Speaking
KEYNOTES, FIRESIDE CHATS & CONVERSATIONS THAT CHANGE HOW PEOPLE LEAD.
Most of us carry the same quiet question: how can I become the leader, colleague, and person I aspire to be?
Dr. Dolly Chugh builds her talks around this question, offering actionable answers that resonate deeply with audiences. An award-winning behavioral scientist and author, Dolly speaks to organizations, universities, and global audiences about leadership, inclusion, and the psychology of being a better person. Her talks stand out because she connects with audiences — speaking with them, not at them.
How to Let Go of Being a "Good" Person — And Become a Better Person
In this 2018 TED talk, Dolly explains the puzzling psychology of ethical behavior and shows how the path to becoming beter starts with owning your mistakes.
KEYNOTE TAKEAWAYS
Dolly’s talks don’t just inspire in the moment — they equip audiences with tools they’ll use the next day.
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A new way to think about growth. Focus shifts from “Am I a good person?” to “How can I be better?”—a small question change with a big impact.
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Practical tools for hard conversations.
Learn ways to discuss inclusion, bias, and feedback constructively, without defensiveness taking over.
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Permission to be a work in progress.
Dolly’s honesty about her own growth inspires others to examine and embrace their own.
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Science you can act on.
Dolly translates research into real-life strategies — no fluff, no lectures, just actionable insights that come alive through interactive and even joyful group learning.
DOLLY IN ACTION
Can We Love a Country with a Complicated Past? SXSW 2023
Are you wondering how you missed essential pieces of our country’s story, like the internment of Japanese-Americans, the reality of Columbus Day, or the massacre of African-Americans in Tulsa? Do you trip on guilt, shame, or disbelief that gets in the way of making meaningful change in yourself and the world around you? In this interactive talk about the emotional relationship we have with our country's complicated past, Dolly offers tools for making systemic change through actionable stories and science from her book, A More Just Future: Psychological Tools for Reckoning with Our Past and Driving Social Change.
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Dolly Chugh Sizzle Reel
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What It Means To Be A Good-ish Ally
Microsoft
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The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias
Yale University
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The Sacred Responsibility of Managers
NYU Work Life
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A More Just Future
University of Michigan
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The Power and Science of (Un)Learning
NHC Education Programs
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The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias
Talks at Google
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Ally: Individual Strategies to Advance Diversity and Inclusion
NYU School of Law
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Leadership in Organizations
NYU Stern
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Why Well-Meaning People Act in Biased Ways
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
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The Person You Mean To Be
Harvard Business School
The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias
Yale University
The Sacred Responsibility of Managers
NYU Work Life
A More Just Future
University of Michigan
The Power and Science of (Un)Learning
NHC Education Programs
The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias
Talks at Google
Ally: Individual Strategies to Advance Diversity and Inclusion
NYU School of Law
Leadership in Organizations
NYU Stern
Why Well-Meaning People Act in Biased Ways
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
The Person You Mean To Be
Harvard Business School
SPEECH TOPICS
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Explore why well-meaning people sometimes act against their values — and how to grow through it. Based on decades of behavioral ethics research, this talk reframes self-improvement as a process to build, not a label to achieve.
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For leaders navigating change, feedback, or visibility, this talk dives into the space between intention and impact — and how great leaders bridge it intentionally.
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An honest and practical look at how bias plays out in decisions like hiring, promotions, and feedback, and the habits that disrupt it.
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Inspired by A More Just Future, this talk examines how we can face the past with honesty while moving forward with hope and purpose.
Speaking Inquiry
If your audience is asking how to grow into the person they aspire to be, Dolly can help them take the next step. Whether you're planning a speaking event, organizing a workshop, or need a moderator for a high-profile event, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your event, your audience, and what you hope to achieve.
Dolly is represented by Stern Strategy Group. To invite Dolly to speak at your next event, please submit an inquiry and her team will get back to you soon.