Thanks to her extensive experience and perfect preparation, Safiyeh knows how to moderate complex conversations with charisma, attentiveness and flair, always with a solution-oriented approach – regardless of the complexity of any of the topics she is dealing with. Under her inclusive leadership, we were able to have a constructive conversations between groups with opposite positions and interests. Something that would not have happened without her presence. As far as I am concerned, every conversation and every organisation or individual would benefit from involving an excellent facilitator like her.
Safiyeh is wonderful in linking people with different points of views and backgrounds. Safiyeh prepares herself extremely well to host a day as she did. I experienced this in how she as grasping the thoughts, mindset and language of both the client and of ‘my design world’. Safiyeh did set our stage in a marvelous way. Brought in our expertise, knowledge and experience and explained that we were the experts to facilitate concrete steps. It felt as being lifted to the highest level being positioned as she did.
Through these preparations and the way how she connects the different ‘worlds/ people with different points of view’, she is able to link people in such a way that people actually want to work together on difficult issues.
Safiyeh is one of the female leaders who I take as an example. She is strong and authentic in the sense that she knows and feels in what kind of world she wants live. She is living by example. Her approach to cosmopolite inclusive leadership (in all aspects of her live) helps me to understand how it can (also) be seen as something you do – it is natural – instead of an issue to think/talk extensively about (even though if needed she has the expertise).
In my eyes she is able to connect high end and stays extremely approachable.
Safiyeh has the unique ability to connect with people from various socio-economic backgrounds, religious beliefs, ethnicities, age-demographics and/or educational backgrounds. At one hand I’ve seen her work on complex problems together with government ministers, business executives and/or ambassadors, using her curiosity, charm and professionalism to build public-private alliances for the better. On the other hand, I see her working passionately with young talents and teach them how to embrace, care for and accept themselves unapologetically in a rapid-changing world. Her views on how to combine (feminine) leadership, ancestral wisdom and tribal anthropology to become the best version of yourself, or truly inspirational and have the ability to actively impact society as a whole.
As a sharpener for the mind, Safiyeh has awakened our law firm. During our internal strategy day about Diversity & Inclusion, she acted as keynote speaker and moderator. Since she was also among us the day before, she had already connected on a human level with our team members before the programme started. Safiyeh has a natural gift of challenging your beliefs and convictions based on experience, personal stories and vision of the future. Safiyeh demonstrated the ability to flawlessly detect and identify the full spectrum of opinions within a group context. She uncovered and addressed these sentiments whilst creating a safe space for all participants to share and learn, allowing vulnerability to be shown. All of that is very powerful.
Als slijpsteen voor de geest heeft Safiyeh ons advocatenkantoor scherp gesteld. Op onze interne dag over o.a. Diversiteit & Inclusie was zij keynote spreker en dagvoorzitter. Omdat zij de avond ervoor ook al onder ons was, had ze verbinding voordat ze begon. Safiyeh heeft een natuurlijke gave om vanuit ervaring, persoonlijke verhalen en toekomstbeeld je aan het denken te zetten. Ook omdat Safiyeh feilloos aanvoelt welke andersluidende gedachten er ook zijn. Door juiste deze podium te geven, toont kwetsbaarheid zijn gezicht. Dat alles is heel krachtig.
Turn The Tables – Keynote Fusion Experience with Moroccan Gnawa Percussion, Persian Dance & Poetry
“Someone will remember us in the future,” poetess Sappho from ancient Greece wrote. It is one of the few lines of poetry that has survived from the work of this important, yet unknown artist. There is still a lack of (intersectional) representation of women in the media, on stage and in historiography.
In this edition of Turn the Tables, Raja Felgata and Safiyeh Salehi Mobarakeh delivered a unique keynote experience infused with dance and poetry. The topic of the keynote talk centred around the life lessons and wisdom of our female ancestors in relation to contemporary leadership and female representation. During a round table talk following the keynote speech they explored where we stand on intersectional women’s representation and what the next steps will be in this quest.
The Turn the tables program is inspired by the (intersectional) feminist works The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago and Guess who’s coming to diner too? by Patricia Kaersenhout.
Listen to the podcast reflection on the program (Dutch spoken)
Testimonials from the audience
“A keynote delivery unlike any other; I could have listened and watched you for hours”
“The combination of dance, music and knowledge and wisdom was captivating from the first moment and incredibly original”
“Your talk and performance touched me on many levels and took me on a journey of introspection relating to my own female ancestors and their untold stories”
Interested in booking Safiyeh as a guest lecturer?
Reach out for more information.
| Keynote speech | |
|---|---|
| Audience | (appr 60) visitors of the International Theatre Amsterdam / Stadsschouwburg |
| Theme | Ancestral wisdom & female leadership |
| Language | Dutch |
As a moderator, Safiyeh is wonderful linking people with different points of views and backgrounds. Safiyeh prepares herself extremely well to host a day as she did when we collaborated for a Diversity & Inclusion session. I experienced this in how she as grasping the thoughts, mindset and language of both the client and of ‘my design world’. Through these preparations and the way how she connects the different ‘worlds/ people with different points of view’, she is able to link people in such a way that people actually want to work together on difficult issues. It is again making people understand each other’s points of views and making them curious about what doing something together could bring. In my eyes she is able to connect high end and stays extremely approachable.
Over 2 years ago I founded the Board of Advisory for the Museum of Art in The Hague. I was delighted to see that Safiyeh was amongst one of the selected candidates (from almost 200 applicants). I have experienced her to be a valuable addition to our discussions based on her expertise in various fields. She brings in her own thinking, her own networks and experiences. I have observed that in particular when she dares to challenge a thought process of the group and can invite a group of (also experienced) professionals to rethink their point of view. Safiyeh has been a valuable person in my social impact network. She is a force for positive change and can easily create value based on her experience in NGO work, her networks of experts and her project management skills.
It is with pleasure that I write this recommendation for Safiyeh as a moderator. During my time working with her, I was consistently impressed by her dedication, professionalism and skill.
Safiyeh is an extremely driven individual who comes to every moderating opportunity well-prepared and ready to tackle any topic. She has a great ability to make sensitive subjects approachable and discussable, and is able to navigate complex and potentially contentious issues with ease.
One of Safiyeh’s greatest strengths is her ability to manage panel discussions with respect for everyone’s expertise, while maintaining the dynamic and keeping the conversation flowing. She is able to steer the discussion in a productive direction without ever disrupting the flow or causing discomfort among the participants.
In addition to her moderating skills, Safiyeh is also a gifted communicator with a great sense of humor. She knows when to add humor to keep the audience engaged and put speakers at ease. Her ability to connect with the participants and create a comfortable atmosphere is truly remarkable.
Just before the end of the year, I was asked to give a guest lecture for the ‘Leader-shift’ minor at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS). This course is designed to support students in acquiring and applying practical and theoretical knowledge about different theories on leadership and (Personal) Leadership skills, in preparation for the professional field within the THUAS World Citizenship framework (Let’s change) and 21st-century skills.
During this lecture and workshop, we explored the meaning, significance and value of community. The students created mappings of the communities to which they belong, and linked them to their value pyramid. In addition to identifying their own communities, I also asked the students to identify communities their ancestors were part of, and compare the constitution and characteristics of communities of their ancestors and their own. The session ended with a plenary sharing of the mappings, personal experiences and insights. We closed the session with a Q&A during which students asked me different questions, many of them addressing the theme of career and personal development as a woman with a multi-layered identity. The world is in serious need of young professionals who are able to combine skills (hands) and knowledge (head) with the right attitude and personal motivation (heart), following different lines of research in the professional field.
This minor aims at building connections between the student’s professional ambitions and the work field. It will enable students to become more aware of the current trends in the field of leadership, community-building and sustainable change. One way to help students integrate the theories and practices on leadership is to incorporate ways of Knowing, Doing and Being (the 3 Circle Theory of Transformation) and to create meaningful learning communities. The minor combines standard didactical methodologies with the most recent learning strategies (e.g. Blended Learning, Design Thinking, Appreciative Inquiry, etc.).
Interested in booking Safiyeh as a guest lecturer?
Reach out for more information.
| Guest lecture & Workshop | |
|---|---|
| Location | The Hague University of Applied Sciences |
| Audience | 40 students of The Hague University of applied sciences |
| Theme | Leadership in communities |
| Language | English & Dutch |
| Topics | Tribal leadership Ancestral wisdom Feminine leadership Identity empowerment Corporate anthropology |
The Amsterdam tourism sector is facing multiple challenges when it comes to designing and implementing a sustainable visitor economy. An economy that is geared towards quality tourism, tackling nuisance, conscious of cost of living and sustainability in the city.
The sector is comprised of a wide spectrum of public and private stakeholders, and a city council that imposes strict legal frameworks. Small- to medium sized enterprises as well as major players such as Schiphol, NS, Booking, Expedia, AirBnB, Koninklijke Horeca Nederland and Uber are facing common challenges in manoeuvring within the Amsterdam context of increased regulations, and a new reality post-COVID.
I was asked to facilitate and guide a multi-stakeholder dialogue session, exploring common grounds and seeking avenues for further partnerships and collaboration in the future. A complex, public-private agenda with varying interests and angles. The session was intended as an initial exploration of common interests and willingness to collaborate based on complementary areas of expertise in order to achieve a thriving, sustainable tourism economy in Amsterdam.
The results of the session were beyond expectations; a very successful meeting that established the foundations for further thematic collaborations in the near future.
My professional background in forming multidisciplinary consortia (OMA/AMO, architecture & urban design) and catalysing public-private coalitions for social impact innovation (Coalitions for Impact) equipped me with a unique skillset to successfully lead complex multi-stakeholder sessions.
Thanks to her extensive experience and perfect preparation, Safiyeh knows how to moderate complex conversations with charisma, attentiveness and flair, always with a solution-oriented approach – regardless of the complexity of any of the topics she is dealing with. Under her inclusive leadership, we were able to have a constructive conversation between groups with opposite positions and interests. Something that would not have happened without her presence. As far as I am concerned, every conversation and every organisation or individual would benefit from involving an excellent facilitator like her.
Client (confidential)
Interested in booking Safiyeh as a moderator for a stakeholder dialogue? Reach out for more information.
| Complex multi-stakeholder dialogue session | |
|---|---|
| Location | Rijksmuseum Amsterdam |
| Audience | 22 representatives of public/private organisations |
| Theme | sustainable visitor economy |
| Language | Dutch |
| Topics | public-private coalitions, sustainable economy |