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Cara Cunniff speaking on stage
Keynote speaker

“I’m obsessed with why some teams click and others don’t. It’s the small every day moments that make the difference.”

Human Connection

Meaningful human connection has become one of the most valuable skills in modern work.

Social Confidence

The ability to communicate naturally and connect with people changes how we experience rooms, relationships and opportunities.

Relationships & Opportunity

The relationships you build decide the opportunities that find you, long after you leave the room.

Cara is an outstanding speaker whose passion and expertise really shine through in the way she delivers a presentation. She is enthusiastic, engaging and authentic, offering fresh perspectives and practical insights that truly resonate with an audience.
James FrostBarclays Eagle Labs
Current keynote topics
Cara Cunniff speaking on stage with a handheld microphone
Keynote 01

Small Talk Is NOT Small

Putting human connection to work.

The real cost of avoiding small talk isn't the awkward moment. It's everything on the other side of the conversation you never had. In this keynote, Cara reframes small talk as one of the most underestimated skills in modern work: how everyday interactions build trust, belonging and opportunity, and how organisations can put human connection to work to strengthen culture, collaboration and performance.

What the audience takes away

Rethinking Small Talk
Why the smallest conversations often create the biggest opportunities.
Developing Human Connection
How everyday interactions shape trust, belonging and collaboration.
Putting Human Connection to Work
Practical ways to create stronger relationships, cultures and business outcomes.
Cara Cunniff speaking on stage
Keynote 02

Putting Human Connection to Work

Developing the human capabilities that shape tomorrow's organisations.

Organisations are investing heavily in technology and AI. But technology alone will not create stronger cultures, better collaboration or better performance.The next advantage comes from people who know how to build trust, strengthen relationships and create the conditions in which others can thrive.In this keynote, Cara explores why human connection is becoming an increasingly important organisational capability, and what leaders can do to develop it deliberately. Drawing on emotional intelligence, workplace culture and her experience working with leaders and organisations, she shows how connection shapes the way people collaborate, lead and perform.

What the audience takes away

Beyond Technology
Why the human capabilities of people, not technology alone, will shape the organisations of tomorrow.
Strengthening Relationships
How trust, connection and emotional intelligence influence culture, collaboration and performance.
Connection as Capability
Practical ways leaders can build stronger human connection across their teams and organisation.
Cara Cunniff speaking on stage with her hand raised
Keynote 03

Your Career Starts with Connection

Building the confidence and relationships to find your place at work.

Starting work means learning more than the job. It means asking questions, joining conversations, receiving feedback and working with people whose experience differs from your own. Designed for graduates and apprentices, this keynote offers practical ways to build relationships and contribute without pretending to have all the answers.

What the audience takes away

Start Conversations
Build relationships beyond your immediate team.
Contribute with Confidence
Ask for support, respond to feedback and share your perspective.
Build Trust
Through curiosity, reliability and the way you work with others.

For graduate programmes, apprenticeships and early-talent development.

Cara Cunniff sorrindo em retrato no IdeasFest
Keynote 04

Future Ready: The Human Skills That Open Doors

The human capabilities that will matter most as AI reshapes work.

AI and technology are changing how we work, learn and lead. But as more tasks become automated, the human capabilities that enable people to connect, collaborate, influence and build trust become even more important.In this keynote, Cara explores what it really means to be future-ready: not simply learning to use new technology, but developing the human capabilities that allow people and organisations to thrive alongside it.Drawing on her work in emotional intelligence, human connection and workplace culture, Cara examines the skills that help people navigate change, build strong relationships and create environments where others can perform at their best.The message is simple: the future of work isn't just about what technology can do. It's about what people can do with and for each other.

What the audience takes away

The Human Advantage
Why human capabilities become more important, not less, as AI and technology advance.
Future-Ready People
The emotional intelligence, connection, confidence and relationship skills that help people navigate a changing workplace.
Turning Skills into Culture
How organisations can create the conditions for these capabilities to shape collaboration, leadership and performance.
Where I speak

Conferences and summits, leadership and team away days, company offsites, employee resource group events, graduate programmes, apprenticeships and early-talent development.

Delivered in person or online.

BT
HM Revenue & Customs
Pfizer
University of Cambridge
University of Oxford
Enterprise Nation
Work with Cara

Put human connection to work for your people.

Keynotes and workshops that turn everyday interactions into trust, visibility and stronger performance at work.

Book Cara