Frequently Witty, Always Fresh
In a world of short attention spans and lack of engagement, my background in improv and stand-up comedy are essential for building rapport with students. With comedy woven throughout my presentations, audiences stay engaged from beginning to end as we explore thoughtful, relevant, and influential topics.
It’s easy for me to speak with students about over-commitment, mental health, and environmental stressors because I was there. While in college, I was a lonely first-year student that evolved into an over-involved student leader. I was a Resident Assistant, brother of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., performed with the improv team, a member of the Residence Hall Association sang in the university and gospel choirs, sat on university committees, and was involved in many other organizations that greatly affected my sleep schedule. Heck, I loved college so much that I took a victory lap and then decided to work for one! In total I worked in residence life and advised student governments for over 12 years. During this time I grew a lot from my mistakes as well as my successes.
My presentations are filled with stories and experiences that serve as a platform for students to become more self-aware and tackle the barriers that exist in their worlds.
I’ve been living this work for 15+ years and wrote a book about it. Before I was a full time speaker, I spent years building, training, supervising, and evaluating teams. When I speak to audiences I share the lessons I’ve learned and the successes I’ve had in using my authentic leadership approach. These personal stories always hit home for audience members – because they’re real. I don’t show up with other people’s stories, when I show up you get me. Unapologetically me.
Some of my popular keynote + workshop topics include…
Authentic Leadership
Networking
Teamwork communication
Social Justice and/or Diversity Education
Empowerment
Transitions: high school to college, and college to the “real world”
Don’t see the topic you were hoping for? Contact me and I will work with you to design a speech to fit your needs!
Most Requested College Keynotes/Workshops
(All Keynotes/Workshops Available for In-Person or Virtual Engagements)
Leading Imperfectly: The Value of Being Authentic For Student Leaders and Human Beings
Oh boy, another speech on leadership. Instead of waiting for the same cliché leadership lessons, it’s time to be different. Let’s talk about who you are personally as a leader. As humans, we can’t learn things from people who are perfect, we can only learn things from people who are imperfect. So, it is time to own who you are so you can be real to others and lead through your faults. This deep but hysterical keynote will leave you feeling introspective about the person you show to others. It will show you how being more authentic actually inspires open communication, forms tighter bonds, and causes members to be more engaged. We need to talk about you before we can talk about us, so let’s discuss where you struggle and succeed to make you a more efficient and effective authentic leader for your organization.
We also have a version of this program titled “Leading Through Uncertainty: Using authentic leadership to navigate ambiguity” that focuses on communication, the need to do what’s right (rather than the need to be right), and how true leaders emerge through the ambiguity.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Learn the definition and application of “Authentic Leadership.”
- Discover the importance of being a leader who is purposeful, empowering, real and moral.
- Recognize the power of your own story in your leadership style.
- Differentiate between being a hero and a role model (role models make and learn from mistakes instead of trying to be seen as flawless heroes).
Do You Even Know Me?: How curiosity creates community
No organization or campus wants its students to be apathetic—toward the place, the people, or the community. Community ignites loyalty and drives retention, and is built with one simple thing: curiosity. Curiosity is the opposite of apathy. In this hysterical and motivational talk we will talk about how to ask better questions, change the way we hear people’s stories and insights, and adapt the mindset of curiosity. Let’s stop the apathy and the assuming and start learning about each other because curiosity creates community. This program is great for First Year students, Greek Weeks, and as introductory diversity, equity, and inclusion conversation!
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Learn how to transition from small talk to meaningful conversation
- Learn how to disrupt normal communication patterns with people you see on an everyday basis
- Analyze patterns you are in when communicating with people who have different lived experiences than you.
For men: Don’t “Bro” Me Unless You Know Me
Men, in your past when you are challenged or in a tough spot what is your response? Do you get defensive? Do you make excuses? Do you try to shift blame? Do you listen? Do you fall back into an old routine? It’s time to be reflective, not just reactive. Men, we have a choice to make: are we going to be cool or great? In this program we’ll laugh at ourselves while analyzing deep topics such as fear, coping mechanisms, love, and how they relate to men’s mental health and brotherhood. Do you have courage to join me in putting in the work?
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- How to evaluate how societal norms play a role in men’s ability to connect with each other on a deeper level,
- Illustrate examples in their lives where men consciously and subconsciously choose to be cool instead of choosing to be great, and
- Analyze your natural patterns when it comes to checking in on your friends and what you do when they check on you.
IMPROV Your Teamwork and Communication
Teamwork and communication are the backbone of any effective organization. These highly interactive workshop(s) focus on highlighting best practices and common pitfalls that teams exhibit in these areas. I will cater each workshop to your team’s specific needs and they can range in length from 1-4 hours. I will stretch your team’s comfort zone, breaking down the barriers that hold us back from authentic and supportive workplaces. At the same time I will create a safe place for people to laugh at themselves and process what they are experiencing.
I have been performing and teaching improv since 2003. I trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and have been a faculty member at the Magnet Theater in New York and taught workshops all around the country.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Breakdown communication/teamwork issues in your current work environment in a safe and supportive manner
- Learn best practices for sharing positive and negative feedback
- Understand the benefits of being an active participant on a team vs. trying to do everything by yourself
- Learn improv rules and how they correlate to communication in the workplace
Will They Make Fun Of My Sheets?
Stepping on campus as a new student is an emotion-packed time. Am I going to fit in here? Are people going to make fun of my sheets? Is anyone going to date me? How do I study again? Am I the only one who is going to miss my parents? When students are faced with anxiety, they have two options: they can channel that energy towards fear or towards excitement. In this engaging talk, first-year students will be challenged to create their own college experience. As a student who was miserable and homesick during my first year of college, I later got involved on campus, fell in love with my school and went on to become a prominent student leader. In this keynote, I will share the stories of my freshman year, normalizing many of the emotions first-year students have. I will encourage new students to get involved on campus and challenge them to choose their own path in college.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Realize that feelings of homesickness, feeling alone, and being mentally lost are normal for first-year college students.
- Learn the importance of getting involved quickly at college to increase a sense of ownership and belonging.
- Learn verbal and non-verbal conversation techniques to have more productive first interactions, so that connections can be made more quickly.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“James was amazing! Our students were captivated from the beginning — his sense of humor, his down-to-earth personality, and his real life stories kept everyone’s attention! He did an amazing job teaching the first-year students some really important college tips in a funny and realistic way. Thank you so much for coming to UD James!” Amy // University of Dayton
“James Robilotta was one of the featured speakers for our virtual Leadership School this summer. He was immediately engaging participants as they joined the meeting by having them type into the chat box and welcoming them as they joined. He utilized breakout rooms to engage participants with each other and created a learning environment that was casual, welcoming, and vulnerable for undergraduate men.” Leslie // Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity
“James spent the day with the student and professional staff to identify problems unique to us. Throughout the day James provided feedback on issues we had with motivating students. James was molding his performance around our needs. Once James took the stage, he instantly captured the students and was able to connect because he knew the issues that were dear to them.” Noah // Ferris State University
“You rocked the house. No one can remember the last time students crowded around the stage following a presentation to meet and shake the hand of a speaker. Your ability to combine humor and handy memory devices like PHEAM with solid leadership principles kept the audience completely focused on your message.” Andrew // Methodist University
“I attended the Resident Assistant Drive-In Conference of Alabama. James was the keynote speaker and I was impressed by his ability to connect with a younger audience and present fresh, new concepts in a way they understood. James used a creative blend of humor and knowledge to create a memorable experience for the attendees. James presented PHEAM in a “bite-sized” way that stuck with me and the others in attendance.” Chris // Kennesaw State University
“James was fantastic! He was engaging, funny, relevant, and inspiring! Our students really loved hearing from him and it was a great way to kick off our Greek Week!” Brittany // Northern Arizona University
“It’s an art to not only entertain, but to also leave a crowd with a message that is positive/potential knowledge that they can use. He took the time to try & relate with his “down to earth” jokes while leaving us proud to call ourselves Resident Assistants. He challenged us rather than just telling us what to do. He inspired and educated as he kept us anxious for his next word/joke. He is GREAT, if you get a chance to hear James speak, take it!” Joanna // University of Alabama, Huntsville
“Hosting James virtually was a great decision for our virtual leadership conference! We’ve hosted James in person a few times in the past, but this year we made the switch to virtual and he made a two hour session feel like 10 minutes. He leads with passion, enthusiasm, knowledge, and his sense of humor. James personalized the presentation and crafted it to the needs of our conference. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to be inspired or motivated to make change in this world.” Sean // Ball State University
Here’s what I bring to the table…
Customization
Before any engagement I spend time personally on the phone with multiple members of your organization to get a well rounded understanding of the talent and pain points that exist within the team. I like to know even the silliest little details, because it generates trust from the audience when I speak about tangible problems they’re facing. And for me, that trust is invaluable.
Personality
My background in improv and stand-up comedy helps me riff with audiences, making your team feel more comfortable and building rapport that comes quick and easy. Often audiences come into these keynotes and workshops closed off and disengaged. I love this challenge when I speak: I use humor to open everyone up, which makes space for us to have the genuine, raw, honest conversations that we all need.
Interactivity
This isn’t a passive experience; my presentation style is very interactive and inclusive. Our conversations will be thought-provoking, filled with self-awareness, and laced with comedy, which means your team will stay engaged from beginning to end. I also get audience members talking to each other, up on their feet with improv activities, and doing self-reflection. And it’s with this level of engagement that the words and concepts transform into action and results.
Results
During our time together your team will break down barriers to solve current work environment issues, learn how to share negative and positive feedback, understand the benefits of being an active member on a team, and discover and apply the principles of being an authentic leader.
Get in touch with me.
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Or if you’re ready to talk about your event let’s hop on a quick call - you can schedule a time on my calendar here.