.
Each topic is presented through my lens as a Trans man with ADHD and how I cope, strategize, and continue to grow based off research and personal stories.
Coaching
Strategic stress management, intentional identity development, and clear communication skills are the pillars of my coaching service to empower empathetic leaders. The goal is getting the client to be able to focus on what they can control and how they show up in their lives. We define how they connect and build their friendship with themselves and others, their habits and how to build tension, manage stress, and decompress, and lastly how they communicate through conflict. It can be weekly or bi-weekly for at least 6 months.
“James is an inspiring and professional speaker. He is a pleasure to partner with and brainstorm on events. He provided so much expert guidance. And when he talks about his lived experience, he teaches through an organic and authentic voice. I cannot recommend him any more highly.”
– Quelyn Gretsky, at Lead Knowledge Manager at PureStorage
“James is an incredible speaker and it was a joy to work with him. We invited him to our agency for a fireside chat and it was one of our highest rated events last year. He talked to us about a myriad of topics and really left an impression on our people. I recommend him to other colleagues at every opportunity and I can’t encourage you all enough to bring him to your company. He is fantastic and I look forward to bringing him back to our company soon.”
– Nicole Simpson, Director of DEI at RAPP
“The speech given by James, has enhanced our professional and leadership goals at Zendesk, as well as advancing our equality knowledge base!”
– Charmagne Pedroni, Senior Paralegal at Zendesk
James Barnes empowers leaders to create thriving workplaces and lives by unlocking their full potential with core values, vulnerability, and stress management.
Drawing on his experiences as a successful leadership coach, father, husband, and Trans man who has ADHD, James delivers inspirational and educational keynotes, workshops, and coaching that foster empathy, understanding, and resilience.
He has motivated thousands of leaders through his work with some of the largest companies in the world and audiences of Fortune 100 C-Suite leaders. Leaders consistently leave feeling inspired and equipped to create positive change.
Let’s collaborate to ensure a transformative experience.