IN-PERSON | Voice & Vision | Holding the Hard: How to Build Stamina for Real Conversations | Sponsored by Hallmark Cards
Voice & Vision is a powerful three-part series designed to help professionals, especially women, navigate the nuanced terrain of leadership communication. Whether you’re wrestling with when to speak up, how to show up without putting on a performance, or how to stay grounded in tough conversations, this interactive series invites you to lead with clarity, integrity, and courage.
Part Three: Holding the Hard: How to Build Stamina for Real Conversations
A lot of advice around “difficult conversations” assumes the hard part is knowing what to say. It’s not. The hard part is tolerating what you can’t control: the awkwardness that doesn’t resolve, the discomfort that lingers, the misconceptions that stick even after you clarify.
We prep our language to be precise, but we rarely prep our nervous systems to handle the silence, the resistance, the not-fairness of it all.
This workshop flips the script on traditional communication training. It’s about emotional regulation, conversational resilience, and the quiet skills that create psychological safety, even when nothing gets wrapped in a bow.
Sponsored by:
Kelle Snow is a leadership strategist and founder of Thornbird Consulting, where she helps organizations build smarter leaders and more human workplaces. With a background in educational psychology and deep expertise in learning design, she’s worked with everyone from Fortune 500 execs to first-time supervisors to rewire the way people show up, speak up, and lead.
Her workshops don’t come with fluff, formulas, or one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, she’s known for teaching practical, clarity-driven tools that stick - especially in moments that are messy, uncertain, or just real.
She’s designed and delivered more than 40 leadership programs across industries, with specialties in communication, visibility, change, and capability building. Most days, her favorite kind of feedback is still: “That was actually useful.”

Date and Time
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
11:30 AM - Arrival, Mingle and Enjoy Lunch
12:00 PM - Program Begins
1:00 PM - Program Ends
Please Provide Us Notice If You Need To Cancel:
We understand that schedules change. If you have registered for this program and can no longer attend, we greatly appreciate you notifying us of your cancellation by completing our cancellation form or emailing hello@centralexchange.org at least 48-hours prior to the program if possible. This is so we can adjust our catering order to help eliminate food waste and prepare accordingly. Thank you!
Location
IN-PERSON AT UMKC BLOCH EXECUTIVE HALL
5108 CHERRY STREET, ROOM 331
KANSAS CITY, MO 64110
Pick up your parking pass in Lot 12. Click HERE to download a pdf with parking instructions.
Fees/Admission
FREE for CX Members Interested in becoming a CX Member? Read more about membership here and be our guest for up to two CX Programs or Exchange Circles.
1 Voucher for CX Partners
$35.00 for Non-members
No refunds.
Contact Information
Allison Baker
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