Edge Rockies keynote speaker Lori Gottlieb brings something different to the stage in this video: a conversation about humanity. The bestselling author of "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" and widely respected therapist spends this time exploring themes that felt deeply relevant to print leaders navigating uncertainty, growth, pressure and change.
Early in this keynote alongside interviewer Rachel Crowther of Cober Solutions, Gottlieb challenges the idea that people need to present different versions of themselves depending on the environment. Too often, she suggests, professionals believe they must leave their authentic selves behind when entering workplaces, conferences or leadership roles. Her message to the audience was that stronger relationships and healthier organizations emerge when people practice greater self-compassion and extend more compassion toward others.
That theme carries through much of the conversation. Gottlieb reflects on abandoning a planned book about happiness after realizing the project itself was making her miserable. Instead, she chose to write a far more personal book centered on the messy, universal questions people wrestle with every day: how to love and be loved, how to handle regret, how to navigate relationships and what success actually means. She explains that vulnerability ultimately became the reason "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" has connected so powerfully with millions of readers.
The keynote also explors why change feels so difficult, even when people know change is necessary. Gottlieb describes how humans often cling to familiar situations simply because uncertainty feels uncomfortable. She walks the Edge Rockies audience through the stages of change, emphasizing that growth is rarely linear and that setbacks do not mean failure. One of her most resonant ideas centered on self-compassion: People are far more likely to sustain meaningful change when they respond to setbacks with curiosity and accountability instead of shame and self-criticism.
Another powerful thread involves the stories people unconsciously tell themselves. Gottlieb describes humans as "unreliable narrators" of their own lives, often operating through deeply ingrained assumptions about their worth, capabilities or relationships. Those internal narratives shape decisions, communication styles and even self-sabotaging behaviors. Throughout the session, she encourages attendees to become more aware of the stories guiding their reactions and interactions, both professionally and personally.
Perhaps the strongest takeaway for many Dscoopers is Gottlieb’s framing of vulnerability itself. As she explains, vulnerability is the gradual willingness to show up honestly, remain curious about others and build trust over time.
It's an important message for a Dscoop community built around openness, relationships and shared learning.
