Speaker Slam 2025 Spotlights the Power of People Over Processes and Technology

Gisa Göldner receives Excellence Award for her speech on motivation, autonomy, and the human side of business success.

WIESBADEN, GERMANY, June 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Just a few years ago, she was rushing through airports and maneuvering through countless PowerPoints – today she stands barefoot in the sand or on stages: Gisa Göldner, formerly a sales management executive and now a passionate speaker, was honored with the Excellence Award at International Speaker Slam in Wiesbaden, Germany.

In just four minutes, she captured the jury's attention with a simple but striking statement: “Why do so many companies fail to hit their sales targets? Because they forget about their people.”

A former corporate executive turned motivational speaker and trainer, Göldner was awarded the Excellence Award for her impactful performance. Her core message? “Motivated people are the heart of every success. Without them, even the best strategy is worthless,”
Göldner, who splits her time between South Africa and Germany, brings over 30 years of experience from both global corporations and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). In her keynote, she addressed what many leaders ignore: the human factor. « I want to show that it’s time to rethink the way we work—more human, more inspiring, more courageous. And that it’s never too late make meaningful changes—step by step—and lead others with humanity“ she told the audience.

The Speaker Slam, founded by bestselling author Hermann Scherer, is a popular event in the speaking industry. Over 200 speakers from 26 countries,, each with a strict four-minute time limit. If the time runs out, the microphone is cut off automatically. There’s no room for chatter – just real talk.
But for Göldner, this moment was more than just a speech. It reflected a personal transformation:

"Years ago, I asked my then-CEO if I could work from home one day a week. The answer was short and final: 'We don’t do that.'
I didn’t want to work less. I just needed a bit of balance – to spend time with family, to breathe. But the rigid structures and lack of dialogue left no room for trust or flexibility.
I had taken that job with passion, ready to build markets and drive innovation. I was highly motivated – but also isolated and disconnected.
After two years of trying to make it work, I resigned. What felt like failure at first turned out to be self-care.

Soon after, I joined a company that trusted me to work flexibly, travel, and perform in a way that matched my energy. I flourished because I had autonomy. Within short time I became a manager. "

Today, Göldner works as a keynote speaker and consultant, inspiring organizations foster employee engagement, emotional commitment, and real motivation. Especially in the SME sector, she believes, these values are not a "nice to have" – they’re business-critical.
And when she’s not on stage or advising companies, you might find her gravel biking through South Africa or jogging along the Rhine River – where she finds the clarity and energy to inspire others to rethink the way we work.

Note: Gisa’s website is currently in German (zeitgenies.de). For English-speaking inquiries, she can be reached directly via email.

Gisa Göldner
Zeitgenies
+49 15678 726210
gg@zeitgenies.de
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