#WISHRM25 Speaker Spotlight: Sarah Noll Wilson

As a part of the WISHRM State Conference SMILE Team, I have the opportunity to engage with speakers and exhibitors, gaining insights into what to anticipate at the upcoming conference. I had a chance to connect with Sarah Noll Wilson who will be presenting Building Powerful Teams by Overcoming Avoidance and Freeing the Elephants in the Room.

Q & A with Sarah:

1. Who should attend your pre-conference session?

This session is for anyone who’s ever had a meeting after the meeting. For HR professionals who feel the pressure of team dynamics that never get addressed. For leaders who want to build trust but struggle when things go unspoken. For anyone who’s tired of pretending things are “fine” when they’re not. You don’t need a formal title to lead healthier conversations, just the desire to help your team connect, collaborate, and show up with more courage.

2. Your session explores the idea that strong teams aren’t conflict-free, they’re conflict-capable. Why is this such an important mindset shift for today’s workplaces?

Because the idea of “conflict-free” is a myth, and a dangerous one. Teams that avoid conflict don’t avoid problems, they bury them. Conflict-capable teams understand that tension is natural, and that trust isn’t built by avoiding hard conversations, it’s built by moving through them together. Especially now, when people are navigating uncertainty, change, and high emotional loads, being able to communicate honestly is a superpower.

3. When discussing a “Curiosity First” approach to help teams move from avoidance to honest connection, what makes curiosity a powerful driver of healthy conflict and deeper collaboration?

Curiosity changes everything. When we’re in protection mode, we assume. We defend. We shut down. Curiosity helps us stay open, to ourselves, to each other, and to possibility. It says, “I’m willing to learn more.” It de-escalates tension and invites dialogue. When we approach people with curiosity instead of judgment, we create safety, and safety is the foundation of collaboration.

4. For HR professionals navigating challenging team dynamics, what is one practical insight or mindset shift they can expect to gain from your session?

One of the biggest shifts is recognizing that avoidance is a strategy, but not a helpful one. HR professionals are often the emotional glue of an organization, and they carry a lot. This session will give them a clear, compassionate framework to surface the unsaid, move through resistance, and help teams become more emotionally fluent and connected. You’ll walk away with language you can use right away.

5. What do you hope attendees will take away after your pre-conference session at Wisconsin SHRM 2025?

That they’re not alone. That it is possible to free the elephants. That even long-standing avoidance can be unlearned and replaced with habits of trust, repair, and honesty. I want people to leave with a sense of possibility and practical tools to support healthier conversations. This isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. And it’s about making it safe for people to speak up and stay in relationship, even when it’s hard.

6. What are your favorite resources or media on this topic?

I’m always reading, listening, and learning and as a result this work is constantly evolving. Of course, my book Don’t Feed the Elephants! and my podcast Conversations on Conversations dig deep into this topic, but I also love pointing people to other voices that have shaped my thinking. Unlearning Silence by Elaine Lin Hering is such a powerful read, especially for those of us who were taught to stay quiet to keep the peace. The work of Drs. Julie and John Gottman on relationships and repair is something I bring into every conversation when working with leaders and teams.

My colleagues and I are also huge fans of the Fixable podcast with Anne Morriss and Dr. Frances Frei, it’s like a mini masterclass on navigating workplace challenges with clarity and compassion. And two books I recommend often are The Color of Emotional Intelligence by Farah Harris and The Waymakers by Tara Jaye Frank. Both offer important, grounding perspectives on leadership, identity, and the emotional work required to build truly inclusive and psychologically safe cultures.

Meet Sarah:

Sarah Noll Wilson is an Executive Coach, in-demand Keynote Speaker, and bestselling author of Don’t Feed the Elephants. With over 15 years of experience in leadership development, she has worked with more than 500 organizations and thousands of leaders globally to transform workplace cultures, strengthen relationships, and build high-performing teams. A trusted voice in leadership, Sarah is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes, and her expertise has been featured in BBC Radio, The Washington Post, Business Insider, and The New York Post. She also hosts Conversations on Conversations, a podcast with listeners in over 80 countries.

Sarah holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership Development from Drake University and multiple professional certifications in coaching and communication frameworks. Believing that theory is great, but tools are better, she equips leaders with practical, evidence-based strategies to navigate challenges with clarity and confidence.

When she isn’t empowering leaders to create thriving teams, Sarah is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, enjoys playing games with her husband, Nick, baking focaccia bread, and cuddling with their fur baby, Sally.