Oops!... I Did It Again

Leading Through Mid-Grade Mistakes Without Losing Your Mind

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FULL SESSION DESCRIPTION:

Here's what nobody in leadership tells you: the moment you screwed up is probably the most powerful moment you'll ever have with your team.

We've built an entire professional culture around hiding our blunders. Perfectionism is the default. The mask stays on. And the result is a workplace full of people walking on eggshells, afraid to take risks, and quietly losing trust in leaders who seem too polished to be real.

Bernadette Smith believes we've got this completely backwards.

In this disarmingly honest and genuinely funny keynote, Bernadette makes the case that mistakes aren't a liability to your reputation — they're the shortest distance between two people. The leaders audiences trust most aren't the ones who never mess up. They're the ones who mess up well.

She'll show you how — using the CRAP Method (Compassion, Regulate, Authenticity, Play) — a surprisingly practical roadmap for the moments that threaten your career, your relationships, and your sanity. You'll leave with more than a framework. You'll leave with permission to be human

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TRUSTED BY

“I’ve never had a presentation feel like a hug before.”
— Attendee, Ferrara Candy
Logos of various banking and association organizations including American Bankers Association, Illinois Bankers, PA Bankers, MBA, Massachusetts Bankers Association, AMC Institute, Association Management Center, RBMA, asae, MPI, and Plus Conference
A woman speaking at a conference stage, wearing glasses and a professional black blazer, with a presentation podium displaying the PLUS Conference logo next to her.

What audiences will learn

  • Why the "professional mask" is actually eroding the trust you're trying to build

  • How owning your mistakes out loud creates psychological safety faster than any policy

  • Why humility, not perfection, is the real currency of leadership influence

  • How to stay human under pressure — without losing credibility

  • That the "Oops" moment isn't the end of your story. It might be the best part

Woman with short blonde hair and glasses, wearing a black blazer and teal top, waving on stage with blue curtains in the background.

IDEAL AUDIENCES

  • Leadership teams and people managers

  • Client-facing professionals and sales teams

  • Human resources and talent development leaders

  • Employee Resource Groups

  • Conference and association audiences across industries

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FORMATS

  • 45-minute keynote

  • 60-minute keynote with audience activities

  • 90-minute workshop with extended debrief

  • Virtual or in-person

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